My trip to Fantasy Orchids in Louisville, CO - Orchid Board

ChasWG · #1 05-06-2009, 01:08 AM

So for Mother's Day I took my mom to Fantasy Orchids ( www.fantasyorchids.com ) in Louisville, CO. They are the largest Denver area orchid grower, staffed by some very nice and helpful people. Most of my collection came from these folks.
Like me, my mother loves orchids. She is a totaly wiz at growing phals. Her collection of 6 phals are all huge and monsterous in size. She says that she simply ignors them and waters them when she remembers.

But something must be working for her, they are all beautiful and really healthy.
So as an early Mother's Day gift I wanted to buy her something new and wonderful to add to her collection. Something other than yet another Phal.

Of course I also brought my camera along. I wanted you all to see some of what I saw.

First off, what I bought my mom:

Bllra. tohoma glacier

I thought it was a wonderful plant, very healthy and huge! The guy hekping us offered to repot the plant up to a 6" pot because it was about ready to pop out of the 4" square pot it was in. It had a huge amount of roots growing everywhere. I think it was a steal of a buy at $45 for that plant. I'm hoping that by next year the plant will be ready to devide and I get some!

It could probably be devided this year after it's done flowering, but that won't be for a while. This plant has two more spikes all set to open up and really put on a show.

OK, so now for the rest of the pictures I took of Fantasy Orchids. I tried to get as many names of plants as possible, but a few I forgot to shoot the tag. Sorry.

On with the show!

The main aisle at Fantasy Orchids

Didn't get the name. I think it's an oyster...

Onc. carnival costume

Vanda Fuch's Joy x Ascda. yip sum wah 'Red Berry'

Vanda manuvadee

Another one missing a name.

Lc. green vel 'Dressy'

Amazing! This Laelia harpophylla (species) is mounted to a 12' tall tree trunk. It's a beautiful display.

Eplc. Charlie Brown

I really wish I had got the name of this one.

And a Paph. with an incomplete name.
Paph. makuli x Paph. maud... didn't see the rest.

Vanda arjuna 'Wink' HCC/AOS

And one my mom bought herself:
Pot. creation 'Summer Choice'

Then there were all the fragarent Catts! Holy Cow, they knocked your socks off! I loved the one that smelled like coconut.

It was great day all the way around.

And oh yeah, in case you want to know, I did buy some plants for myself, but I'll save that for another thread.

tuvoc · #2 05-06-2009, 10:40 AM

Great shots, Chas. I've ordered several plants from them, and they have all been well grown, and quite large.

Kim

SP2340 · #3 05-06-2009, 10:48 AM

Beautiful photos, thank you!

Roly0217 · #4 05-06-2009, 12:12 PM

Beautiful plants and great place to go and spend hours. The one that you say that looks like an oyter looks like Den. spectabile to me. It's a species and one of my favorites.

VickiC · #5 05-06-2009, 12:30 PM

Hi Chas!
Very pretty orchids....and wonderful photography. I know you had a great time there and thanks for sharing your visit with us.
Vicki

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChasWG

So for Mother's Day I took my mom to Fantasy Orchids ( www.fantasyorchids.com ) in Louisville, CO. They are the largest Denver area orchid grower, staffed by some very nice and helpful people. Most of my collection came from these folks.
Like me, my mother loves orchids. She is a totaly wiz at growing phals. Her collection of 6 phals are all huge and monsterous in size. She says that she simply ignors them and waters them when she remembers.

But something must be working for her, they are all beautiful and really healthy.
So as an early Mother's Day gift I wanted to buy her something new and wonderful to add to her collection. Something other than yet another Phal.

Of course I also brought my camera along. I wanted you all to see some of what I saw.

First off, what I bought my mom:

Bllra. tohoma glacier

I thought it was a wonderful plant, very healthy and huge! The guy hekping us offered to repot the plant up to a 6" pot because it was about ready to pop out of the 4" square pot it was in. It had a huge amount of roots growing everywhere. I think it was a steal of a buy at $45 for that plant. I'm hoping that by next year the plant will be ready to devide and I get some!

It could probably be devided this year after it's done flowering, but that won't be for a while. This plant has two more spikes all set to open up and really put on a show.

OK, so now for the rest of the pictures I took of Fantasy Orchids. I tried to get as many names of plants as possible, but a few I forgot to shoot the tag. Sorry.

On with the show!

The main aisle at Fantasy Orchids

Didn't get the name. I think it's an oyster...

Onc. carnival costume

Vanda Fuch's Joy x Ascda. yip sum wah 'Red Berry'

Vanda manuvadee

Another one missing a name.

Lc. green vel 'Dressy'

Amazing! This Laelia harpophylla (species) is mounted to a 12' tall tree trunk. It's a beautiful display.

Eplc. Charlie Brown

I really wish I had got the name of this one.

And a Paph. with an incomplete name.
Paph. makuli x Paph. maud... didn't see the rest.

Vanda arjuna 'Wink' HCC/AOS

And one my mom bought herself:
Pot. creation 'Summer Choice'

Then there were all the fragarent Catts! Holy Cow, they knocked your socks off! I loved the one that smelled like coconut.

It was great day all the way around.

And oh yeah, in case you want to know, I did buy some plants for myself, but I'll save that for another thread.

theredhead · #6 05-07-2009, 01:40 AM

Don't you love that place? Sooo dangerous. Unfortunately I can make it over there in ~15 mins. As a result I'm up to 11 plants from them since last November - you can see some of them at my office (including my bllra. from a few weeks ago here - http://www.orchidboard.com/community...my-office.html

I try to limit myself to 1 visit a month... It's kind of scary that I have 'my orchid guys' James and Kent. I bet it was one of the two who was helping you.

I bought a lovely big bllra. like the one you pictured a couple of weeks ago - it's now up to over 20 blooms on the 4 spikes. The roots on mine are crazy as well. I find it works well to mist them heavily every day, in addition to the regular watering.

We should have a meet up there one Saturday.

-the redhead-

ChasWG · #7 05-07-2009, 02:21 AM

Redhead, that would be great! There are a couple other folks on the OB that live in the Denver metro area. Pilot (Ryan) lives about 10 minutes South of me in Parker. He didn't even know we had Fantasy untill two weeks ago. I'm sure we could set up a get together sometime. I'd be down for another visit. Maybe it's good that I live in Aurora, almost an hour away. Me and my wallet are safer that way.

Your office is really great! You are very lucky to be able to pull that off. But then again, it is the Republic of Boulder!

What wouldn't fly anywhere else, flies in Boulder. Not that having plants in the office is strange. But that is a really nice display!

I was thinking about my visit a little while ago and you know, I didn't even take a look at the left side of the greenhouse at all! I only did the center aisle and everything to the right. But I never made it over to the left side at all. Now I have a reason to go back!

Thanks for all the kind words everyone. I like being able to mix my hobbies. I love photography and I love orchids. The two seem to be made for eachother. I've actually thought about not spending all my money on new chids and actually buying a new macro lense. Crazy, I know!