Philadelphia Flower Show Starts!

[Eyebabe]

Like a child trying to sleep on Christmas Eve...
I am anxiously awaiting my annual two hooky days from work to go to the Philadelphia Flower Show tomorrow
Big o'l SLR camera in hand I plow my way though swarms of people to get my shot and endure many glares in the process
I usually buy some phals and limit my numbers by what I have killed off from the previous year
Fortunately, (or unfortunately depending on how you look at it ) I can't buy too many this year.
Not a great place to find "uncommon" orchids or divisions though....
The other stuff I love is the garden supplies which you can look through and pick up relatively "cheap".
Lastly, the awarded plant area is where I lurk most of the afternoon continuing to snap picks especially of cattleyas ; being careful to collect the names so I can pursue one or two (at least) through other means over the next year

Then I have few weeks to recover before going to the Longwood Orchid Show and Sale the end of March
Unlike the Philadelphia Show there are tons of unique orchids for sale there and that's the one I really bust my wallet out for
Thus I can only afford ONE hooky day for that show!

Christmas comes twice this month I guess

[Jayfar]

Made it there this evening for a few hours and I'll be going back later in the week. Managed to come home with only 1 new plant but it's a doozy and I now have a new favorite orchid vendor, Brennan's Orchids, up from Virginia. I bought a Phal. Shenandoah Fire 'Brennan's Orchids' AM/AOS in a 5" pot with 3 spikes and a couple more emerging. This plant is keiki crazy. One spike has a sizeable keiki with a few roots, another spike was a tiny keiki without roots and there's also a well-developed basal keiki. It has one opened bloom and a couple buds on the most mature spike (which also has the tiniest keiki). I understand this is one of those orchids whose spikes endure for years. Penang Girl is half of this cross (violacea x venosa), so that may explain that trait. I'll try to put up some pics of the plant tomorrow (no I didn't take a camera to the show).

AOS has a display this year and I saw Ron McHatton is there in person. The most interesting feature of their display is a largish, pentagonal wardian case on loan from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Orchid Society. I now have the idea in my head that I want to build a case just like it.

Among the show exhibits, Waldor's includes a cloning lab staffed by 2 manequins. Waldors is also another of maybe about 6 or 8 orchid vendors in the extensive selling area in the convention center.

Anyone else here care to report on the Philadelphia Flower Show?

[Alyons]

I will be heading over this weekend hopefully. I'm so excited!! It's a 5 hour drive but has always been worth it... I also lurk around the awarded plant area. I usually go in the afternoon when it is crowded and do a run through, then come back before closing to take pictures and make any last minute purchases. Usually I leave something behind thinking I can live without it, only to come back later and have to have it, lol. This will be my first (and maybe last) year of driving down, spending 4-5 hours there, then driving back. This is an effort to save money. Normally I make a weekend of it.

[Eyebabe]

I also bought from Brennan's which is one of my most favorite places to buy Phals. I love their crosses and got one of their new crosses: Sleeping giant x Hilo Lip.
Should be big red with a white lip

I got a big cymbidium from Waldor for my office and it's a beauty!! (pic below)

I will try to post up some pics of the show as well.
I loved Waldor's display again this year which depicted the mericloning process pioneered in France at Varcherot & Lecoufle. The Pamela Hetherington is one of my top three favorite orchids and theirs had (I think) TWELVE blooms!

This year is excellent! If you have a chance, definitely go

[Eyebabe]

Here is a link to my facebook photo album of the show: Denise Visco | Facebook

For those of you without a facebook account ....I will try to post the pics a different way and set up another link.

EDIT: okay, I just opened this flickr account and I'm not so good at it. Evidently, I loaded up the photos backwards so start from the LAST page and go reverse

Flickr: Eyebabe's Photostream

[peeweelovesbooks]

You guys are being so naughty buying all those orchids! (hee hee hee) I'm soooooooooo good I'm not even going to Fairchild this year.

Great finds guys. EB, I sense some nefarious plans for catt divisions............

[Eyebabe]

Originally Posted by peeweelovesbooks

You guys are being so naughty buying all those orchids! (hee hee hee) I'm soooooooooo good I'm not even going to Fairchild this year.

Great finds guys. EB, I sense some nefarious plans for catt divisions............

O, but will you be going to Redland ?

[peeweelovesbooks]

Who me????????????????? (staring innocently) (blink, blink)