The lengths we (and our friends) go to for orchids
 

So.....its April and I live it the far far north of the Yukon.
We dont have much for selection of orchids to buy here, some Phals and the occaisional Cymbidium,and only then when they can send up a heated truck .
Orchid withdrawal in overdrive....so I phone a friend in Saskatchewan because I saw that the Regina Orchid Society is having a show and sale.
Not such a big deal until you realize that Saskatchewan is almost on the other side of the country from me.
My friend agrees to go to the show and purchase some babies for me , and ship them up.
Heres where the good picture comes in .
Imagine the highly tatooed, heavily muscled, Harley riding Lesbian friend picking her way through the delicate seedlings and flowers of an orchid show,just to get some babies for her flower deprived friend all the way up at the top of the world.
Is that a friend or what?

That's a good friend indeed! :) Poor you, having to live so far away from places that have orchids. I hope your friend sends you lots of new orchids, that should help with the withdrawal symptoms somewhat. Is it ever summer in your part of the world?

LOL no Camille its not even really spring here yet...its still at freezing overnight here.. we only get hot in June/July and August .. but between my friends down South , and getting my Import Permits for flasks, I hope to fix my orchid shortage soon

Don't lose that friend of yours! She sounds amazing. :nod:

It sound like you have it a bit worse than we do, the temperatures have stopped dropping below 0*C during the nights now anyway, and buds have started to burst all over the place, so it will be Spring really soon. :biggrin:

You're not in the latest plant project, are you? Perfect excuse to order more orchids! We'll hopefully be voting very soon. :)

Plant Project? Whats that?

We started it a month ago. Basically we look for orchids that meet criteria we set (price, size, temperature, available in canada, US and EU). Then we did a first vote before easter to find out who the favorites are, and for the past week I've been busy contacting growers to find out if they have enough of each candidate. For now it looks like we'll be voting between Sophronitis cernua, Paph purpuratum, Bulbo lobbi and maybe Angraecum didieri. Then everyone buys the winning plant and we compare notes growing it. Technically I've closed the sign up, but it's only because there are too many americans! (major trouble finding 35 of each candidate!) But fine if you want to join, canada has 6 participants so far.
This was our first poll: http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ants-only.html
Some info about projects in general: http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ct-plants.html

Thanks Camille....but even if there were any to buy here right now, we only get NOIDs...not a variety name in sight

Everyone is ordering online. In Canada the winning plant will come from either Paramount, ForestView Gardens, or Hawaiian Botanicals.

what a great friend! Does she have a list, or how does she determine what to buy?

:) I wasnt asking for anything too special as we dont have ANY selection here, so I said "just get me some babies....nothing too big or it wont be OK to ship"....after that I trust her....only a $100 budget

Hmmm, this sounds interesting, care to fill us in? :)

I applied for Import permits for flasks. Applied for one for Thailand and one for Mexico....havent been approved yet so I dont know if the information I was given by Wildlife was correct...will know in 3-4 weeks

Ok, sounds interesting! Do you have any particular types of orchids you have in mind?

LOL purty ones LOL
I dont really have a preference....I am partial to Catts just because winter here is so long and dark and their flowers are sooooooo flashy
Iam going to have to put lights in anyway so I thought I would try Bamboo orchids as well as some Myrmecophylia (bad spelling?) and some others...I'm lucky enough to have cathedral ceilings that are 12ft in some places so big n tall is ok

Cool! Well, I hope everything works out!

Thanks Blazing...if nothing else I will have stuff that I cant get here...even if I could get it if I lived anywhere else in the country LOL

Hahaha, I have both my arms covered in tattoos and I'm the only one in my Socitey (at least that I know of). It's pretty funny. Most asume I'm not that into orchids.

Bamboo orchids and myrmecophila are very impressive orchids. Most usually have long spikes (4-6 feet). However, some myrmecophilas have shorter spikes (around 2 feet).

Good luck with getting your orchids. I want to see pictures when you get your seedlings.

If you are looking for healthy plants that tend to be trooper like you can send an order via cloudsorchids. Very pretty orchids!

you have a precious friend, one you want to hold on to for life...
I have three or four ...and I hold on to them dearly for life...there is nothing that I wont do for them...

Well....the "care package" arrived from my wonderful friend in Saskatchewan......she sent me
Peristeria elata
Sand. Black Star "Pacific Red Star"
Milt. Andrea West "Wild Wild West"
Bollopetalum Midnight Blue
Zygonisia cynosure 'Blue Birds'
I Luv Her :)

OK...so it is now November, and minus 12 degrees outside......and the little Milt. Andrea West "Wild Wild West" that my friend sent me from Saskatchewan has sent up 2 lovely little blooms....well not so little as they are almost as big as the plant itself

Beautiful bloom that's made even more impressive by your location! Did you get the permits through for importing flasks?

yup got the permits for Mexico and Thailand...theyre good for 3 years ....too bad they came through too late for this year....the frost came first