Visited Botanical Orchid Greenhouse yesterday! :)
 

A couple of weeks ago, a glass blowing buddy of my husbands suggested that I call AJ (initials to protect privacy) and see if I could help her out. He said she is widowed and in her seventies and could really use my help. He also said that she raises orchids and there probably would be a lot I could learn from her.

I called her, and told her we would come up to visit, then she could tell me how I could help her. The drive is a little over a half an hour.

My husband and I went to her house yesterday and was given a tour of her greenhouses. (She has seven up and running). I would post some of the wonderful pics I got, but I don't have her permission to do so. As soon as I get her permission, I'll put them up on the gallery.

Her greenhouses were not the typical greenhouses, with rows of plants, neatly cared for. They were botanical greenhouses - and each one was like walking into a forest - (it was WONDERFUL!!) she kept apologizing saying that the expectation is always different - but I loved it!!

There was 1 *ONE!* greenhouse that was orderly and what one would normally expect - there she grew commercial flowering and used that to support the other greenhouse she 'loved'. :)

The botanical greenhouses each had a rubber tree growing in the corner that branched out along the ceiling to shade the other plants growing below.

She used terracotta pots for all of her plants - some were broken for the roots outgrowing them, I asked her about this, she shrugged and said, "natural!" The broken ports still served as support, but just became a part of the material the plants were growing in. She doesn't fertilize at all nor does she repot when it's supposed to happen. The plants looked like they would look if you found them out in the woods, imperfect, beautiful, and omg - the flowers were stunning!

She showed me what a 'beginning to sunburn' orchid looked like, then promptly shaded it - so I know what to look for now. My phal didn't die of sunburn. :(

Nearly all of her orchids were originally purchased in the late '50's early '60's! :)

I was worn out last night - but it was a wonderful good day. I noticed that some of the orchids fascinated me more by how they grew and what the actual plant looked like. . .I hope to share some pics soon.

:)

Edit: Edited Title at request of owner of Greenhouse as she has had her greenhouses broken into and vandalized.

That sounds like a wonderful experience, thank you for telling us about it, it's great to hear how people grow their orchids.

What a great experience! Hope you are able to post pics!

Can't wait to see the pics! Sounds like a little slice of heaven. :)

Wow, sounds like a fun experience. Hope you get permission, can't wait to see :photo:

:photo: :photo: :photo: Can't wait!!!

That's nice of you to ask if you can post the photos you took of her place. Just to let you know, you don't really need her permission. The photos you took are yours, you are the rights holder. They are your "art" and your images. If she didn't want you to take pictures she could have told you not to and you would have had to respect her dissision.

Those are the facts, but I do find it refreshing to see that people still find it nessecary to ask permission. That's really cool!

I'm sure she'll let you post the ones that don't give away her location, just the flowers and greenhouses.

I had to laugh when I spoke to her on the phone and told her orchids took so much more attention than other "Water once a week and forget" house plants. She said that her other plants were what got all of her attention and her orchids were pretty much leave as is, and let them do their thing. (This was a bit of a tongue lashing! LOL!) She has wonderful environments set up for them, though, so that's not entirely true **wink**.

You're quite welcome!

We hope to go back there, often. She said she'll call me when she needs help repotting or splitting the orchids. :biggrin:

I haven't been able to get in contact with her for the last couple of days - but I'll try again tomorrow. If I'm not able to contact her, I may well just post the pics.

Hopefully tomorrow - **crosses fingers**