Enjoy the Beauty of Orchids at Home
Well, here we are. It’s a weird time globally, with the COVID-19 pandemic having taken over our usual routines. I hope you’re staying home, washing your hands a lot, and following whatever guidelines your city, state, or country have set in place. If you’re in the US and aren’t sure where to find reliable information about the virus, please visit CDC.gov.
During a panic grocery shopping trip, my husband found a gorgeous Zygopetalum hybrid that needed a good home. So it’s ours now, and I absolutely love it! The blooms are stunning, and they smell incredible.
Late winter and early spring is a popular time of year for major orchid shows. The New York Botanic Garden’s Orchid Show is what got me into this hobby in the first place. While I haven’t been able to attend the show since I moved to DC in 2017, I was happy to learn from a friend that the NYBG was putting up a virtual tour of this year’s show. The garden is currently closed, but it was so thoughtful of the staff to put together this 20-ish minute walkthrough of floral designer Jeff Leatham’s Kaleidoscope for us to enjoy from home:
I was looking forward to going to the US Botanic Garden’s Orchid Exhibit at some point this spring, but obviously that’s not happening anytime soon. This year’s theme is “Discover the World of Orchids” and it’s taking place inside the Botanic Garden itself (sometimes the exhibit is inside other locations, like the Hirshhorn Musem). The exhibit is supposed to go through May 3, but all nonessential businesses in DC are currently closed through April 24, and who knows whether that will be extended. So I have no idea if anyone will be able to visit this year’s exhibit at this point.
But that’s ok, because the USBG has put a series of short videos up on YouTube to provide us with a virtual tour of the orchid exhibit! If we’re stuck at home, we might as well take some virtual tours. Bonus points for the soothing waterfall in the orchid room in Part 9.
There’s also a virtual tour of the cherry blossom trees at the Tidal Basin here in DC. The trees hit peak bloom about a week ago, and I skipped going to the Tidal Basin this year for the first time since we moved to DC. However, I did manage to find some beautiful cherry blossom trees in my neighborhood while on a solo walk the other day.
Please stay home, stay safe, and help keep this virus from spreading!
