Paradise Found at the Orchid Show: Escape Winter Blues with Exotic Blooms By Kathy Jentz
With the winter days are gray and chilly, take a quick trip down to the National Mall and enter a paradise of plants. You can shed your winter coat and immerse yourself in the tropical air of the newly opened orchid show in the United States Botanic Garden (USBG). Between 600 to 1,000 orchids are on display in every size, form, and color imaginable during the exhibit. From February 6 - April11 is Orchids: A Cultural Odyssey. This orchid show is a joint project of the USBG and the Smithsonian. It switches location hosts between the two organizations on the Mall every other year. This year’s exhibit takes you on a journey. You explore the ways orchids have permeated the lives of people around the world. Discover orchids in arts, literature, exploration, jewelry, trade, and business. Travel the world within the Conservatory and discover how influential and magnificent orchids have been in our lives! . While being captivated by the beauty of these blooms, don’t overlook their wonderful smells. Use your nose to lead you around through the natural perfumes. A personal favorite of mine is the “Sharry Baby” Oncidium orchid which has a dreamy mix of chocolate and vanilla scents. Some orchid enthusiasts grow only orchids that produce a strong fragrance and others are attracted to specific flower shapes or colors. Yasmeen Peer, an enthusiastic beginner in orchid collecting, has a passion for the Lady’s Slipper (Paphiopedilum) variety. “There is something really erotic about these,” says Yasmeen. “They are just the coolest looking flowers and they have this velvety texture that makes you want to touch it.” Yasmeen eagerly joined the National Capitol Orchid Society. The society has about 400 members and assists every year with the installation of this orchid show. They also host monthly meetings and several other events annually. Since 1847, the group of orchid lovers in the greater Washington region shares their knowledge, organizes plant auctions, and holds ribbon-judging contests. For more information on joining the NCOS, visit http://www.ncos.us. The society has members at a wide range of levels from novice to expert. If you have never grown an orchid, you should not let their fussy reputation deter you. Tom Mirenda, the Smithsonian’s Orchid Collection Specialist, says, “Many Orchids are quite suitable for growing as houseplants. Some of the easiest ones, Phalaenopsis or Paphiopedilums, provide extravagant blooms during the winter months.” Come out to the orchid show to get a few tips and tricks on how best to grow an orchid of your own. Admission to all public areas of the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) is free. The Conservatory is open 10am - 5pm daily. The Conservatory main entrance is located at 100 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC. Visitors can stroll in the adjacent Bartholdi Park from dawn until dusk and can access it from any of the three bordering streets — Independence Avenue, Washington Avenue, or First Street. Take the Metrorail Blue or Orange line to the Federal Center SW or Capital South stations. By Metrobus, take #30, 32, 34, 35, or 36 to Independence Avenue and First Street, SW. For more details and maps to plan your visit, go to www.usbg.gov or call 202.225-8333. You may bring food and picnic on the grounds of Bartholdi Park. Nearby are the Smithsonian museums including the National Museum of the American Indian, which has the enticing Mitsitam Native Foods Café, and the National Air and Space Museum, which has the Wright Place Food Court for fast food. This orchid show event is quite popular with photographers and there is always a certain amount of jockeying for space and the perfect angle. Keep in mind the USBG’s policy that while handheld film, digital, or video cameras may be used at any time, the use of easels, tripods, or art material containing solvents require special permission and a permit. Images of the USBG may not be used in commercial or promotional advertisements. Sketching is allowed, though you might want to do so during less busy times such as during weekday mornings.
Washington Gardener Magazine’s staff and writers are available to speak to groups and garden clubs in the greater DC region. Call 301.588.6894 or email wgardenermag@aol.com for available dates, rates, and topics.
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