I've always loved Orchids. Growing up in Hawaii, they were everywhere. But like searching for treats left by the Easter Bunny, many times you have to really look to find them. They love to hide in trees and chill out in low key shrubbery like a cat. And like said feline comparison, they are pretty finicky about everything: "Look at me, touch me, okay... that's enough." I've tried for many years to be able to cultivate orchids but alas, my black thumb kills everything I touch. I don't get it. My mother has the greenest thumb of anyone I know. She once stuck a twig in a jar of water and a week later, it sprouted leaves~ infuriating to say the least. Another friend in Hawaii has an incredibly varied collection of orchids in her driveway. "How do you do it?!" I marveled. She just shrugged and said, "Not much really, though I do sing to them. They like that." Whatever. I therefore have settled on admiring others' work in the field. I like to tell myself I can't be good at everything: there has to be some mystery in my life...
Yesterday, in search for something to do in my fair city of New York, I reviewed my hundreds of starred locations on Google Maps which is no mean feat: the stars cover most of the island of Manhattan. Here's a screen shot:
Yeah.
Wanna see what Crete looks like? Behold:
Right.
I decided to try uptown. I came upon my starred New York Botanical Garden and clicked on the website link which informed me that Sunday, April 9th was the last day of their 15th annual Orchid Show! Heaven!! From my place in Midtown it's over and hour via train and bus, but the bus lets you off right in front of the Gardens and it was a stunning Spring day so off I went!
The Gardens are massive: over 250 acres! It was land formerly owned by the tobacco magnate Pierre Lorillard IV. Eventually acquired by the City of New York it was set aside for the creation of a zoo and botanical garden. The Garden was established on April 28, 1891 and was declared a historic landmark in 1967. The landscape supports over 1 million living plants in varied collections. It operates one of the world's largest plant research and conservation programs with nearly 200 staff members. It is also a major educational institution hosting over 1 million people annually. Many Bronx families and schoolchildren benefit from the NYBG's curriculum-based, hands on programs and more than 3000 teachers from New York City's public school system participate in professional development programs that train them to teach science courses at all grade levels.
One of the spectacular buildings on the grounds is the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Begun in 1899 and finished in 1902, the conservatory was inspired by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, located just outside London.
The Haupt Conservatory is where the "Orchid Show: Thailand" was housed. I love a great conservatory: you feel like you are in a fairy land. I also love terrariums for this same reason, but I digress as usual...
The line to get in was long but moved pretty quickly. Upon entering we were met with a massive display of many different types of orchids surrounded by a lush tropical garden. The air inside was fresh, yet not as humid as one might think. The crowds were pretty insane though and I had to yell at a few people to not mess with the fragile displays. Apparently "Please do not touch the plant displays" is French for, "Please hit, bump into with your giant bag, and crush all plants you come in contact with today." Annoying.
As I wandered through the conservatory, I was reminded of the "Golden Ticket" winning children from the "Willy Wonka" film when they first enter his "world of pure imagination." The varied species of Orchids was massive. This year's show focused on Thailand which is home to more than 1,200 native orchid species and over the last century has become the leading exporter of cultivated tropical orchids in the world.
As you walked through the conservatory, into the desert region, there were also examples of extreme orchids that thrive in arid climates. Unfortunately, their blooms had past so I missed out on that part.
Here's a fun fact: the flavoring of Vanilla comes from the orchid species "Vanilleae". Most common is the flat leafed "V. planifolia" which is native to Mexico. Vanilla is the second most expensive flavoring in the world behind Saffron.
The people at the NYBG did an incredible job of installing their temporary collection of orchids throughout their permanent collection of plant life housed in the conservatory. You had to be on the lookout for some of them: some were up in trees, some in low plant beds. Some were so tiny, you might have missed them if you were not careful. I surmise the people obsessed with taking endless selfies missed out on Mother Nature's diversity. At one point I thought, "This is Mother Nature showing off right here."
At the end of the magical trail through Orchidland, there was an incredible scene of a large arched façade in the style of a traditional Thai pavilion covered with hundreds of stunning orchids.
After nearly 3 hours of fawning over some of natures finest creations, I wandered around the grounds outside of the conservatory. Since it is early spring, the Cherry Blossoms were the first to show off. Unfortunately we still have to wait a little while for the rest of the plant species to get to full bloom. All the more reason to go back for a visit!
I did see some incredible glass sculptures by one of my favorite artists: Dale Chihuly.
The next exhibit will be an installation of approximately 20 glass pieces by Chihuly from April 22-October 29, 2017. Another event I will definitely attend!
Oh and yes, I had to scream a a kid who actually threw a rock at one of the Chihuly installations. I believe I said, "WHOA!!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" prompting him to run away. I may or may not have used the word "Hell" and used something more "colorful" as my expletive...
I may have missed the peak blooming for the Orchid Show, but there was still plenty for me to "ooo" and "ahh" over. Next year, I'll be there when it begins!
Pro tip: try to go during the week and go early. Sundays are a nightmare.
For more information on the New York Botanical Garden visit:
For more information on orchids visit:
For more information on the work of Dale Chihuly:
For more information on the upcoming Chihuly Exhibit at the NYBG:
