2018 April – May
This is the peak blooming season. Very soon now the brutal Texas summer will set in, and the orchids will be somewhat less happy. I do my best to keep them comfortable — putting a shade cloth over the top … Continue reading →
Tag Archives: orchid
Orchid Repotting Demonstration at GNTOS
The May meeting of GNTOS (Greater North Texas Orchid Society) provided me the opportunity to show how to properly repot an orchid. Helping people care for their plants is an important part of conservation. Some species have entirely disappeared from … Continue reading →
Your First Greenhouse
Whenever two orchid lovers (defined as anyone reading this column) get together for the first time, the question almost always comes up “Do you have a greenhouse?”. I must confess that it has given me great satisfaction for the last … Continue reading →
2018 Mid-America Orchid Conference
This year’s West Shore Orchid Society show was also host to the Mid-America Orchid Congress. Orchid expert Tom Mirenda of the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden was a main attraction. The show, held in Strongsville,Ohio, just south of Cleveland, drew a … Continue reading →
2018 Orchid Show – Tulsa, Oklahoma
The Tulsa show, held April 20-22, was also the semi-annual Southwest Regional Orchid Growers Association (SWROGA) meeting. Whenever the SWROGA meeting is held in conjunction with a show, it always draws participation from a wider number of orchid societies than … Continue reading →
Can Citizen Scientists Make a Difference (for orchids)?
Yes, we can! Ordinary people all over the world are participating in conservation efforts to protect natural habitats. A recent article in The Guardian by Fiona Gell, a marine biologist, tells of one such project. In the article entitled “Who’s … Continue reading →
2018 Dr Delphinium Open House – Art for Conservation
Every year I participate in the annual Open House at Dr Delphinium in Richardson, Texas. I have a number of my paintings on permanent display in the store. They sell my limited edition prints and orchid notecards, with my share … Continue reading →
Botanical Research Institute of Texas fosters conservation efforts
The research and conservation work going on at the BRIT have become an important part of my own efforts to promote conservation. During 2017 I logged a good number of volunteer hours on a project to make BRIT’s physical records … Continue reading →
2018 Greater North Texas Orchid Society Show
My table at the 2018 GNTOS Orchid Show & Sale (see slide show below) featured a display about the current orchid conservation project in Palau, coordinated by NAOCC, which is part of the Smithsonian. The beautiful photography of Benjamin Crain … Continue reading →
Central East Texas Orchid Society learns about orchid conservation
My conservation presentation at the Central East Texas Orchid Society monthly meeting on February 18 was a golden opportunity to expand on a fascinating new ongoing program being coordinated by the Smithsonian’s North American Orchid Conservation Center (NAOCC). It … Continue reading →
2018 January – March
It is early springtime in Texas, and some of my orchids are coming into bloom. Very soon I will have quite a few in bloom. Here is a look at which plants are showing their colors at the moment. … Continue reading →
Smithsonian NAOCC partners in orchid conservation project in Palau
Orchid Conservation is happening in all kinds of unexpected places. Get out your world maps and see if you can find Babeldaob! This is the time of the year we might be dreaming of a tropical getaway. I have my … Continue reading →
Ecosystems are affected by wars – orchids lose their habitat
News reports tell us that war is a threat to animals, and that the world is losing species as a result. The reports typically focus on the large mammals, because the public is most interested in them, and is most … Continue reading →