Orchids at the Botanic Garden

Early Spring is Orchid Festival time in the US!  Large gardens and houses all hold their own events, showcasing the best that their orchid houses can produce.

In Washington DC we have visited Spring orchid exhibits in several places - the first ones that we saw were at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and last year at the Hirschorn Museum of Modern Art.  These exhibits are always put on in collaboration with the US Botanic Garden who have a wonderful group of conservatories near the Capitol building and also extensive greenhouses in Maryland where they bring plants on for display and keep the potted outdoor exhibits over the winter.



This year the US Botanic Garden is hosting the orchid festival and the main atrium is decorated with a multitude of different species and colours of orchid.  Some are conventionally displayed in their pots but there is also an eye-catching and unusual display overhead.

I am not sure how ‘happy’ orchids must be in this display - but perhaps the warm and moist environment and some after hours spraying with water keeps them going.

As well as the main display there were potted orchids on show throughout the indoor garden.  I have photographed just a few of those that caught my eye - with apologies to the real orchid fans who would have liked to see the identifying labels I am sure.. I have focused on the flowers themselves..

Smithsonian Castle and Garden

In DC today to visit the National Botanic Garden annual orchid exhibit, stopped off on the way to check the progress of the magnolia trees in the Enid Haupt garden behind Smithsonian Castle.  The Gardens still look quite stark at this time of year, just a few plants and trees starting to bloom and the water garden is still drained for the winter.

However there were very positive signs of life in several of the magnolia trees and in a week or so I think they will be fully in bloom.  Last year we had snow in March which ruined these blooms as well as the cherry blossom, this year it is looking more hopeful.

This unusual scented shrub with bare twigs and waxy yellow flowers I have seen before but forgotten the name of!

In the outdoor part of the National Botanic Garden this beautiful pink blossom is just coming out.

The label indicated that it is not a cherry but a Japanese apricot tree.  Such a great colour!

On the ground there was little colour - this pretty hellebore..

...and a tiny and very pale iris reticulata.

Another Day, Another Lake

After a morning of sorting things out in the house and then a visit to the Bargain Loft to take photos for Facebook and help with some pricing, I went with a friend for a walk at Lake Fairfax Park 



After the recent very high winds, lots of small branches and twigs are in the lake and amongst them, carefully watching the water, this large grey heron.

He allowed us to get quite close and then flew to the other side of the lake.  Unfortunately I only had a phone and so these photos are not very clear.

He then waded along the shallows of the lake, picking up and throwing aside any twigs that were in his path.

Meadowlark Gardens

As my flight arrived an hour ahead of schedule this afternoon and the weather was cool but bright, we headed straight from the airport to Meadowlark for a walk.

Spring flowers are starting to appear..









Some beautiful hellebores too.

Lovely reflections in the lake..

Not too many signs of the very high winds of a few days ago, a few trees and branches down.  No sign of any cherry blossom yet - a few more weeks to go - but some beautiful witch hazels..

Looking up to take this last shot I almost stepped on this rather well disguised creature - harmless - an Eastern Gartersnake - a couple of feet long.