Orchids show Esslingen, 21 September 2012

Cattleya orchid, hybrid, dark red flower detail
(picture of 21 September 2012, Esslingen)

I waited a long time this event, international exhibitions are good to spend a beautiful day in the middle of a sea of ​​blooming orchids! I visited the site of the international exhibition of orchids Esslingen 2011 edition and there were many photos that I was really impressed, especially those relating to exhibitions, spectacular flower beds with trees and streams, all covered with ferns, mosses and hundreds of orchids in flower, I couldn't miss it! This was my first visit to the exhibition of Esslingen and was nice even though I expected that the fair was much larger, the exhibitors were provided but not as hoped and the prices were inflated almost all of which unfortunately is often the case here in  events  of strong appeal. Unfortunately many of the pictures I took did not turn out well because of the low light and of my camera, a bit dated, anyway there's still something  ...

Tolumnia triquetra, unexpected flowering

Tolumnia triquetra, flowering orchid species,
growing mounted on cork slab,
in my orchidarium shelf, self made (DIY)
(picture of 26 August 2012)

I bought this delightful miniature orchid in mid-July from my fauvorite orchid seller Orchids & More.
It was already flowering and the relocation did not bother, the flowers lasted more then two weeks before starting to fade quietly. During this period it also began vegetative growth,  a new shoot appeared at the base of the bigger fan of leaves. I thought I must wait until the maturation of the new fan to get further blooms, however the stem, as soon as it lost flowers, restarted working immediately!

Orchidarium shelf, self made (DIY).

Orchidarium shelf, self made (DIY)
(pictures of 24 October 2012)

Orchidarium shelf  DIY, the beginning
(pictures of 27 March 2012)

As always, space is tight and instead plants ... are never enough! After mounting the mini orchidarium I noticed that in my kitchen there was a lot of unused space, of course it was a bit high, and not really practical, but doable. Top of the refrigerator then there was just a nice space. So I recruited a volunteer. (!) At first I just wanted a simple shelf to better accommodate some poor Phalaenopsis in intensive care, in that corner does not come a lot of light, the window is two and a half meters far, a lamp was requested. I recycled an IKEA lamp built up with an energy saving light bulb 'Philips Tornado 23W 6500K cool daylight' for 12 hours a day with a timer-clock. The plants I settled ​​there were all a bit battered because saved in various garden shops for a few euro, after some time I started to think about how to provide them with a good air humidity ...

Phalaenopsis Violacea, the first flowering!!!

Phalaenopsis violacea  coerulea, orchid species,
adult flower detail
var. coerulea Malaysia x Dark red "Norton"
(picture of 10 September 2012)

Phalaenopsis stuartiana, a mini seedling

Among the overflowing benches of my faouvorite orchid seller, Orchids & More I can not stop to be amazed. You can find all kinds of surprises, such as cattleya plants only 12 cm high with beautiful flowers intermingled to huge Bulbophyllums!
In my last tour I bought a beautiful Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi in bloom and a vase with three seedlings of Phalaenopsis Schilleriana. At the end of the visit, which lasted always too short, I continued to go around, even if I would not have to take other plants since space in the house is small and already a bit crowded ... but my attention was caught by a group of seedlings of Phalaenopsis Stuartiana, they were all small, more or less the same size of the young Phalaenopsis Schilleriana, but looking closely there was a tiny seedling completely out of the vessel substrate.

Phalaenopsis stuartiana, orchid species,
seedling with new roots growing
(picture of  31 August 2012)