Orchids and Silver Linings…
I have always had an attraction to orchids. The beautiful bouquet of exotic blooms on such a dainty stem with these quirky roots that have a mind of their own; they get me every time.
Flowers have always refreshed my soul, so it is no surprise that orchids captivated me. In Alabama, I always bought them to enjoy inside the home. I loved displaying them in the perfect container to show off their magical beauty to guests. They also inspired me as I would walk past going about my daily tasks. I loved that their blooms lasted much longer than cut flowers. The only problem was that after their first glorious show, I could never get them to re-bloom again. Impatient and frustrated with the inability to get the plants to re-bloom, I would regretfully toss them. It was not until recently that I have a whole new appreciation for orchids.
Since moving to Florida almost two years ago, I kept hearing how this was the perfect orchid growing climate. With the temperate weather and humidity here, supposedly the orchids would naturally grow in the wild. With this new motivation, I began moving my spent orchids outside after blooming. I would put them in various spots in hopes of giving them a new life; some under the lanai and some under a tree where there was dappled sunlight and rain. It was just an experiment really. I never tended to them(other than an occasional splash of water when I remembered). No fertilizer. Nothing really. I practically forgot about them.
Until one morning recently, when I walked outside to find the most unexpected surprise. There she was in all her splendor. My neglected orchid, that had been dormant for a year or more, had practically transformed overnight. Out of nowhere, there was this pioneer bloom and all these tiny buds to follow suit. I was stopped in my tracks.
A re-birth. Beautiful positivity. At no better time than I could have planned or predicted, she miraculously came through. A silver lining of hope.
For more orchid inspiration: Check out the The Tiny Orchid Co. on Instagram(who wants to take a road trip???). And if you are ever in Sarasota, definitely visit Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. It is magical.