The Orchid Garden

orchid collections

Question:

Taking its cue from Kew? K Barrett – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – While AJ’s listing of collections (of all sorts) is quite incluysive, it errs in regard to the Missouri Botanical Garden, whose orchid collection is extensive … just not on public display beyond a small display off the lobby. If you want to see a better representation of the collection, you need to attend the annual orchid show (first weekend in February to mid-March). Organization: Nyx Net, Free Internet access (www.nyx.net) Newsgroups: rec.gardens.orchids i have a general question…I want to know where we have the best orchid collections in conservatories or arboretum etc. in the USA. Good question. I understand the Atlanta Botanic Gardens just put up their orchid/tropical greenhouse. It should be a pretty jewel in short time. There’s nowhere like the ABG for insectivorous plants, either. Their Ron Gagliardo is an expert at tissue culture, particularly as regards to insectivorous plants, and he’s no slouch at orchids, either. Longwood has a pretty good orchid house, and a fair number of nepenthes and sarracenias, to boot. Also one of the few places that has a decent victoria water lily display. Nicely done. I was surprised to find a tropical collection in Madison, WI when I was there. Nothing huge, but nicely done with what they had to work with. Interestingly, Grand Junction, Colorado has a little niche as well- way out in the middle of nowhere, with one butterfly and one tropical room. Very nice people there. Phipps, although it’s been a while since I’ve been in Pittsburgh, was nice. The Climatron at the Missouri Botanic Gardens is not to be missed, although their orchid collection is virtually non-existant. The ‘Mo also has a good victoria waterlily collection. I know the Morton Arboretum doesn’t have any orchids (nice trees, though). Interestingly, the Desert Botanic Garden here in Phoenix has one orchid- an encyclia that is doing distressingly well, lashed to a ponytail palm and afforded marginal shade. I think it bloomed last year. Boyce Thompson Arboretum, on the other hand, has none. I got behind the scenes at Denver, where Nick Snakenberg has been doing a very good job at shaping up the collection there. I won’t comment too much on Marie Selby or Fairchild any others in FL, since the last time I was there was 1985 (when Jones and Scully were still around- *sniff*). Ditto with California. But the National Aquarium (where I got a behind-the-scenes look several years ago) at Baltimore is very nice. The greenhouse on the roof is well-done, as is their work with poison arrow frogs. The National Aquarium in Washington, DC, on the other hand, is a dark pit in the basement of an antiquated building that… words fail me. I’d go again if I could. I don’t think Albuquerque has finished their tropical greenhouse yet. If done as well as their Mediterranean house and their desert room, it’ll be a winner. Other places I’d see again include the St. Louis Zoo (the penguin exhibit, right up from the electric eel- a must-see- is right up their with their tufted frogmouth, or whatever that bird is called). The science museum in St. Louis was free (when I was there), and VERY well-done. (Memo to self, skip the Phoenix science museum.) The Carnegie Museum and its Bronto- er, uh… whatever they call it now, sauropods, scarred me for life when shown them as a child and repeatedly through adolescence. Enough trauma there is probably what drove me to my degree in geology. I understand the aquarium at New Orleans is one of- if not the- best in the US. Didn’t see it when I was there, still regret it. The Albuquerque aquarium is interesting, yet mildly deranged, fitting the city perfectly. I’m missing a couple of botanic gardens and arboreta in there that I’ve seen, I know. One in Galveston escapes me- HUGE fish in the tropical room, including some real Amazonians, like red-tailed catfish (WOW). I’ve seen a few, many during a period in my life when I was a card-carrying member of the American Association of Botanic Gardens and Arboreta (AABGA), which’ll get you in for free at many places, and reduced rates at the rest (except for Madison, which had never heard of it before). The only place I’d never go again is North Dakota. Not that they have a botanic garden, but North Dakota really sucks. Montana’s nice. Cheers, -AJHicks Chandler, AZ

Response:

hi all, i have a general question…I want to know where we have the best orchid collections in conservatories or arboretum etc. in the USA. thanks m d

Response:

They are all in sunny Florida. Mick

Response:

i have a general question…I want to know where we have the best orchid collections in conservatories or arboretum etc. in the USA.

        Good question. I understand the Atlanta Botanic Gardens just put up their orchid/tropical greenhouse. It should be a pretty jewel in short time. There’s nowhere like the ABG for insectivorous plants, either. Their Ron Gagliardo is an expert at tissue culture, particularly as regards to insectivorous plants, and he’s no slouch at orchids, either.         Longwood has a pretty good orchid house, and a fair number of nepenthes and sarracenias, to boot. Also one of the few places that has a decent victoria water lily display. Nicely done.         I was surprised to find a tropical collection in Madison, WI when I was there. Nothing huge, but nicely done with what they had to work with. Interestingly, Grand Junction, Colorado has a little niche as well- way out in the middle of nowhere, with one butterfly and one tropical room. Very nice people there.         Phipps, although it’s been a while since I’ve been in Pittsburgh, was nice. The Climatron at the Missouri Botanic Gardens is not to be missed, although their orchid collection is virtually non-existant. The ‘Mo also has a good victoria waterlily collection.         I know the Morton Arboretum doesn’t have any orchids (nice trees, though). Interestingly, the Desert Botanic Garden here in Phoenix has one orchid- an encyclia that is doing distressingly well, lashed to a ponytail palm and afforded marginal shade. I think it bloomed last year. Boyce Thompson Arboretum, on the other hand, has none.         I got behind the scenes at Denver, where Nick Snakenberg has been doing a very good job at shaping up the collection there.         I won’t comment too much on Marie Selby or Fairchild any others in FL, since the last time I was there was 1985 (when Jones and Scully were still around- *sniff*). Ditto with California. But the National Aquarium (where I got a behind-the-scenes look several years ago) at Baltimore is very nice. The greenhouse on the roof is well-done, as is their work with poison arrow frogs. The National Aquarium in Washington, DC, on the other hand, is a dark pit in the basement of an antiquated building that… words fail me. I’d go again if I could. I don’t think Albuquerque has finished their tropical greenhouse yet. If done as well as their Mediterranean house and their desert room, it’ll be a winner.         Other places I’d see again include the St. Louis Zoo (the penguin exhibit, right up from the electric eel- a must-see- is right up their with their tufted frogmouth, or whatever that bird is called). The science museum in St. Louis was free (when I was there), and VERY well-done. (Memo to self, skip the Phoenix science museum.) The Carnegie Museum and its Bronto- er, uh… whatever they call it now, sauropods, scarred me for life when shown them as a child and repeatedly through adolescence. Enough trauma there is probably what drove me to my degree in geology.         I understand the aquarium at New Orleans is one of- if not the- best in the US. Didn’t see it when I was there, still regret it. The Albuquerque aquarium is interesting, yet mildly deranged, fitting the city perfectly.         I’m missing a couple of botanic gardens and arboreta in there that I’ve seen, I know. One in Galveston escapes me- HUGE fish in the tropical room, including some real Amazonians, like red-tailed catfish (WOW). I’ve seen a few, many during a period in my life when I was a card-carrying member of the American Association of Botanic Gardens and Arboreta (AABGA), which’ll get you in for free at many places, and reduced rates at the rest (except for Madison, which had never heard of it before). The only place I’d never go again is North Dakota. Not that they have a botanic garden, but North Dakota really sucks. Montana’s nice.         Cheers,         -AJHicks         Chandler, AZ

Response:

While AJ’s listing of collections (of all sorts) is quite incluysive, it errs in regard to the Missouri Botanical Garden, whose orchid collection is extensive … just not on public display beyond a small display off the lobby. If you want to see a better representation of the collection, you need to attend the annual orchid show (first weekend in February to mid-March). – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Organization: Nyx Net, Free Internet access (www.nyx.net) Newsgroups: rec.gardens.orchids i have a general question…I want to know where we have the best orchid collections in conservatories or arboretum etc. in the USA. Good question. I understand the Atlanta Botanic Gardens just put up their orchid/tropical greenhouse. It should be a pretty jewel in short time. There’s nowhere like the ABG for insectivorous plants, either. Their Ron Gagliardo is an expert at tissue culture, particularly as regards to insectivorous plants, and he’s no slouch at orchids, either. Longwood has a pretty good orchid house, and a fair number of nepenthes and sarracenias, to boot. Also one of the few places that has a decent victoria water lily display. Nicely done. I was surprised to find a tropical collection in Madison, WI when I was there. Nothing huge, but nicely done with what they had to work with. Interestingly, Grand Junction, Colorado has a little niche as well- way out in the middle of nowhere, with one butterfly and one tropical room. Very nice people there. Phipps, although it’s been a while since I’ve been in Pittsburgh, was nice. The Climatron at the Missouri Botanic Gardens is not to be missed, although their orchid collection is virtually non-existant. The ‘Mo also has a good victoria waterlily collection. I know the Morton Arboretum doesn’t have any orchids (nice trees, though). Interestingly, the Desert Botanic Garden here in Phoenix has one orchid- an encyclia that is doing distressingly well, lashed to a ponytail palm and afforded marginal shade. I think it bloomed last year. Boyce Thompson Arboretum, on the other hand, has none. I got behind the scenes at Denver, where Nick Snakenberg has been doing a very good job at shaping up the collection there. I won’t comment too much on Marie Selby or Fairchild any others in FL, since the last time I was there was 1985 (when Jones and Scully were still around- *sniff*). Ditto with California. But the National Aquarium (where I got a behind-the-scenes look several years ago) at Baltimore is very nice. The greenhouse on the roof is well-done, as is their work with poison arrow frogs. The National Aquarium in Washington, DC, on the other hand, is a dark pit in the basement of an antiquated building that… words fail me. I’d go again if I could. I don’t think Albuquerque has finished their tropical greenhouse yet. If done as well as their Mediterranean house and their desert room, it’ll be a winner. Other places I’d see again include the St. Louis Zoo (the penguin exhibit, right up from the electric eel- a must-see- is right up their with their tufted frogmouth, or whatever that bird is called). The science museum in St. Louis was free (when I was there), and VERY well-done. (Memo to self, skip the Phoenix science museum.) The Carnegie Museum and its Bronto- er, uh… whatever they call it now, sauropods, scarred me for life when shown them as a child and repeatedly through adolescence. Enough trauma there is probably what drove me to my degree in geology. I understand the aquarium at New Orleans is one of- if not the- best in the US. Didn’t see it when I was there, still regret it. The Albuquerque aquarium is interesting, yet mildly deranged, fitting the city perfectly. I’m missing a couple of botanic gardens and arboreta in there that I’ve seen, I know. One in Galveston escapes me- HUGE fish in the tropical room, including some real Amazonians, like red-tailed catfish (WOW). I’ve seen a few, many during a period in my life when I was a card-carrying member of the American Association of Botanic Gardens and Arboreta (AABGA), which’ll get you in for free at many places, and reduced rates at the rest (except for Madison, which had never heard of it before). The only place I’d never go again is North Dakota. Not that they have a botanic garden, but North Dakota really sucks. Montana’s nice. Cheers, -AJHicks Chandler, AZ

Response:

i have a general question…I want to know where we have the best orchid collections in conservatories or arboretum etc. in the USA.

FWIW, if you go to Fairchild specifically looking for orchids, you won’t be very happy, to put it mildly.  It’s absolutely worth a trip for everything else, and if you go when the naturalized ones in the trees are in bloom that would be an added bonus.  But for orchid collections per se you can do better in almost any hobbyist’s greenhouse. Michael

Response:

How cuet of yew to think of that, Kath!  ;-) Reka http://www.rolbox.it/hukari/index.html "I hate flowers – I paint them because they’re cheaper than models and they don’t move."        –Georgia O’Keeffe – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Taking its cue from Kew?

Response:

The best one I’ve seen is at Marie Selby gardens in Sarasota, FL. Maybe when the AOS collection comes of age in a couple years that’ll be something to see as well. Haven’t been to Longwood but it sounds like a wonderful place. Definitely on the list along with the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and the Atlanta (Fuqua) Botanical Garden. RJ

Response:

I agree with Michael.  I was at Fairchild just  2 weeks ago.  They had one small room with both orchids and bromeliads.  And although they do a fantastic job of identifying all other plants on their grounds, I was hard pressed to find an ID on any of the orchids that they had attached to the trees outside. If you didn’t know that they were orchids you wouldn’t see them.  What a shame.

Response:

I know you asked about the USa but living in Northern NH,  the closest orchid collection for me is at the Botanical Gardens of Montreal.  Touring through their several greenhouses hooked me. Tamra – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – hi all, i have a general question…I want to know where we have the best orchid collections in conservatories or arboretum etc. in the USA. thanks m d

Response:

One of the volunteers at the AOS did a nice series of articles in ‘Orchids’ on botanical gardens world wide, but the AOS Homepage lists several in the US too. http://orchidweb.org/gardens.html K Barrett – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – i have a general question…I want to know where we have the best orchid collections in conservatories or arboretum etc. in the USA.         Good question. I understand the Atlanta Botanic Gardens just put up their orchid/tropical greenhouse. It should be a pretty jewel in short time. There’s nowhere like the ABG for insectivorous plants, either. Their Ron Gagliardo is an expert at tissue culture, particularly as regards to insectivorous plants, and he’s no slouch at orchids, either.         Longwood has a pretty good orchid house, and a fair number of nepenthes and sarracenias, to boot. Also one of the few places that has a decent victoria water lily display. Nicely done.         I was surprised to find a tropical collection in Madison, WI when I was there. Nothing huge, but nicely done with what they had to work with. Interestingly, Grand Junction, Colorado has a little niche as well- way out in the middle of nowhere, with one butterfly and one tropical room. Very nice people there.         Phipps, although it’s been a while since I’ve been in Pittsburgh, was nice. The Climatron at the Missouri Botanic Gardens is not to be missed, although their orchid collection is virtually non-existant. The ‘Mo also has a good victoria waterlily collection.         I know the Morton Arboretum doesn’t have any orchids (nice trees, though). Interestingly, the Desert Botanic Garden here in Phoenix has one orchid- an encyclia that is doing distressingly well, lashed to a ponytail palm and afforded marginal shade. I think it bloomed last year. Boyce Thompson Arboretum, on the other hand, has none.         I got behind the scenes at Denver, where Nick Snakenberg has been doing a very good job at shaping up the collection there.         I won’t comment too much on Marie Selby or Fairchild any others in FL, since the last time I was there was 1985 (when Jones and Scully were still around- *sniff*). Ditto with California. But the National Aquarium (where I got a behind-the-scenes look several years ago) at Baltimore is very nice. The greenhouse on the roof is well-done, as is their work with poison arrow frogs. The National Aquarium in Washington, DC, on the other hand, is a dark pit in the basement of an antiquated building that… words fail me. I’d go again if I could. I don’t think Albuquerque has finished their tropical greenhouse yet. If done as well as their Mediterranean house and their desert room, it’ll be a winner.         Other places I’d see again include the St. Louis Zoo (the penguin exhibit, right up from the electric eel- a must-see- is right up their with their tufted frogmouth, or whatever that bird is called). The science museum in St. Louis was free (when I was there), and VERY well-done. (Memo to self, skip the Phoenix science museum.) The Carnegie Museum and its Bronto- er, uh… whatever they call it now, sauropods, scarred me for life when shown them as a child and repeatedly through adolescence. Enough trauma there is probably what drove me to my degree in geology.         I understand the aquarium at New Orleans is one of- if not the- best in the US. Didn’t see it when I was there, still regret it. The Albuquerque aquarium is interesting, yet mildly deranged, fitting the city perfectly.         I’m missing a couple of botanic gardens and arboreta in there that I’ve seen, I know. One in Galveston escapes me- HUGE fish in the tropical room, including some real Amazonians, like red-tailed catfish (WOW). I’ve seen a few, many during a period in my life when I was a card-carrying member of the American Association of Botanic Gardens and Arboreta (AABGA), which’ll get you in for free at many places, and reduced rates at the rest (except for Madison, which had never heard of it before). The only place I’d never go again is North Dakota. Not that they have a botanic garden, but North Dakota really sucks. Montana’s nice.         Cheers,         -AJHicks         Chandler, AZ

Response:

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