Rainbeau(tiful) Orchids

Cattleya- one of the showiest of orchids!

Recently I made the trip up to Milton to visit a local orchid farm, Rainbeau Orchids.  Nestled among the many horse farms, Rainbeau Orchids is a wholesale grower that is open to the public on weekends.  It is really an amazing place, and the rows upon rows of all different types of orchids blew my mind!

Cattleya

Rainbeau Orchids is a supplier to the Atlanta Botanical Garden.  They are gearing up for Orchid Daze,  beginning February 4th and running through April 15.  This spectacular exhibit is not one to miss.  2012 marks the 10th anniversary of both the Orchid Daze exhibition and the Fuqua Orchid Center, home to the largest collection of species orchids in the United States.

Here are some photos from my visit to Rainbeau Orchids.  If you are interested in getting an orchid to enjoy in your home, I would love to pot one for you!

Rows of orchids

Phalaoenopsis waiting to bloom

Zygopetalum

Zygopetalum

Phalaenopsis

Greenhouse

Zygopetalum

Zygopetalum

Zygopetalum

Cattleya

Cattleya

Cattleya

Cattleya

Almost looks like an iris!

Oncidium

White Phalaenopsis are one of the most popular of all

I imagine these Phals are quite happy

Dendrobium

Phalaenopsis

Phalaenopsis

The spikes all grow to face South

Hugging Trees

In the blazing heat of summer, it is really a simple pleasure to find a great shade tree to be your shelter from the burning sun. One of the things Atlanta is known for is the abundance of trees within the city limits and is even sometimes referred to as "a city within a forest". According to Trees Atlanta, though, the city has lost more than 60% of its canopy since the 70's. It is their mission to maintain our legacy as the most forested major city in America.

The newly-opened Canopy Walk (below) at the Atlanta Botanical Garden is a peaceful stroll through the treetops. This addition to the Garden is considered the only walkway of its kind in the US.

Joining Trees Atlanta and the Botanical Garden in their desire to educate us on the importance of trees is Piedmont Park. The Piedmont Park Conservancy, through the Tree Trust Program, is committed to the reforesting, protection, and care for the trees within the park. They have planted hundreds of new trees in the historic areas of the park and are working to restore the health of trees located in the North Woods expansion area in the years to come.