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Of orchids and bougainvillea – Green Thumb Sunday

We woke this morning to more snow – the most snow we’ve had this winter. I know because someone must have decided to detour from the street to the back lane via our house. Both gates were left open and so Lytton decided to take off and have some fun. Off I went to find him – twice – because after closing the back gate, I didn’t think to check the side gate. I should have been smarter and worn my boots, because my running shoes were quickly filled with snow.

Since it is Sunday morning and all was silent, I enjoyed watching Lytton playing in the snow. I wish I’d had my camera with me – later I’ll take L. to the park for a good romp.

I did take some pictures of my poor Bougainvillea (above). It is still colourful, although the bracts are a much lighter colour than they were this summer. I’m just relieved that it is still alive.

Here are some pictures of my new moth orchid – I love it. It is in a purple pot. My sister knows that I like shades of purple and blue.

From what I’ve read, this is an easy-to-grow orchid. I haven’t had an orchid for years, so I’m determined to keep this one alive. I wonder if it can live for the next half-century along with me!

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43 responses to “Of orchids and bougainvillea – Green Thumb Sunday”

  1. Sparkling Red Avatar
    Sparkling Red

    That orchid is stunning!

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  2. Lisa at Greenbow Avatar
    Lisa at Greenbow

    Kate, don’t you just hate it when some inconsiderate person leaves gates open for Lytton to get out. Grrrr You think it is safe and they disappear.I bet your orchid lives a long time with your TLC.

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  3. teeni Avatar
    teeni

    Your plants and flowers are always a treat to behold. I’m sure the orchid will thrive in your care. Sorry about the gates being left open. It’s kind of annoying when people help themselves through your yard. Okay, it’s VERY annoying. Hopefully it was just an oil delivery man or something and it won’t become a habit. 🙂

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  4. No Rain Avatar
    No Rain

    The orchid is beautiful. I’ve purchsed these before, and learned from my hairdresser (a real orchid aficionado) that the reason I wasn’t having any luck with them was because I was buying bargain plants and those were at the end of the bloom cycle. She confirmed the old addage, “you get what you pay for” so next time I’m going to pay full price with my next orchid and see what happens!Aiyana

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  5. Sparkling Red Avatar
    Sparkling Red

    Hi Kate, it’s me again. I am inviting you to do this meme that I’ve just posted, if you wish.

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  6. Willow Avatar
    Willow

    I will enjoy photos of your orchid from afar. For some reason orchids and I are not friends. Orchids take one look at me and expire.SO annoying when people are inconsiderate. I hope the traveler keeps on going.

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  7. San Avatar
    San

    Loved seeing your flower pictures. I have geraniums with the same color of blooms as your bougainvillea. They’re indoors and usually are blooming like crazy this time of the year, since our house gets lots of sunshine (too much in the summer). This year, they’re a little lackluster. Not sure what’s up. They’re always so soothing to look on in the winter.

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  8. Angie Avatar
    Angie

    Have brought bougainvillea in in the past? That’s one I never attempted indoors. Your bottom orchid photo is beautiful! I hope they do well for you!

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  9. jodi Avatar
    jodi

    Lovely photos–I’m especially intrigued by having a bougainvillea indoors–maybe when I win the lottery and build my conservatory, I’ll have one, too…A nice touch of summer given that we’re being pounded here with a winter storm of assorted crud!

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  10. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    Beautiful orchids! One of these days I’m going to get one….Happy GTS~Sarah

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  11. cookievf Avatar
    cookievf

    Hi Kate, So glad you stopped by tonight! It was fun to hear that you’re knitting up a storm and surrounded by the white stuff, too! (your color choices for the scarves are so yummy)I especially love the SIDE LIGHTING in the bougainvillea pic. Makes your home look so inviting!Enjoy the holiday preparations and especially the people you love,- vicki xo

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  12. chigiy at Gardeners Anonymous Avatar
    chigiy at Gardeners Anonymous

    I’m glad your bougainvillea made it. Your orchid is beautiful and they are pretty easy to care for. I was actually going to write an article about them. I wish I could have seen your dog playing in the snow.Chigiy at Gardener’s Anonymous

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  13. Bindi Avatar
    Bindi

    Hi Kate, its a very beautiful orchid, but you promised us you would tell us about your secret admirer!!

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  14. Meems Avatar
    Meems

    kate: delightful orchid… i hope yours does better for you than mine do for me indoors. usually i only get one round of bloom from them and then they refuse to re-bloom.by the way, happy birthday!

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  15. Alyssa Avatar
    Alyssa

    It is so wonderful to have flowers blooming indoors while the snow flys! The moth orchid should last a very long time and it really doesn’t need extra special care. It is an “unreal” flower to me – so very perfect. I see you had a great birthday and are looking at 50 in a positive way. That’s the best (and only) way you can look at it. The clock keeps ticking and we have to dance to the rhythum it makes. A belated “Happy Birthday” and many, many more!!

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  16. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    Your plants are beautiful! I’ve always been afraid of Orchids, fearing I’ll murder them early on, but a co-worker usually has 3 or 4 in the office and they are just so beautiful!

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  17. Pam Avatar
    Pam

    I love Orchids and this one is stunning. I’m chicken, though, too afraid of killing it.

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  18. Weeping Sore Avatar
    Weeping Sore

    Lovely flowers, but I’d love some pictures of snow! All I see on CNN is people shoveling sidewalks. Not much of a winter wonderland.

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  19. Marie Avatar
    Marie

    Beautiful flowers! I’ve got some orchids just like yours. Have a nice day 🙂

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  20. Yolanda Elizabet Avatar
    Yolanda Elizabet

    I had a bougainvilla too but it was taking over the whole conservatory so it had to go. Its thorns are nasty BTW.What a lovely orchid you’ve got Kate, it looks great in its purple pot!Weren’t you a bit scared when Lytton run off?

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  21. Andrea's Garden Avatar
    Andrea’s Garden

    I am wishing you a belated happy birthday, Kate. This weekend I was gone to visit my parents and just now saw your entry.Beautiful pictures of your Bougainville and Orchids. I am praying that I am getting mine through the winter, too. Otherwise I won’t buy anymore in the summer. Take care! Andrea

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  22. Kylee Avatar
    Kylee

    I’m overwintering two bougainvilleas this year. Last year it was just one, and when I put it in the ground for the summer, THIS year it rewarded me with blooms! Last summer, it grew fine, but never bloomed. When we bought the new one on our trip to Florida, the sales associate told me to withhold water. She said they like it dry and if you water them too much, they won’t bloom. So, with our droughtish summer, voila! Blooms!I’ve had one orchid bloom a second time for me, and it was the first one I bought about a year and a half ago, in bloom. So I think it’s one of those things that require patience. But once they DO bloom, it lasts for months!Yours is gorgeous. There are lots of lovely phalaenopses, but the giant white ones always take my breath away.

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  23. T.R. Avatar
    T.R.

    Kate, thanks for stopping by earlier. And what a beautiful blog you have! I look forward to reading more. I finally got a phalaenopsis to bloom — by sheer neglect!!! Who knew!

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  24. Ki Avatar
    Ki

    The color of your Bougainvillea flowers are terrific. The orchid looks wonderful amongst the other tropical plants. Phalaenopsis are about the easiest orchids to grow so you will have a good chance to keep it with you for the next 50 years! The large white ones are my favorite and you have a beautiful specimen.

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  25. gardenpath Avatar
    gardenpath

    I have never had a an orchid. What a nice thing to get for your birthday. All your plants look good. They must be getting plenty of light, or do you have some sort of artificial lighting in the winter?We had snow yesterday Kate. I shoveled several hours today to clear out the yard and my path to the bird feeders.

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  26. Ida Avatar
    Ida

    A beautiful Orchid! :)I like the colour on the Bougainvillea also. :)Nice plants Kate.

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  27. gintoino Avatar
    gintoino

    Lovelly orchid kate. I never had orchids because I’m always too afraid of killing them, but aparentelly they are easy to keep, specially that particular species (info from a frien of mine that grows them… 😉 )

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  28. A wildlife gardener Avatar
    A wildlife gardener

    Love the orchids and your bougainvillea too, Kate. Your snowy pic makes me shiver, though not as much as I did when we woke to minus 12 this morning 🙂

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  29. Annie Avatar
    Annie

    Hello Kate, It is so nice to come over to your place to find the beautiful bougainvillea and the orchid blooming. And I also enjoyed thinking about what fun it would be to romp in the snow. We rarely get it here and so we Little Rock people just love it.

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  30. this is my patch Avatar
    this is my patch

    What beautiful orchids, something of which I haven’t got. Lovely bougainvillea, my grandpa lives in Majorca, and the whole front of his villa is covered in this, it is gorgeous. Sadly over here we can only grow this under the cover of a conservatory. x

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  31. Diane Avatar
    Diane

    Belated birthday greetings Kate! 50 is just the beginning of the best!I adore that white phalaenopsis! I bought one a year ago and it bloomed forever and then some. After it bloomed though it died (which is why I really don’t try very hard anymore with indoor plants). Besides at $50, it’s just too expensive when I can’t keep them alive. :)You really have a knack with all those lovely indoor plants of yours! Lovely.Diane, Sand to Glass

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  32. Crayons Avatar
    Crayons

    Oh! A sparkle of life against the grey/white background of my Wisconsin winter. The photos are a real treat. Thanks.

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  33. Jon Avatar
    Jon

    Kate, I loved visiting your blog and seeing your lovely pictures. I will return often. Also, thanks for dropping by my blog and leaving a comment. Happy Holidays to you and yours.Jon at http://mississippigarden.blogspot.com 12-20-07

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  34. Mary Avatar
    Mary

    I admit I’m afraid of Orchids! They are expensive and my thumb isn’t very green!

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  35. Curtis Avatar
    Curtis

    Hi Kate I am leary of Orchids as well. But I have read about the Moth orchid being the easier one to grow. It looks beautiful.

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  36. MrBrownThumb Avatar
    MrBrownThumb

    The Orchid is nice but I’m drooling over you growing a bougie indoors. I haven’t seen one indoors on a blog in a long time.

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  37. Cris Bolbosa Avatar
    Cris Bolbosa

    Hi KateWhat an adventure in the snow 😉 You’ve there a beatiful orchid.As the song says : “I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year”Cris

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  38. Layanee @www.ledgeandgardens.typepad.com/ Avatar
    Layanee @www.ledgeandgardens.typepad.com/

    Kate: You look marveeeelous! Happy birthday and I love the video and the carrot cake! Beautiful orchid! I like the pure white the best. Hope you had a Happy Day! today is the EM’s birthday!

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  39. Marie Avatar
    Marie

    Merry Christmas to you too!Hug from Marie

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  40. adam brown Avatar
    adam brown

    Hi, this is not so related to your page, but it is the site you asked me 1 month ago about the abs diet. I tried it, worked well. Well here is the site

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  41. Karine Avatar
    Karine

    Happy Belated, Kate! Thanks for popping by my blog. I had a bouganvillea indoors in Colorado for quite a few years. Love them. Your orchid is lovely, too! I am also a fan of the dendrobian orchid for ease of care.

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  42. roses philippines Avatar
    roses philippines

    Thank you so much for bringing up this,i love flowers so much and this post so informative. 🙂
    vee

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  43. philippines flower shop Avatar
    philippines flower shop

    Thanks for all your lovely flowers. I grew up in the mountains, and like to check your blog! It’s a breath of fresh air when i saw those flowers so beautiful. Keep posting! 🙂
    zaijan

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