GPOD on the Road: Monteverde Orchid Garden, Part 2

More marvelous orchids and other tropical gems from a gorgeous public garden in Costa Rica

Happy Friday and Valentine ’s Day GPODers !

In case you missed it last workweek , I shared another fabulous guest billet fromFine horticulture ’s digital editor program , Christine Alexander . She had in conclusion get around to gather exposure from a trip she took to Costa Rica in August of 2021 . With perfectly no intention on my behalf , the second instalment of her trip to the fabulousMonteverde Orchid Gardenaligned with Valentine ’s daylight .

No , I ’m not insinuate that orchidaceous plant are the best gift to give a screw one — most of us in all probability know that kind of gift comes with a whole muckle of work and depart rates of success . However , this terminus was so beautiful and the slip altogether so special , that Christine and her ( now ) hubby decided to run off while they were there . For Christine ’s full version of that story , and the first batch of photos she deal , gibe outPart 1 , here . And take the paragraphs below for a refresher course on the incredibly uniqueMonteverde Orchid Garden .

I have probably 500 photos I could share of the beauty of that country but I decided to send you something kind of cool that we unintentionally ran into which is theMonteverde Orchid Garden . Despite work at Fine Gardening for 7 years , I have to admit I did n’t know much about orchids and was stunned to see some of the specifics that make them extra – for instance , many orchidaceous plant have sole family relationship with a specific pollinator , that they have developed incredible ways to lure insects into their flowers for pollination such as mimicking the fragrance of pheromones of the opposite sex or even the smell of decompose flesh all in an effort to attract insects to cross-pollinate them . Other orchids are noted for their highly floral or sweet scent and are often used in perfumery as a result . The fake ingredient vanilla extract in reality descend from an orchid , the Vanilla planifolia . ( you may learn how to develop your own vanilla extract orchidaceous plant here ) .

The Monteverde Orchid garden has over 450 varieties or orchid , including the minor orchids in the world – which we needed a magnifying spyglass to watch . It is a small garden , but packed full of flowers and entropy . Highly recommend tick it out if you are an orchidist or have orchidelirium , ( the historyof which is fascinating ! )

Today ’s batch of photos is a concoction of the orchidaceous plant the garden is famous for as well as other tropic plants that can be seen there . Of course , we have to bulge off with another owing orchidaceous plant . The long - leaf phragmipedium ( genus Phragmipedium longifolium ) above is a slipper orchid , with its characteristic skidder - shape pocket that trap insects at bottom to ensure pollination .

Next up is an orchidaceous plant that I conceive is close related to one of the orchids we saw inPart 1 . That orchid was aStanhopea wardii , which also has those queerly shaped petals that are enunciate to mimic the shape and pheromones of a female euglossine bee to draw male bee to pollenate . This specimen has fascinating coloring that I could n’t pin down in theStanhopeagenus .

This orchid got the memoranda that ’s it ’s Valentine ’s Day ! Bamboo orchidaceous plant ( Arundina graminifolia ) gets its name from its bamboo - like foliage , but can also be compared to bamboo for its incredible superlative — farm up to 6 feet high . Definitely worth getting onto the tips of your toes to see these pretty blooms .

Of of course , sometimes looker is in the eye ( and nose ) of the beholder . Pelican flowers ( Aristolochia grandiflora ) are pretty infamous for being one of the populace ’s largest blossom , and for its loathsome odor that attract the flies that pollinate it . However , the olfactory modality of rotting meat seemingly does n’t rile butterfly so much , as the plant has been introduced in Florida where they attract and reenforcement butterfly .

As Christine mention in the description at the top of this post , Monteverde Orchid Garden really makes the most of every inch useable for plants . A winding path let you to weave through the dense plantings and look up to everything from low - agriculturalist to the vines and air plants that adhere to the tree diagram branch and luggage compartment .

While many conventional containers can be seen scattered throughout the garden , some unlawful materials are also used . Potting up plants in an sure-enough flush is certainly nothing new , but I utterly love that moss has begun to cover the entireness of the boot .

Another large family of plant in the tropics are the bromeliads . While maybe not quite as divers as the showy orchid family ( Orchidaceae ) , bromeliads ( Bromeliaceae ) do have some very interesting growing wont and spectacular inflorescences . Also called the “ pineapple family ” the commercial ananas ( Ananas comosus ) is a bromeliad as well as air plant like Spanish moss ( Tillandsia usneoides , Zones 8–11 ) . The urn plant ( Aechmea fasciata , Zones 10–11 ) above shows another plebeian characteristic of bromeliads , the reservoir created at the base of their leaves that holds water .

Another bromeliad that might remind you of it ’s proportional the pineapple , conoid - maneuver guzmania ( Guzmania conifera , Zones 10–11 ) . However , the dazzling part of this plant is not a fruit but another instance of bromeliad ’s unbelievable inflorescences . The yellow - tilted , bright red scales are floral bracts and keep the interest going as the flowers that come forth from these bracts are short lived .

Is a tropic woods garden complete without some banana trees ? While we ’re most familiar with the bright yellow fruit full of potassium , the banana tree also produces these huge banana blossoms ( the bombastic purplish bud trailing off the bunch of fruit ) that is also completely comestible . A pop component in southeasterly Asiatic cuisine , the sapidity is modest and often compared to the taste of artichoke plant .

I desire that you enjoyed a penchant of the tropical zone on this Valentine ’s Day . While the holiday is often associated with romantic relationships , it ’s important to show our passion and appreciation for everyone and everything we give dear . Hello ! Our plant would n’t heed a petty extra love on this vacation , too ! I ’ll be show my houseplant some much - involve love this weekend , and I ’m send my love and appreciation to everyone in the GPOD biotic community . Have a lovely day and a big weekend !

Have exposure to partake in ? We ’d love to see your garden , a particular collection of plants you love , or a marvellous garden you had the chance to see !

To present , post 5 - 10 photo to[email protected]along with some entropy about the plants in the pictures and where you take the photos . We ’d love to hear where you are located , how long you ’ve been garden , successes you are proud of , failures you get word from , hopes for the future , pet works , or funny account from your garden .

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