The New Chids - Plus Show Photos

15 years ago

Since I hate crowds, I decided it would be best to hit Oak Hill Gardens on the first day of the Chicagoland Orchid Festival. Larry and I arrived at around 1:00 pm, and got great parking in the shade... Friday was a hot one! We walked through the yard to the greenhouse entrance, and the first thing I saw were the sale tables! No time to browse... I wanted to get a look at all the different greenhouses...

There was room upon room filled with orchids of every shape and size... even the walls were filled with hanging mounts! It must be understood that this was my first experience visiting an orchid greenhouse... I'm sure my lower jaw was dragging in the gravel on the floor!

I spent the next 4 hours walking the different areas, snapping photos, talking to people, and choosing the young plants that I would purchase... what a choice!

I've never seen such a grand collection of greenhouse plants... and while not everything was in bloom, I was enthralled by the sizes and shapes and colors and types of orchids and other tropical beauties! I've never seen anything like it!

I was so lost in the world of orchids, my husband had to come find me... he reminded me it was almost time to go, and I should make my final selections... boy, that was tough!

I finally chose about a dozen young plants... all types I wanted... and Larry chose this beautiful Phal for me...

Brother Sara Gold Sogo

{{gwi:198181}}

All of my other choices are young, with a few in spike or sheath... all healthy, and all very nicely priced!

{{gwi:198183}}

They include:

Encyclia fragrans

Epidendrum stamfordianum alba

Phalaenopsis equestris

Phal. Sogo Grape Fireball

Phal. intermedia

Ansellia gigantea v.nilotica

Cattleya gaskelliena alba

Slc. Wendy's Valentine 'Laina'

Lc. Walanae Sunset 'Pokai'

Cymbidium Pipeta 'Chiquita'

Paph. venustum album (Pippen x Limey)

We decided to call it a day after paying for our purchases... I couldn't believe I'd bought all those orchids for under $60.00! Oak Hill Gardens has an awesome selection of sizes and orchid types... I'm only sorry we weren't able to go back for more!

Unfortunately, car trouble got in the way, so going back on Saturday or Sunday was out of the question. The good news is... Oak Hill Gardens is right on the way to my son's house, so we will be stopping in on our next trip up north!

In the interest of a fast load, I've opted to include the remainder of photos through a link to my photo album... enjoy! The first two pages are from Oak Hill Gardens' greenhouses! Do visit if you get the chance!

Here is a link that might be useful: My Photo Album - 2 Pages of Oak Hill Gardens

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Comments (8)

xmpraedicta
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow Jodi, looks like you had a fantastic time out there :) It's too bad about the car trouble though. Great haul - I'm interested to see how the cymbidium turns out...this sounds like one of those miniature ones. In my opinion, the best thing to do is getting a lot of young plants for a low price...I get seedlings myself because half the fun is watching them grow up.
carolinn_on
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Great choices, Jodi! I feel just a tiny bit envious of you, because nothing beats going to an orchid nursery for the very first time!

Nice photos!

Also nice of your hubby to get you an orchid, too. Mine still does that, so the bloom hasn't gone. lol

Carol
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jodik_gw
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Calvin - From the little bit of research I've done on Cymbidium Pipeta 'Chiquita', it's a really tiny miniature... the flower photo I found shows a dark salmon-pink flower with a darker center... very nice!

I always feel guilty when I buy a large plant already in bloom... it's like I'm cheating by not growing them up myself. So, I've always been drawn to the younger plants and seedlings... this way, I get to see them grow up and flower, and I have the satisfaction of knowing that my care got it to that size, and to bloom!

Carol - Thanks! I'm still kind of in awe of everything I saw! I can't wait to go north again for a visit... my husband said he'd be happy to stop in at Oak Hill Gardens any time we're in the area! And I'll be taking him up on that!
wiscnick
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Jodik--I can't believe you got sooo many plants for $60.00
I really like getting smaller plants, too.
I went to Oakhill in July and loved it! I got two seedlings at $4.00 each--a Phal bastiani and a Slc--they are doing great! I also got a Phal Sogo Grape Fireball, in spike ($18.00) sadly it succumbed to crown rot. :(
Herman Pigors was there all by himself, and gave us a tour and demonstrated repotting of three types of orchids--the info we got from him was worth way more than the money I spent on the orchids--I wouldn't hesitate to go back--though I won't need to...they'll be coming up here first of Feb for our local orchid show! can't wait!
mehitabel
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks for sharing all the wonderful photos, Jodik. Your visit must have been enthralling. What a wonderful day!

I agree with wiscnick-- that's a big haul for less than $60. And Br Sara Gold is one of my all time favorites-- just gorgeous. A lovely gift from your husband. :)

The 'Sogo' clone is awarded, and really a very beautiful one. The colors become even more intense if it buds under high light.

I got Sogo Grape 'Fireball' last fall. It has been in bloom with beautiful, waxy intense maroon/red blooms since December. You will love it.
littlem_2007
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
hello, jodik, i agree with everyone: great purchases! they look very healthy. I am glad you had such a thrilling time. thanks for sharing your adventure.
sue
haxuan
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi Jodi, thanks for the lovely photos. Me, too, I'd rather like to spend my free time exploring nurseries and greenhouses looking at plants than doing anything else!

The gift from Larry is very beautiful. I haven't seen that kind of phal here. Congrats on your new purchase. Now, you've got more orchids to take care of beside your hippies!

Xuan
jodik_gw
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks, everyone! I really did have a wonderful time! I'd love to go back to Oak Hill when I have more time to just browse... even when I can't buy, just walking around and looking at everything is pretty satisfying. I, too, love to explore garden centers and greenhouses... breathing in that earthy smell that only greenhouses have, and seeing all that green is very good for the soul!

Honestly, I could have spent days exploring everything Oak Hill had to offer! And at their more than fair prices, I could easily be overwhelmed by collecting too much too soon! I do want to go back for a 'Sharry Baby'... I know they're rather common, but I find them to be very beautiful!

They had some really nice miniature oncidium type plants, and the mounts... oh my! The walls were covered in mounts! They also had many different types of tropical houseplants, which I found to be very interesting, and very beautiful! I almost got a Phal Mini Mark 'Holm', but I couldn't choose one from the many tables of flats... so, I thought I'd go back later and grab one... but I ended up getting the Phal Sogo Grape 'Fireball', instead. I'm a picky shopper, I guess... I prefer plants that have new growth, healthy roots, and are not quite in full bloom yet, even if they're younger... I could never just grab one off the table and call it a day! It must be the right one! LOL!

All in all, it was a fabulous experience! Just think... there are several other orchid greenhouses in northern Illinois... visiting each one will be like the "first time" all over again! I'm going to love my trips up north even more now!

I'm glad to share my trip with everyone... I'll be sure take my camera along for every trip, just in case I get a chance to stop in a greenhouse!

The New Chids - Plus Show Photos

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