Roses may be the traditionally given flower for Valentine’s Day, but not everyone always wants to be traditional. Roses are lovely of course, but what if instead of flowers that will be gone in a few days anyway, you wanted to give the gift of an experience that you can share… and one that just happens to involve another beautiful flower…orchids. Lots and lots of orchids.
About an hour’s drive from the Brampton Inn, Longwood Gardens is a premier horticultural and architectural display garden , with over 1000 acres of meadows, woodlands, water gardens and more, indoors and out. The Orchid Extravaganza is a special exhibit going on now through March: it’s the largest and most diverse collection they’ve ever displayed and truly something to behold:
While it may not have the same impact as an orchid curtain or hundreds of orchids
festooning a 12 foot archway, we do have a few of our own specimens here at the inn; it seems as though at least one is blooming at any given time. I love the bright white blooms against the backdrop of the snowy yard and the stark limbs of the beech tree.
Even without its bright purple blooms, this orchid is still quite the looker with its dark green leaves , and it makes a dramatic statement in the pale yellow living room:
Orchids are magical: There are thousands and thousands of species; they bloom almost everywhere, from Patagonia to the Arctic Circle! They’re beautiful and exotic and everyone likes them.
So even if you don’t make it to Longwood gardens, we’re happy to share our orchids with you; but if you’re in the neighborhood, we do highly recommend the trip. 🙂
