We have a page of fax (“FAQS”) here on the site, mostly about ordering and that sort of thing, but we also field a lot of inquiries about orchid lore (mostly orchid myths, to be honest). We’ve put together some answers to these inquiries and they’re here, in our pages for Consumer Education. Wondering about “monkey” orchids, or “ice” orchids? Check out Consumer Education I. There’s lots more there. Need to know about “ground” orchids, or “orchid trees”? That’s at Consumer Education II. If you find the information useful, be sure to tick the “heart” button at the top so we know we’re doing a good job. We update the information from time to time, as new questions surface. And of course we have a number of pages with orchid care information.
Now Showing
After a lot of wet weather, the garden is very green and lush, and lots of interesting things are blooming (or just showing off exquisite foliage). Not all tropical epiphytes are orchids – there are many other plants that inhabit the trunks and branches of trees, including many bromeliads, ferns, aroids, gesneriads.
Medinilla myriantha
One of the most interesting is Medinilla myriantha, native in the Phlippines. The beautiful bright pink buds and flowers are an amazing show! Several other species of Medinilla are in cultivation, they’re popular in tropical gardens.
One of our lignum vitae (Guaiacum officinale “ironwood”) trees is covered with bright red-orange fruits. This tree is native in extreme southern Florida and parts of the Bahamas and Caribbean. It’s also highly endangered. Of course we also have lots and lots of orchids blooming in the landscape. The Trichoglottis brachiatas are covered with fragrant, wine-red flowers, and the very fragrant Aerides lawrenceaes are blooming, too.
Guaiacum officinale
On weekends, we escort free walking tours of Bob’s and Mike’s private garden at 11am and 3pm, weather permitting (2pm on Sundays, in Spanish). No reservation is necessary, but we do ask that you please be here on time (a few minutes before start time is fine). Meet your guide at the bridge. We can also arrange garden tours for groups at other times, please contact us for details on these arrangements. Note that we do charge a nominal fee for private group tours; they affect our staffing for the day.
The Basics
Believe it or not, we still get phone calls asking what our hours are, what the admission charge is, whether or not we’re open on any given day. Goodness, we’ve been here at the same location, with the same hours (and the same admission charge) for more than 40 years! We’re open 6 days a week, 9am to 5pm, closed on Mondays and a few major holidays. We escort garden tours on Saturdays and Sundays, weather permitting, at 11am and 3pm (in Spanish on Sundays at 2pm). Garden tours for groups can be arranged with a prior reservation. Check out the contact page here on the site. Oh, and there is no admission charge.
Important Garden Tour Update
Our weekend garden tours have always been “weather permitting”, which generally means we don’t do them if it’s raining. Well, we’ve decided that the heat index is a “weather” issue, too, and in excessive heat conditions, it simply isn’t wise or safe to be walking around outdoors for an hour. Not safe for visitors, not safe for staff (recently we’ve had some folks nearly overcome with heat-related issues, including staff). So, during the warmer months here, we reserve the right to cancel a garden tour if we think the heat index is too high for everyone’s safety. We have had days with temperatures in the mid- to upper-90s, and heat indices well over 100F. On those days, we won’t imperil anyone’s health.
23WOC Tour to Taiwan and Thailand
We do actually still have just a few spaces in this group, so if you’re interested, let us know right away. The complete itinerary is available here on the site. Read it over and send us your reservation soon. We expect this group to fill completely, don’t miss out!