I never know where I should post, paphs or phrags, & this shopping expedition I actually got quite a variety, so I'm putting it here. I haven't posted in awhile, I've taken a p/t job in a garden center to subsidize my plant habit, & to treat myself (before the kids are out of school), yesterday, I took the drive up to Al's.

It was such a pleasure to wander in the green house for awhile, & I came home with-
Paphs.-Michael Koopowitz, Gloria Naugle, & Pink Bandit (Transvall 'Lisa' x delanatii 'White Pearl'), Phrags. Maria Glanz, Barbara LeAnn x wallisii, & Westmount, Sc. Royal Beau H&R (the only blooming plant I got, pink, I figured if I didn't purchase an already blooming cattleya, I may never see it bloom!), Rhy. digbyana, tiny compot of Slc. Angel's Pride, C. amethystoglossa, Phals.-violacea "Royalty Blue', Millie's Pure Heart, Bette's Miranda, Anaheim Surprise, & Dtps. (Dtps. Red Elf Lenette #4 x phal. lowii) & a very cute Masdevallia 'Snow Cone'.

Since Al is running his June sale right now, I very consciously built in some extra time before the kids are out on the 24th, to go back for anything I somehow missed & know that I can't live without. I purchased small plants, because a) I like to see them grow b) they're less expensive & c) I'm running out of room. By the end of summer, I hope I've figured out some alternate growing spaces, probably 3 or 4 flourescent shelves in the bedroom & hopefully, HPS lights in the small basement/laundry room (available space maybe 5' x 10'). Enjoying my orchids ( & also having lots of fun out in my yard, too, staid Colonial w/ boxwoods & perennials in front, wild & messy tropical abandon & coddled shade perennials in the back)....hope everyone else is enjoying the onset of summer...Thistle

Nice haul!
I am still waiting on a Phal. violacea v. coerulea from a friend of mine who has a compot of them. I take it your's is a stem prop...must admit I'm jealous.

Jon

lots of good stuff :Party:

Hey Linda - very nice. I look forward to seeing a Phrag. Barbara Leann x wallisii bloom, I think it will be a lovely hybrid.

So...that violacea...I saw he had a blooming bellina also (posted on another forum.) Did he have more than one violacea available? I cannot find his Phal. species listed on the website. Also wondering how much you paid, if you don't mind. I seem to have fried mine, the two plants I am really rather broken up about (dammit!) I think my violacea will be ok but the bellina is looking dubious. Would love to buy a couple of these from Al if they are available...

(Al? Care to comment?) Thanks to either/both of you!

My new phal violacea, I mispoke, it's actually 'Royality x Ken's Blue', there was one blooming, & Al said I could have that one, but I opted to get another seedling from the same batch. They were bred to be blue, but he said the one that was blooming was more towards purple, & I might have a better chance of getting blue w/ an unbloomed seedling, so I went with that-it was 15. & a nice big, sturdy plant...

Al was so helpful, when I arrived right in the middle of a greenhouse reorganization & let me shop undisturbed (I was clearly a woman on a mission) & answered all my number of questions about fungus gnats & ventilation & potting media & etc., etc...what can I say, other than it was the perfect orchid hunting expedition! Once again, I must add that as a new orchid grower, I am very grateful to have found helpful online sources, such as this forum, & to be located near one of the best orchid dealers in the country, Al's...it's made my introduction into orchids so much easier....I am a lucky woman...Thistle

By the end of summer, I hope I've figured out some alternate growing spaces, probably 3 or 4 flourescent shelves in the bedroom

I ran that idea by the Mrs.... needless to say she didn't go for it :roll:

Very nice plants, especially Michael Koopowitiz, I love that hybrid!

I ran that idea by the Mrs.... needless to say she didn't go for it :roll:

Just find her a nice job where she travels a lot - Amazing what you can do when SO goes away for three weeks on a submarine w/ no communication. :D
Boy, did I have fun!!

I think I'll just email Al and see what he's got left. Thanks Thistle for the 411!

Actually, there were other violacea, labelled Borneo & Malaysia, I think?I went back & forth several times, bringing plants up & finding others that I wanted more...it's definitely the case of 'Charlie & the Chocolate Factory', I love everything that I got, but I'm wondering if there's something I missed? Those of you who check out catalog pages, what do I REALLY need to get at Al's? (or what would you get?) I admit, I'm a voracious orchid lover, I love everything...Thistle

all are nice plants please post pics :D

Wow, what a great haul! I was thinking about a trip up to Marriott soon. I need to spend some money on plants!

I'm an equal opportunity orchid buyer- I got a dendrobium 'Blue Fox Tail' (in that horrible coconut husk potting) at my commissary yesterday & got a lovely Lc. Haw Yuan Angel at TJ's today, & I also placed an order with Ratcliffe for some lovely plants(all paphs.) & since next week is the last week of school for my kids, I'm still considering a return visit to Al's...I'm trying to work some time between my p/t garden center job, to allow for plant acquisition & maintenance (I have large areas to be mulched, as well as a few hydrangeas & camellias to be planted)-I'm also considering a fountain (but I'm not sure how to fit it in-it's like a birdbath, with a tiered pyramid on top, sounds odd, but it looks nice)...I need to curb my enthusiasm, while rearranging my outside tableaus-picked up a pygmy date palm today & all the tropicals-cannas, strelitzias, palms, coleus, etc. are looking nice....I'm just a schizophrenic gardener....

Thistle,

The Pink Bandit should be great. Anything with Transvall can't be bad. I look forward to seeing the Maria Glanz - Longer petals!