Orchid Oasis

If you are looking for a weekend oasis for your family, there is no better place than the Garden this weekend. Spring is in full swing here, indoors and out. Orchid Daze: Lasting Impressions, our impressionist inspired orchid display, has become a favorite spring destination and photo sharing opportunity.

In the Orchid Display House, bold oranges, yellows and reds give the Gauguin inspired display the feeling of a lush tropical oasis.

These guys had a lot of fun roaming the Orchid Display House.

Spring is one of the best times of year to see orchids in our permanent collection in flower. Epidendrum stamfordianum has a terrific fragrance.

In the Orchid Atrium, a Monet landscape is re-imagined with Pansy Orchids, cymbidiums and Moth Orchids and cattleyas. The bright sunshine and cool sweetly scented air give this room a distinctly spring-like feel.

The girls in pastel dresses look like they belong in a Monet landscape. Their parents must have had some beautiful photos to share of this weekend at the Garden.

Orchid Daze:Lasting Impressions runs through mid April. Be sure to stop by!

Welcome Spring!

What a glorious weekend! Some of our winter weary visitors couldn't wait to burst through the doors to see Orchid Daze: Lasting Impressions.

The Orchid Atrium smells heavenly, thanks to all of the Pansy Orchids, cattleyas and Oncidium Twinkle.

Monet's Bridge is a huge hit with visitors of all ages.

There are plenty of places to stop for pictures, or just relax.

The reflection pond is a magnet for kids.

Is it a Tulip or a Tulip Orchid? It was terrific to see so many of you here this weekend! Orchid Daze: Lasting Impressions is running concurrently with Atlanta Blooms, our outdoor spring bulb extravaganza, now at its best. Don't miss them!

Orchid Daze: Lasting Impressions

Welcome to Orchid Daze 2014! While you were pounding the ice from your doorstep, we were putting the final touches on our orchid display. ABG's impressionism-inspired orchid display, Lasting Impressions, open this weekend!, is exactly what you need to put all that behind you.

In the Orchid Atrium, you will see a display inspired by Monet's paintings, with hundreds of Pansy Orchids, cattleyas and Moth Orchids floating in an oval of water below Monet's iconic bridge.

The color riot in the Orchid Display House is inspired Gauguin's luscious tropical palette.

Van Gogh's indigo and earth tones are featured in the Conservatory Lobby, with violets, Oncidium spires and towering Italian Cypresses. Come and welcome spring at ABG!

Orchid Daze 2014: Lasting Impressions is open this weekend at 9 am. See you there!

Orchid Daze Installation

Our staff is working like mad. The opening of Orchid Daze: Lasting Impressions (this Saturday!) is rumbling toward us like a smoking freight train. Because of last week's ice storm fiasco, many of our plant deliveries were delayed, rescheduled, or in a couple of cases, lost. As a result, this week, while we are in the midst of installation, wave after wave of incoming plants are still arriving at our doors. Some of our staff have to be redeployed to unload, unpack and transport the incoming. Even under normal circumstances, the logistics of mobilizing staff and moving large quantities of materials and plants are daunting. It reminds me of Anthony Bourdain's description of managing the operations at a large restaurant: 'like launching the invasion of Normandy every day.'

Multitasking is essential, even though recent research shows that none of us are very good at it. This morning, for example, as I mentally updated one of several to do lists while making breakfast, I reached into the fridge, popped open a can of sparkling water, and poured it over my Cheerios.

Here's a behind-the-scenes look at what we're up to.

In our Monet-inspired display in the Orchid Atrium, Sarah Carter has been installing orchids in the 'lily pad planters' in the pond.

Oncidium Twinkle planted at the base of potted willow trees.

The Conservatory Lobby design takes its inspiration from Van Gogh's Starry Night. Steve Bell created the amazing spiral beds. At the apex of each bed is a towering Italian Cypress.

Jason Cameron created three 'Starry Night spirals' that will be suspended above beds overflowing with orchids.

Mark your calendar! Orchid Daze 2014: Lasting Impressions opens this weekend.

Coloring In Orchid Daze 2014

Orchid Daze 2014: Lasting Impressions (opening this Saturday) is the most color drenched orchid display that we have done. The Gauguin inspired vignette in the Orchid Display House is bursting with bold tropical colors. Here are a few snapshots of our display, still under construction.

Orchid Daze 2014: Lasting Impressions opens this Saturday at 9 am. Don't miss it!

Orchid Daze 2014: Lasting Impressions

Orchid Daze, our ten week spring orchid display, opens this Saturday February 8! Orchid Daze 2014: Lasting Impressions takes its inspiration from the colors and iconic motifs of three impressionist artists. Imagine sparkling Dancing Lady Orchids, pastel Moth and Pansy Orchids, and fragrant blue zygopetalums seen through the prism of Monet, Van Gogh and Gauguin. Here's a glimpse behind the scenes at our progress.

 The Orchid Atrium has been a construction zone this January.

Steve Bell of Bell Woodworking is building a huge pond and bridge, the iconic elements of some of Monet's work.

Steve trims the liner around one of the planters. It is important that the planters not fill with water.

Floating above the pond are arching railings, suggesting Monet's bridge.

Tres Fromme, ABG's Landscape Design and Planning Manager, designs our Orchid Daze displays.

Sarah Carter, Orchid Center Senior Horticulturist, begins installing Miltoniopsis orchids in Monet's pond.

The pond is inspected for leaks.

Come see Orchid Daze 2014: Lasting Impressions opening this Saturday at 9 am!