Orchid Garden
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golden
flowers; and cattleya orchids, like the one in that long-ago
remembered corsage, boasted extravagant ruffles and frills.
As I
continued my journey along curving pathways, I discovered an
amazing diversity of orchid colors--reds, yellows, oranges,
pinks, purples and occasional blues. I felt as if I were
standing inside a rainbow instead of a cleverly designed,
climate-controlled building.
The creation of such beauty, as is so often the case, was
fraught with hardship. The battle was waged in this instance
against devastating storms.
Founders, Kerry and Chris Richards,
participants in the international orchid circuit for many years,
and owners of an orchid operation in Miami, chose Central
Florida as the future site for A World of Orchids, wanting to
escape the hurricane belt.
Hurricane Andrew, however, moved in
to destroy a good part of the original orchid inventory, both
propagated and purchased, housed in Miami for the planned
Kissimmee exhibit. In 1993, on the day after the opening
ceremonies of A World of Orchids, another great storm dislodged
sections of the conservatory roof and damaged plant houses.
The eventual result, though, has been well worth the battle.
Today A World of Orchid Garden is a full production orchid facility, a
place where new hybrids are created, and selected plants are
cloned for mass production; plants are shipped nationwide.
The
orchid business itself involves three different sites, and produces anthuriums and other exotics, as well as orchids. One production
facility, specializing in rare Lady Slipper orchids, has,
according to Kerry Richards, "an extremely large and valuable
collection of breeding plants."
The orchid conservatory and grounds were created as a gift to the
public, providing a tranquil nature retreat. "What we've tried
to offer," says Richards, "is a place for the enjoyment of the
simple things in life ..." The well-labeled and informative
display is also designed to educate visitors about the large,
diverse orchid plant family, members of which grow on every
continent except Antarctica.
Unifying link between the various species is orchid flower structure:
three inner petals and three outer petal-like sepals joined to
one column, with one of the inner petals curving into a scoop or
cup-shape, called the lip.
Otherwise, similarity ends--some orchids are only thimble-sized,
producing flowers no larger than the tip of a toothpick, while
others range to twenty-foot tall vines or boast flowers as big
as dinner plates.
Some orchids in the
orchid garden produce curving flowery sprays, while
others bear single blossoms at the tip of erect stems. Certain
orchids, especially species orchids, have strange and
interesting fragrances, such as vanillaish, chocolatey, fruity
or spicy. Some have aromas that defy description, and others
have no scent at all.
Orchid
Garden attractions include not only orchids from all over the
world, species from Southeast Asia through the Indonesian
Archipelago to Central and South America, but a variety of
tropical plants, many of which most of us only see growing as
houseplants.
Banks are planted with rosy swathes of anthuriums
or "flamingo flowers." Other treasures and curiosities include
various heliconias, daffodil-like Amazon lilies Eucharis
grandiflora, a breadfruit tree and a cacao tree, the plant from
which chocolate is extracted.
Many different tropical foliage orchid plants form backdrops and also
lend intriguing shape and texture: bold crotons, feathery
bamboos, fan-like palms and ferns of every size.
A venerable
75-year-old Tasmanian tree fern (Dicksonia antartica) soars
toward the conservatory roof, while low, delicate maidenhairs
spill airily along stream banks or beside paths.
Resident orchid garden creatures add charm and drama. Emerging from
behind a palm leaf, I encountered two swans, followed by a bevy
of squawking ducks ambling blithely ahead along the path. This
entourage clambered down into the stream and glided majestically
out of sight around a bend in the water.
Stopping later beside a
fern wrapped lagoon, I watched playful koi, darting streaks of
orange, gold and black, rising in a tumble to regard me with
open mouths.
At the same moment, there came a startling flash of
color high above, as a scarlet macaw careened with a whirring of
wings into a tree and began to walk upside down, pecking away at
the bark.
Birds are a star attraction at the orchid gardens. The bright feathers
of the macaws and Amazon parrots appear to echo the shimmering
colors of the orchids. Other residents include poison dart
frogs, tropical Asian squirrels, pigeons of the worlds and
African chameleons.
A tropical orchid garden mural painted by a local resident
blends naturally into the general scene; and Oriental touches,
like a tea pavilion and curving Japanese bridge, lend elegance
and enhance the atmosphere of tranquility.
All of the orchid garden's attractions are not under glass. Moving
outside into the Florida sunshine, sultry and warm even on the
January day I visited, I discovered a "rose gazebo" and a
wildlife pond, slumbering under a lacy covering of water
lettuce. I then followed a nature trail, a thousand-foot
boardwalk plunging into a wilderness area of slash pines,
palmettos, native magnolias, Osmunda fern, Cypress mosses and
lichens. Here was a chance to experience a taste of the "natural
Florida," which sadly is rapidly disappearing, thanks to the
recent booming development of the area.
Few visitors leave the orchid gardens without being captivated by the
wondrous collection of orchids, and, chances are, they will want
to take one or two plants home with them.
A stop-off at the orchid
garden gift
shop is in order. All should be warned, however, that growing
orchids could be addictive! The pursuit is also a lot easier
than many people think.
The key in the orchid garden , according to Kerry Richards, is to cultivate "by
controlled neglect-do not over-water, do not overfeed." He also
made the interesting point, given the exotic allure of these
plants, that orchids are probably the most inexpensive plants in
cultivation.
"An orchid in the
orchid garden averaging five years to flower," he
says, "costs between $15-25. That's 1,825 days to produce, or,
at $15, a 0.008 cents per day selling price."
As an added gift to the community, the Richards have recently
offered free admission to their orchid gardens, one of the many reasons
to visit the orchid garden again and again. |
