Orchid Fever
Orchid Fever
It is among the most beguiling and baffling of flowers, a versatile creature with 28,000 species found on every continent but Antarctica. Orchids have made us fall in love with them, enticing us with various sights (lady slippers, moths) scents and tastes (vanilla, anyone?). And yet, as those who have tried to keep them know, orchids can belittle divas. With Spring holidays approaching, the high maintenance ones will once again be whisked off to be loved, while their cousins take center stage in the New York Botanical Garden’s 18th annual orchid show, Featuring the dazzling floral creations of Jeff Leatham, the famed artistic director of the Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris and floral designer to the stars (February 15 - April 19).
Leatham’s bold and colorful vision unfolds through captivating installations and designs, transforming each gallery of the exhibition in the historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory into a different color experience and visual effect, like the turn of a kaleidoscope. Thousands of orchids provide bursts of forms and colors—in purples, reds, oranges, and hot pink—revealed through overhead arches, vine-inspired ribbons, mirrored sculpture, dramatic lighting, and other artistic embellishments.
Yet despite this flowers striking beauty, once the blossoms fall, orchid owners may be at a loss as to what to do to ensure the plan twill–one day–bloom again. For some guidance, we turn to orchid whisperer Meghan Deitz, Morano Group’s Account Manager/ Landscape Designer.
Meghan, before we get to orchids, tell us a little about your time at Weaver Gardens. “Prior to officially joining the Morano Group team, I worked as the Manager at Weaver Gardens, a garden boutique in the heart of Larchmont, owned by Valerio Morano Sagliocco and his brother, Andrea Morano Sagliocco. Weaver offers a variety of quality products from natives, wetlands, annuals and perennials to indoor house plants that have the ability to brighten up any room. Weaver also has a large variety of shrubs for outdoor garden needs, along with a ample selection of annuals, vegetables and herbs to fill any containers you may have. Additionally, they are stocked with one-of-a-kind pottery and other items for your garden and home décor needs. Weaver is a little garden paradise that fills you with joy and warmth as soon as you enter our space.”
Why are people so orchid crazy? “I believe orchids make a really strong statement and are one of the few plants that can stand on their own with such strength and grace at the same time. I believe the reason for the hard maintenance with them is the lack of knowledge of where they are from and how they grow. Orchids in the wild are literally attached to notches in trees. Their roots attach to moss dirt areas and they grow from there.When an orchid blooms to its fullest, it can take up to a year for it to bloom again.”
While working at Weaver, did you have a high demand for orchids? ”Yes! We used orchids in floral arrangements more frequently, for sure. A project that comes to mind is one where we actually utilized two different varieties. That is the beauty of them: you are left with an assortment of colors, textures and sizes to choose from when designing florals.”
You mention that orchids can seem high maintenance due to our lack of understanding of them. How should we care for them?“ Glossy leaves mean the orchid is working. It will take up to a year for another blossom to grow. If the existing ‘old’ stem is still attached, you want to cut it away from the rest of the plant. In order to do this–using a sterilized implement--you must look to cutdown to the second ring closest to the foliage. This sends life back into the plant and indicates the old stem is finished. “I hope this makes sense. Sometimes it is easier with a visual. I am open to educate customers and clients about the best care of all variety of plants.They are all living beings and rely on us to care for them.”
February 2020
By Georgette Gouveia
Photographs courtesy of NYBG.