Blue's Clues: Orchid Show

On the day that we visited the Botanical Garden, it was also the last day of the 2011 Orchid Show. This annual event is the only time when a vast, rotating selection of orchids from the Garden's historic collection is made available to the public. Up to 800 blooming orchids set in a Maya-themed accent were featured.

I was surprised to learn that the Botanical Garden here in St. Louis maintains one of the largest orchid collections in the nation, with over 7,500 individual orchid plants representing approximately 280 genera and including over 2,500 unique orchid taxa. That's a lot of orchids! The Garden's orchid history dates back to 1876, when the first one ones were gifted to Garden founder Henry Shaw. The collection was expanded in the 1920s when Garden horticulturist George Pring added 5,000 from a collection trip to South America.

I wish that Tony had taken some pictures of the Mayan influences that were set into the show. The theme this year was chosen as a nod to the much-discussed Maya "Long Count" calendar, which reaches its end in 2012. Life-sized, moss-colored mannequins with elaborate head pieces were posed throughout the 5,000 square foot display area. A large serpent fountain, stone statues, and towers were also part of the display. The jungle-like environment was even complete with a light fog that meandered through the pathways to add to the ambiance.

At the end of the day, I was mesmerized with the hundreds of orchids.