New juniors!

The Junior Acquisitions Department has been on hiatus while McGarden Enterprises, Inc. took a few months to ponder life and get its mojo back. Well, the mojo is back, baby! As VP of the JAD, I took the corporate credit card and went on a spree. We lost a few juniors through, um, attrition, and had empty spaces that needed to be filled...

At the Chicago Flower and Garden Show, I stocked up at the Ted's Greenhouse booth as usual. The Adenium obesum I wanted so desperately was nowhere to be found, but I comforted myself with these cuties:

Crassula perfoliata subsp. falcata (propeller plant), Euphorbia mammilaris variegata (corncob plant), Trichodiadema densum (miniature desert rose), Crassula 'Springtime'

I also bought a new African violet:

I usually get my violets on the cheap at places like Home Despot but have had bad luck with them lately, so I shelled out the dough for a plant that had been taken care of by someone who gave a crap.

Finally, at last weekend's orchid show at the Chicago Botanic Garden, I bought the prettiest orange orchid with the most ridiculous name: Potinara Love Passion 'Long Vacation'.

Orchid Show at the Chicago Botanic Garden

I went to my first orchid show today, the spring show and sale of the Illinois Orchid Society. I've never been wild about orchids but I find that the more I see them, the more they grow on me. (Because they're epiphytes! Get it?) Plus, it is always fun to spend time with serious plant geeks.

I had my first up-close look at the (in)famous Blue Mystique phalaenopsis orchid introduced this year. It attracted plenty of attention and photographers, but I was gratified to hear that when customers found out it's artificially colored, they lost interest. Breed me a true-blue and then we'll talk.

I find that I very much like the Paphiopedilum orchids. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough cash to get one of my own. Next year?

I also liked the obscure orchids, including the species orchids, which have not been bred and hybridized into such foofy shapes. This subtle Acianthera chamensis was extremely appealing.

Vanda 'Sansai Blue' and its companions showed off some of the purples orchids can achieve.

The show judged on individual plants and on displays. I liked this collection with a range of warm colors.

Not a great picture, but another genus that appeals to me is Masdevallia.

The marketplace was hopping!

Of course I bought things. I knew after wandering the market that one of the orange cattleya-type orchids would need to go home with me. I browsed until I found just the right color, and ended up with Potinara Love Passion 'Long Vacation.' Potinara is a hybrid of hybrids, in the Cattleya alliance. This one is a lovely rich orange with a touch of red in the throat; in shape it reminds me of a jonquil.

I also bought a Miltassia C. M. Fitch 'Izumi' (Oncidium alliance) off the orchid society's sale table for $5, because I can't resist cheap fixer-uppers. It desperately needed repotting and watering, but a nice person at the orchid society's repotting booth divided it, potted it, and gave me piles of advice. I was told the flowers would be yellow but Google says it will actually be purple/red and spotty and cute in a lanky way. IF it survives!

Finally, I bought a cheap bare-root plant, only because of the name. Meet Miltassia Dark Star 'Darth Vader.'

"I find my lack of soil disturbing."