Saturday, April 2, 2011

Tulips & Orchids!

What a lovely Saturday at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. The Orchid Market was happening this weekend. Tulips were in full bloom and the weather was just right, sunny, light breeze and not hot at all. We got an early start and arrived at the gardens right after it opened but I could see it getting crowded soon. The tulips were the star of the day, they were everywhere in every color! There were also lovely daffodils and Irises in bloom throughout the garden. After a quick perusing through the orchid market gathering a few Paphiopedilums, we headed out to take in all beautiful bulbs.
These were my favorite off course, I might plant some of these in our garden this Fall
 
 
The upper level of the new Visitor Center
We visited the newly opened cafe located in the old visitor center and enjoyed some coffee and pastries by the fountain.
chocolate croissant, I suspect it may have come from Alon's
 
 

For more photos of tulips, check out my Facebook album: Tulips!Tulips!
 We worked up quite the appetite walking the gardens. Time for Lunch at Farmburger!
 
After lunch, we headed off to Virginia-Highland for a quick visit to PAPERSOURCE, and then we were off to Cooks warehouse, my new favorite kitchen supply store. I found the kitchen scale I've been dreaming off there !! , lookout for it's appearance in future post. We had little bit of time before we had to leave the city to make it back in time for my evening cocktail party gig so we headed to the WESTSIDE .
Wonderful locally grown asparagus at Star Provisions , HUGE spears!, I bought some since I felt a dinner party coming on..
For "tea", we shared a lemon meringue tart from Star Provisions
 
The JONATHAN ADLER store that just opened last Thursday, very Chic!
We made it home in plenty of time before my gig. After a successful piano session of Cole porter, George Gershwin, Johnny Mercer and Duke Ellington, I came straight home to begin some much needed relaxation and messed around with the orchids I got at the show.
This was an exceptional Paphiopedilum specimen with 3 spikes that I just had to have. Unfortunately, it had been dressed up in Easter finery. I thought the arrangement was rather pretty with the lovely moss lined basket, dyed mushrooms and wheat grass but I was not looking forward to having to trim the wheat grass so it was time to undo and re-purpose. I also wanted to let the orchid shine for itself instead of being loss in the Easter basket mess.
Orchids can be checked in at the orchid-sitters counter while visitors visited the gardens, I was orchid parent #12
The basket was perfect for my maidenhair ferns
The cat's enjoyed the fresh wheatgrass
This is more my speed. I transferred the orchid into a simple wooded container and surrounded it with reindeer moss. This allows for the wonderful foliage on the orchid to be fully appreciated


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