Black and White Study

 

 

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. -Albert Einstein

 

An Orchid Fashion Show in Hawaii

 

 

One of the best new events at the Orchid Show this year was a the orchid fashion walk and it was really spectacular to see beautiful women and one orchid creature strut down the runway.

 

 

 

There were all shapes and sizes of orchids worn by Hilo Orchid Society members, donning their best show outfits to complement their flower installations like this beautiful off the shoulder arrangement below.

 

 

 

 

 

What a beautiful smile and don't you love the photo with the dendrobiums in the back of her gown, the white against ruby red sets off the orchids perfectly don't you think?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another beautiful model with victorian regalia and large orchids to match her jewelry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is our victorian lady below with a more proper collection of yellow oncidiums to match her hat,  below you will see her in her orchid garden room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whats a fashion show without a bride and this model steals the show with her almost all white orchid ensemble of dendrobium and oncidium orchids...below is a detail shot and complete outfit.

 

 

 

 

 

Watch out its a major orchid collection walking down the catwalk!

I love this last photo, it shows how everyone really loves their orchids on their outfits, even zany ones work at this show!

Well that was a first for this year, and hopefully more to come. It was a fun event to see and I hope that you enjoyed our first orchid fashion show.

This is my contribution fertilizer friday, visit here to see other flowers in the world todayhttp://www.tootsietime.com/
 

Hilo Orchid Society Show 2012

 

 

One of the best orchid shows to experience in Hawaii is at the annual orchid show by the Hilo Orchid Society.  The combination of commercial orchid growers, enthusiasts and orchid lovers makes this one of the must see shows for all orchid lovers.

Every year a new theme is chosen and this year’s title ‘ Islands of Orchids’ creates the lure of these exotic orchids throughout the island chain.  This three day event is jammed packed with educational seminars, musical entertainment and pre-view parties, complete themed displays and of course the opportunity to purchase some of the most exotic, unusual and newer hybrids that are being introduced into the market, many not available in your regular garden centers.

Its definitely worth a visit to put this in your itinerary when visiting Hawaii Island since it's the biggest show in all of the state focused on just orchids.

Here are a few highlights from this year’s events.

 

Beautiful vignettes created like this one below with a victorian attired model in Hawaiian regalia along with live orchids details on her costume.

 

 

Another orchid vignette with an exploding volcano and lava flowing in the midst of this colorful orchid forest below.

 

I stopped immediately when I saw beautiful light illuminate the petals of these intensely colored cattleyas, making them appear to take flight.

 

 

Another grouping of beautifully backlit cymbidiums, making them more vivid and alive.

 

 

There were lots of exciting and unusual color combinations to be seen like this vivid hot pink

and maroon cattleya orchid.

 

More subtle and textural, these vandas give you a moment of calm and respite to the

shocking and bright colors all around the show.

 

I usually am not fond of pale colored orchids but this light pastel cattleya drew my attention right away…I think the quiet orchids also can demand a lot of attention if you spend the time to look at all their amazing details.

 

 

I’m guessing this is a variety of oncidium, unfortunately I did not have anything to write on and I wanted to really just enjoy the flowers and photography at this point.

 

 

Another dramatic paphiopedilum variety, I love the showy petals on this beauty.

 

 

These paphiopedilum or lady slippers have so much presence and color assaulting me with their strange forms and inviting a more detailed observation.

 

 

Following are more unusual or colorful varieties I spotted while walking around the show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This years event was truly spectacular. I enjoyed it thoroughly and even sang with our men’s chorus on the weekend event when the general audience attends and the audience enjoyed our music while seeing some amazing flowers.

 

This is my contribution to garden bloom day, to see other gardens in bloom today go visit

http://www.maydreamsgardens.com

Hilo Orchid Show

 

I’m always giddy at around this time frame when the Hilo Orchid show is begins, it is truly one of the biggest and most exotic of Orchid Shows in Hawaii.  Surprisingly, I was not done finishing last years images which was quite a spectacular show, so I’m presenting it now before the next show begins.

 

 

I’m glad I got a chance to finally finish these and present some of the showstoppers from last years event especially since the new show is just around the corner.

 

 

 

There are some amazing orchid growers on Hawaii Island, along with plenty of serious enthusiasts and collectors that are creating with some fantastic new hybrids and incredibly colorful specimens.

 

 

Dazzling displays like the showcases above blend in a profusion of colors and different orchid varieties.

 

 

 

 

The colors are always over the top and so unusual in color combinations like this cattleya orchid with hot yellow and white petals with soft purple lips.

 

 

Almost alien looking and bright orange masdevallia orchids pop dramatically against this blue background, don’t they look totally out of this world?

 

 

I love this showcase with a Southeast asian tropical flair with hot pink, red and orange dendrobium and epidendrums and miltonias.

 

 

I was lucky to come later in the afternoon and beautiful light filtered into the stadium and creating beautiful backlit portraits like this one orchid spray below.

Here’s the front to the backlit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An almost alien looking specimen about to lift off!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another alien looking masdevallia orchid.

 

 

I’m a sucker for these gorgeous brassavola orchids.

 

 

 

Backlit and stunning don’t you agree?

 

 

Another grouping of cattleya lit but the late afternoon light, its truly dazzling to see.

 

 

Last, are some intense yellow paphiopedilum or lady slipper orchids end this amazing show at Hilo.

 

 

 

It is always fun to visit this yearly event and be wowed by the colorful displays, orchid vignettes and new hybrids that are being presented.  When you are visiting the Big Island, try to make it to see this wonderful event.

Texture and Pattern

Its amazing that I can participate with  three memes to celebrate beautiful plants. I'm starting with Garden Bloom day,  Texture and pattern with Garden Walk Garden talk and foliage follow up.


I’m excited to present some beautiful flowers and plants that show those qualities including this beautiful collection below of red colored plants including crotons, ti, bromeliads and tillandsias. A beautiful combination of swirling patterned leaves of the croton, small pointed and feather like leave of the ti plant and the rounded and also sharp leaves of the smaller bromeliads below.





I went on a beautiful photo field trip with some other photo friends and visited the home of this inspiring landscape architect in Hawaii, it was really an exciting plant excursion and a great study of different patterns, textures and shapes, mostly foliaged plants with only a few flowers for highlights.





Above is a beautiful collection of bromeliads and tillandsias airplants, new purple blooms are coming out of the plant in the right side. I love the silver leaf brom on the far left called Aechmea fasciata




 



I love this collection of ti plants popping above a see of green, it creates a nice focal point amid this textured pattern of large leaf plants below.




Another collection of different patterned and red inspired bromeliads with one solitary white phalaenopsis growing out of a dead tree trunk.




These yellow colored bromeliads seem to glow amid the red tinged tillandsias and wild ferns
coming out of the lava rock container.








Here’s a beautiful collection of intricate leaf patterns from thick to thin leaved dendrobium orchids, tillandsias, bromeliads and other air plants.







Green and leafy patterns grow wild on this palm including various ferns and orchid plants
that love the mosture and water that collects on the bottom fronds of this solitary palm.










A closer detailed shot of the palm with the sword ferns or Nephrolepis exaltata,  and Philippine orchids called Spathoglottis plicata which typically grow wild in East Hawaii.







A beautiful panorama shot of one segment of this gorgeous garden, it was really a wonderful visit here, don't you agree?


Just in case you were wondering about the three meme themes that corresponds with my title, I’m submitting these to:
garden bloom day http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/
foliage follow up http://www.penick.net/digging/
and texture and pattern http://gardenwalkgardentalk.com/