This is Part 3 of a three-part Botanical Garden series, featuring gardens that are members of the American Horticulture Society’s Reciprocal Admissions Program. A membership at one of these gardens includes eligibility for free or reduced admission at 300+ participating locations across North America. Always call ahead of your visit to verify what special admission privilege is offered by the Garden.
The South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is an orchid lover’s dream! While there had been an orchid exhibit there for many years, in 2015 the newly-built greenhouses officially became the Samuel Jones Orchid Conservatory.
Samuel Jones was an avid orchidist. He built the original orchid homes at the Gardens and, prior to his passing in 2018, taught classes on how to grow and care for orchids.
Like many flowers, symbolic meanings have been attributed to the colors. The following list comes directly from FTD By Design:
- “White orchids symbolize innocence and purity, as well as elegance and reverence.
- Pink orchids symbolize femininity, grace, and joy.
- Yellow orchids symbolize friendship and new beginnings. They make great gifts for a friend to celebrate an accomplishment.
- Purple orchids symbolize royalty and admiration, and are traditionally given as a sign of respect.
- Orange orchids symbolize pride, enthusiasm, and boldness.”
The South Texas Gardens doesn’t only have orchids – they care for animals like birds and turtles, have a butterfly garden, and their walking trails are DOG FRIENDLY.
If you read my post The Orchid Graveyard, you know that I have some trouble with over-watering my plants. Orchids especially take the brunt.
That’s one of the reasons I love going to the South Texas Gardens and hanging out in the orchid greenhouses, snapping pics while quietly reveling in the beautiful colors, shapes, and sizes.
Look at those colors! Do you feel convinced to start growing orchids again or for the first time? I do!
Luckily, the American Orchid Society offers many tips & tidbits to make successful growing of orchids obtainable even for those of us with less-than-green thumbs. Here are a few:
- Don’t over water – water for a few seconds then let drain; don’t be tempted to over water or water again too soon.
- Use a fertilizer “weakly, weekly” – on a watered plant, use small amounts weekly instead of monthly all at once.
- Repot into a bigger pot when the plant starts growing over the side (divide if necessary).
- Plant in a fast-draining but water-retentive “medium” – medium is what the plant is planted in, such as peat, bark, sand, or a combination of a multitude of ingredients. (Read more about potting media here.) The article specifically mentions bark-based, peat-based, and aliflor.
- Orchids need sufficient light to rebloom – leaves should be a lighter, grassy color instead of dark green. East- or south-facing windows are ideal.
That doesn’t seem too bad!
Every weekend (and sometimes during the work week, let’s be honest) I have the urge to drive down to Corpus Christi and go to our favorite spots: The Coffee Mugg (Harry Potter themed!), the Texas State Aquarium, and the Gardens.
When things settle down, the orchids at the Gardens are the first place I want visit.
To tide you over until your next botanical garden excursion, browse more pics of the South Texas Botanical Gardens below. Pictures featured in this post are from two separate visits, one was hot and sunny and the other was cold and rainy – and both were extremely fun!
Thanks for joining me for the third installment of Oak + River Books’ three-part botanical gardens series! Happy exploring, friends!
This post is not paid or sponsored. Views and opinions are my own and do not represent those of any of the Gardens or the American Horticulture Society.
