Orchid Daze at the Atlanta Botanical Garden Worth a Visit

Perhaps no other flower evokes a sense of mystery and romance in the same way as an orchid. And what could be more soothing to the senses than the sound of moving water?

The Atlanta Botanical Garden has combined orchids and water to create a special allure for an annual attraction that is a 10-week transition from late winter to early spring .

Welcome to Orchid Daze: Liquid Landscapes.

The botanical garden hosts Orchid Daze every year from February to April and each year chooses a new theme for the popular event. The Liquid Landscapes theme for this year’s floral showcase is a wonderful accent to the beauty and fragrance of the orchids.

When you enter the Fuqua Conservatory you are greeted by a wall of flowing water flanked with silver pots holding orchids with flowers in warm hues of red, orange and yellow and splashes of purple. The plants are in the Cattleya, Oncidium and Ondontoglossum alliances. Beds of the same types of orchids guide visitors past a hard-to-resist tree frog exhibit to the conservatory. (Tip: Give in! Stop and enjoy!)

From the neon-colored frogs, follow the path through the tropical rainforest to the Orchid Center. The yellow “bulldog” slipper orchids that greet you are just a teaser to the display in the atrium.

Tall silver cylinders rising from a shallow pool of dark water hold planters of cascading leaves of philodendron topped by towering plumes of Cymbidium, Odontoglossum and Phalaenopsis orchids with pink, purple and white flowers.

The perimeter of the atrium is lined with arching sprays of Phalaenopsis in a virtual rainbow of colors.  This type of orchid, readily available in nurseries, groceries and big box stores, is the easiest orchid to grow in the home because they will grow and flower in any window except one that faces north. Another appealing feature: In retail settings, they are very modestly priced -- under $20 in most cases.

From here, move into the tropical house. The sound you will hear is from beads of water dripping into a rectangular pool. Behind this curtain of falling water is a massive vertical display of brightly flowered Miltonia orchids. If you are not familiar with this orchid, it won’t take you long to figure out why it’s called the pansy orchid.

Orchid Daze features numerous events in addition to the beautiful continuing displays. Here’s what’s coming up during the remainder of Orchid Daze, which continues through April 10:

• Guided tours, Saturdays at 10 a.m.
• Orchid Market Weekends, March 5-6 and April 2-3, during regular Garden hours. Orchids for beginners as well as orchid-related merchandise are available for purchase.
• Orchid Care Clinics, March 5, and April 2, 10 a.m.-noon. Expert advice. $5 fee for repotting orchids (limit two).
• Atlanta Orchid Society Show, March 11-13, regular garden hours.
• Vanilla Sunday, March 13, 1-4 p.m. Enjoy cooking demonstrations using this member of the orchid family; create a delicious vanilla sundae! (That’s right! Vanilla is an orchid. The “bean” used for flavoring foods is from a pollinated plant’s seed pod.)

The Garden is located at 1345 Piedmont Ave. NE and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $18.95 adults, $12.95 children 3-12, and free to children under three and Garden members. For information, visit www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org or phone 404 876-5859.