Photo Challenge: PROLIFIC
“An orchid in a deep forest sends out its fragrance even if no one is around to appreciate it.” Confucius
Photo Challenge: PROLIFIC – Orchids fit the bill
Photo Challenge: PROLIFIC – Orchids fit the bill
Just as I wonder
whether it’s going to die,
the orchid blossoms
and I can’t explain why it
moves my heart, why such pleasure
comes from one small bud
on a long spindly stem, one
blood red gold flower
opening at mid-summer,
tiny, perfect in its hour.
Sam Hamill
PROLIFIC: Orchids are remarkable and prolific flowering plants. There are about 30,000 varieties of this exotic flower and counting. If you love orchids and are in the Tri-State area (NY, CT, NJ), the New York Botanical Garden currently has a fantastic exhibition of both popular and rare orchids; The Orchid Show runs through April 22, showcasing thousands of orchids in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, and features a series of installations crafted by Belgian Floral Artist Daniel Ost. His large Installations filled with a breathtaking range of orchids must be seen to truly enjoy them. My photos of the Installations just don’t do them justice because I forgot to bring my wide angle lens for my dslr camera and had to take photos of them with my android. My macro shots of the orchids, above and below, were taken with my Canon DSLR T1 with a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Lens. I love macro photography so that lens is almost always attached… sigh. I need a new Camera though. Hello Canon?
READ: How to Photograph Your Public Art and Large-Scale Installations
How To Photograph Art Like an Expert By William Sawalich
“Periods of tranquility are seldom prolific of creative achievement. Mankind has to be stirred up.” Alfred North Whitehead
Photo Challenge: PROLIFIC – Orchids fit the bill
Photo Challenge: PROLIFIC – Orchids fit the bill
I have become an orchid
washed in on the salt white beach.
Memory,
what can I make of it now
that might please you-
this life, already wasted
and still strewn with miracles?
Mary Ruefle
Did You Know? As I worked on this post, I found out quite a lot about Orchids. They can be finicky plants to maintain unless you follow the recommended watering schedule religiously. LiveScience also offered five fascinating facts about them. As you already know, there are thousands of varieties and we’ve barely made a dent in discovering the full color spectrum of the range. They have a bilateral symmetry that resembles our human face. Did you know that? Take another look. They trick insects into pollinating them by adapting to match what the insect looks like. Smart! Research has shown that orchids date back to around 120 million years. Whoa. Now that is what I call persistence … and longevity. Drumroll! Vanilla is an orchid variety so, every time you take a bite of that vanilla ice cream or taste it in anything you love, think back to this hardy, prolific and versatile plant.
READ: LiveScience 5 Surprising Facts About Orchids
More Below
“I don’t think what I do is influenced by suffering. I come from a talented people who are prolific in music and dance.” Hugh Masekela
Photo Challenge: PROLIFIC – Orchids fit the bill
The Orchid Show: Daniel Ost
Photo Challenge: PROLIFIC – Orchids fit the bill
We humans think we are smart, but an orchid, for example, knows how to produce noble, symmetrical flowers, and a snail knows how to make a beautiful, well-proportioned shell. Compared with their knowledge, ours is not worth much at all. We should bow deeply before the orchid and the snail and join our palms reverently before the monarch butterfly and the magnolia tree. The feeling of respect for all species will help us recognize the noblest nature in ourselves. Nhat Hanh
What Are You Prolific At? When I saw the photo challenge theme for this week, I was wondering what would fit the theme for me. I thought of the yellow dandelion flowers on the aqueduct but they aren’t in full bloom yet. Then, I was reminded that The Orchid Show was still in full bloom at the New York Botanical Gardens (NYBG) in the Bronx. Perfect. I’m a member and it was easy to get in, park, and spend the afternoon shooting and enjoying the collection. If you are able to see it before it wraps on Sunday, I would recommend you do visit. The NYBG grounds are beautiful and walking around and enjoying everything else is also recommended. Go do it. We are all prolific at something so the term doesn’t have to be linked to nature alone… Find your path and follow it. I hope you enjoyed the Orchids shared here. Thank you for stopping by.
READ: ORCHIDS 101 – Basic Orchid Culture
This post was inspired by a prompt from WP Daily Post: – PROLIFIC – This week, What do you think of when you think of the word, “prolific”? If spring has arrived where you live, maybe the plethora of dandelions sprouting in your neighborhood might fit. If you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, it might be the leaves falling from the trees. Your response need not be one based in nature — let your imagination fuel your camera.
Positive Motivation Tip: Find your prolific path and follow it.
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos from my personal collection.
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
Holy smokes that’s a lotta orchids! Beautiful
Wow these orchids are so beautiful! I had no ideas that their were that many orchids. I’m going to have to think what I’m prolific in!
Flowers are a wonderful choice of subject for this week’s challenge; my choice also. Beautiful!
Just seeing the flowers really got me excited for summer/spring!
I’m prolific at problem solving and getting the results I want. Thanks for this post,its inspiring.
I personally love orchids. Mainly because there’s such a beautiful delicate flower but also so unique in the way that they grow. I had no idea of vanilla was a type of orchid. That’s awesome!
I cannot get enough of these pretty blooms!! I love the happy, yellow colored ones the most!
The orchid show sounds great. I love seeing flowers in bloom, and orchids are so pretty. I loved your orchid photo collages. Great job!
I didn’t know that NYC has a Botanical Garden! What a gem in the city and you got some great photos!
Oh wow what an amazing event, id love to have seen that! I learnt a lot from your post, I had no idea there was so many types of orchid!
What beautiful orchids. There are so many different kinds. The photos are lovely. So many colors.
Orchid are probably the most beautiful flowers to me. I enjoy their looks even though I can’t really smell them
Orchids are so beautiful! I didn’t know about the Special show at NY Botanical Gardens.
There are so many gorgeous photos in the collection! Seeing the blooms makes me want to go outside and take my own pics!
Oh this is a really great challenge idea. It really gets people thinking and moving!
Orchids are one of my favourites. This is a different and exciting challenge. I am off to find my prolific path so I can follow it.
Could never imagine there are over 30,000 varieties Of Orchids.Your lovely post tells me so much about this fascinating flower!
Excellent viewpoint. I love where you are coming from with this. Thanks for the encouraging words!!
Where you grow beautiful flowers I grow tons of vegetables. Putting food on the table we grew is important to me.
You’re giving me such spring vibes! I miss having flowers, etc. all around us by this time of year.
I wish to go to an Orchid Show if one is available in my area. I think orchids are very elegant and a beautiful house decor. I love orchids!
First, these flowers are just lovely. You really have a talent for capturing the details in images. Now, as for prolific—it’s such a big, powerful world I’ve never really considered myself to be prolific in anything. Would certainly like to be!
I love orchids – a neighbor has quite a few of them, but I have never had the guts to try to care for one. Not sure why, considering that we grew just about everything, anywhere we went, from flowering plants to veggies, but even my parents who are avid gardeners worked with orchids.
But I love them neverless. Thanks for making me think about these beautiful flowers again. Maybe I will give them a try. And not just from a distance
Blessings
Wow, so many pretty orchids! I’m no good at growing them personally, though my mother seems to be able to keep them alive. I admire people ho can get them to thrive.
I love flowers especially orchids. It makes my day much better! So happy to see the collage.
You shared some very interesting facts about orchids. Your pictures are beautiful. I wish that I could attend the orchid show. It would be so much fun.
You’d enjoy it. 🙂
I just love the photos of those lovely orchids! I tried growing them before but I could not get them to bloom. My mom has a very nice orchid collection. You know what she waters them with? The water she collects when she washes fresh fish and a 1:5 mixture of beer and water. I don’t know why or how these two solutions work, but they bloom beautifully for her.
WoW. I should try that on my orchids.
Orchid is our Singapore official flowers and we have created so many hybrid of orchid named after famous people around the world placed in our Singapore Botanical Garden. I would love to visit NYBG one day when I visit East Coast of America! I didn’t know vanilla is a variety of orchid too, now when I take a bite of the vanilla ice cream, I would think of beautiful orchid.
Awesome. there were some from Singapore.
Orchids are some really amazing plants and flowers! as I became really allergic to pollen, Orchids are the only flowers I keep at home.
orchids are the most beautiful flower ever, they seems so delicate but at the same time strong to withstand alot.
I love orchids. They are such beautiful, delicate flowers. That Confucius quote is one I’ve never heard, either.
Wow, what beautiful orchids! I love flowers, but have always loved the beauty of the orchids. Another favorite is also Morning Glory – something about them from my childhood makes me love them, even to this day.
I love this, we’re moving house soon and I want to create a beautiful garden!
I love Orchids and the poems that you shared. I had a boss that would bring me fresh cut Orchids from his bloom and my office was always pleasant smelling from the aroma. Great article!
These orchids are just amazing. Thanks for sharing these beautiful pictures with us!
Wonderful, I love orchids, coming across wild ones especially. I hardly use me canon now, I got a gorgeous little Olympus compact system camera 18 months ago.
Ohhh that sounds like a great camera. Always good to see you here. <3
I had no idea there were so any varieties of Orchids. I’ve never had any luck with them, I know they have an usual water regime. Maybe thats why. Beautiful picture and the show looked fantastic,
I don’t know what comes into mind when I read or hear the word prolific but I sense comfort and beauty with it. That said, I’m pretty sure I would feel them when I visit that famous botanical garden in New York.
very informative and interesting. I adore orchids! Photo’s are colorful and beautiful, I enjoy reading this post 🙂
Orchids remind me so much of my grandmother and how she grew and took care of different kinds! It was her hobby and it was amazing! These flowers are so beautifully captured, thank you!
And that is what we all do…we continue being exactly what we’ve made of ourselves even if we are certain that no one is really looking…
Some amazing facts about orchids that I didn’t know about, thank you for sharing these. The pictures and the quotes are great, there is a lot to take in from the nobility, simplicity and beauty of orchids.
I love how you illustrated this post with orchids. Indeed they are prolific plants but they are also so delicate. I used to have one and I remember how much care I took of it and it was still hard to make it flower.
Orchids have to be one of my favorite flowers. I didn’t know that much information about them, they are a really beautiful flower. Spring is here where I live, the flowers and pollen is everywhere unlike so who are still in winter.
These flowers are absolutely beautiful. This is one of my favorite flowers love your post.
Xx, Nailil
All those pretty flowers and colours make me feel so happy! Love orchids! They are beautiful!
I love orchids, but can not for the life of me get them to grow and stay healthy. I am one of those people who have a black thumb I guess. Those photos are so beautiful and make me want to try again!
This is so much good info on Orchids. I love Orchids and find them extremely fascinating. Thank you for the photos 🙂
XO,
fionadiaries.com
These orchids are so lovely. We’ve been wanting to see the Orchid Show in NYC.
There is something majestic on orchid flowers. Its thick petals are so gorgeous, and unique from the rest. No wonder they can reach for high price.
These are wonderful quote, information and facts about Orchids. I grew up in a house where my parents and family loved orchids so this is wonderful to read
Orchids are of really great sentimental value to me, these is so beautiful and I am seeking an answer to the question you posed, what am I prolific at? I feel like prolific is such a deep word. Also really inspirational write up about orchids giving its fragrance when there is no one to appreciate it. We are often so eager to get credit and accolades for everything we do it sometimes appears like there may be an ulterior motive. I am really glad I came across this today, I find it very timely.
I have a few of those beginning to bloom in my back yard! Orchids are one of my favorite flowers! Thank you for sharing.
What an interesting topic! I have always admired orchids but I would probably kill them haha. Especially reading that they can be a bit finnicky!! Even the ‘hardiest’ plants wilt and die under my gaze! This is perfect for spring!
Wow, I didn’t know there were so many different kinds of Orchids! I love anything floral and I love going to botanical gardens just for pictures of flowers (and to smell them). I’d love to visit the NYBG one day. I wish I’d known about it when I was living on the east coast! Texas has wild bluebonnets that are beautiful. I also love that quote about Orchids sending out a fragrance even if no one is around to see it. So beautiful!
Such wonderful pictures! My daughter loves these kind of photos, she take pictures of the flora as well! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Growing orchids can be quite tricky. Thankfully, my grandparents got the skills and patience, and after years of hard work, they now have a flourishing orchid farm here in the Philippines. 🙂
Orchids are actually one of my favorite flowers. I used to kill them all the time, but I have finally learned how to care for them. Love your pictures of all the many variations of the flower.
Those are lovely pictures! Amazing facts about orchids. The orchid show surely is fun and beautiful!
Loved all pics of orchid in full bloom. I had the opportunity to appreciate and admire the magic of prolific orchid in Singapore.orchid farm. They had immense varieties I ever imagined.
The flowers are great! And the challenge is cool also, I like how you said hello to the spring.
Do you know Orchid is Singapore’s national flower? I was surprised to see the abundance of orchid photos on your article! Glad that you had a nice “view” at the Orchid Show!
i love orchids, these are some great photos 🙂 thank you for sharing these facts about orchids. I would love to visit NYBG one day
So many kinds of orchids.. i love them
These are beautiful species of orchids. When I was younger my mothers used to water them twice a day one in the morning and one in the afternoon. She loves them so much!
Those are beautiful pictures of orchids. They remind me of the times that I would go to my grandma’s house and she would take us to the botanical gardens. Thank you for sharing.
Beautiful photos! They are one of my favourite flowers x
I love the message of sending out your scent if no one is around. It is a reflection on how you truly are.
oh, wow…that is so many different flowers. Flowers are so amazing and beautiful.
These orchards are absolutely beautiful!! What I love most about them is that it reminds me of my childhood. My mom always had orchards!
This is so beautiful! I love the diversity and artistic value of orchids. They are breathtaking specimens that are a blessing to behold.
The orchids made me smile because they reminded me of my mom who is now outside tending to her plants and maybe talking to her orchids. Hahaha.
I was reminded of the very first time I saw an arrangement of orchids on my cousin’s wedding day more than 30 yrs ago. Her wedding bouquet had been gifted by a friend of the family who happened to be a grower of Cape Disas. I have loved orchids ever since and you have assembled a beautiful collection.
Wow the orchid show looks absolutely amazing!!! I’m sure it smells absolutely heavenly there! I would adore visiting it!
Orchids are so beautiful. I have one sitting on my desk right now, though, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep it alive. I would love to see this exhibit!
I love orchids, they are one of my favourite plants. I have one in my living room and just love the colours of the flowers – so pretty. Great post.
I had no idea that there were so many varieties of this flower. I have always loved the way that they look!
Orchids! They are one of my favorites, but yes, they are finicky indeed! I’ve never really managed to keep one going for more than a year…it’s still a thing I want to eventually be able to do!
Because you never know who will be attracted to your fragrance…nature is wiser then people and that’s were we should be learning from 🙂
Damn I love nature. Orchids are so complex, struggle with keeping them alive 😂 What a fun fact that orchids in a way resembles our human face. 😱
Orchids seem so magical! We had a few different types at our wedding. I am always intimidated to grow them, though.
Orchids are my favorite, I currently have several in my back yard, they are beautiful!
Orchids is one of my favorite flowers. They make me feel happy everything I saw them growing. Love the photos so much. What a great collection.
I adore orchids, but never knew there were so many varieties or colours too! I need to think about what I’m prolific at too! This will be my goal this week!
Orchids are one of my favorite flowers, and I love that quote by Confucious. It’s a good reminder to be who you want to be even if no one is watching.
You have such nice variety of orchids. They look so beautiful.
I love orchids they are such stunning looking flowers. Your photos are fantastic. The orchid show was the perfect place from the sound of it to complete this challenge.
Orchids are beautiful. I did not know that there are over 30,000 variations of this flower. Unfortunately, I do not think they are the easiest plant for maintenance, and I did not dare to keep them in the house.
I too love orchids and I have never seen these many different varieties of orchids before this post. I am now going to check out these more and remember. Beautiful
Some lovely info on orchids, I love orchids and have a few in my home. Your photos are amazing