The Secrets of the Orchid Greenhouse

The Secrets of the Orchid Greenhouse

Since their introduction in the 1800s, the last two centuries have seen the orchid become one of the most sought after plants in the entire world. There are many lifetimes and careers spent simply trying to perfect the beauty that most see in a perfect orchid. An orchid greenhouse is where one tries to create the perfect environment for growing an orchid. Contrary to the widely held view it does not need to be that warm, and in fact, some orchids prefer cooler environments.

What is true is that the extremes of temperatures are not favored by the plant and, therefore, an orchid greenhouse or, indeed, just a normal house will do quite nicely to grow many beautiful varietals of orchids. However, some of the most beautiful orchids are discovered in the wild almost everywhere in the world. Indeed, much of the beauty of the plant is often the environment they are found in.

The History of the Secret Orchid Greenhouses

Although they are a recent phenomenon in terms of begin a popular plant, they actually may date from the era of the dinosaurs. Fossil evidence indicates that the world's most sought after flower was part of the flora as the monsters roamed the world. Of course, it is true that there were no orchid greenhouses during that time as the monsters would most likely have destroyed them. It is hard to imagine a traditional glass orchid greenhouse in the middle of the forests and grasses that predominated back then. The history of the secret orchid greenhouse bears some resemblance to the tragedies of the fall of the largest creatures ever to walk our planet.

Many years ago in the south of the United States an orchid society existed and flourished in some of the more remote coastal towns facing the Gulf of Mexico. Not well known, as the communities were poor, and the growers of African-American origin, the plants were grown in small orchid greenhouses stretching from Homer to Gulfport. The beauty and peace represented by these plants and the efforts of the gardeners underlined the true nature of the human soul.

These oases in the depressed south were all supposed to be destroyed during the racial violence of the 1960s and then as a result of catastrophic storms in the first part of the 21st century. However, that is not quite true, there are rumors that one still remains, and in fact one still does. This secret orchid greenhouse has survived the years and the turmoil. It is maintained in the mind of a very special man, now almost 90 who lives with his family somewhere in the coastal swamps of Louisiana and Mississippi. In frequent visits to the recovering communities of the south, he recalls the types and genre of the plants and remembers the beauty shared among the communities of the south with this simple flower. Unlike the stories and events of the dinosaurs, the lessons and stories of this secret orchid greenhouse will never be forgotten.