One of the greenhouses at the Orchid Show had these amazing floral baskets hanging from the ceiling. Strings of floral garlands all together supporting large baskets of orchids. So beautiful… complete with an orchid “chandelier” hanging from the ceiling too!!!

It was an unbelievably beautiful visit to the Chicago Botanic Garden for the annual Orchid Show. Stunning orchids everywhere!!! With a theme of “INDIA BLOOMS” there were a few displays designed to show traditional Indian culture & rituals. Every corner, every nook, every cranny… incredible orchids everywhere you looked!!! It may have been cold & snowy outside… but inside Spring was in full bloom!!!

A LOT of photos of a LOT of orchids… so take your time & enjoy!!!

With some beautiful Spring weather today… I’m ready for some flowers to be blooming in my garden. Too soon??? Well until then… I guess I’ll have to be happy with a few clay flowers I made tonight in class!

Bright & sunny… with the Sunday sunshine playing nicely on the orchids in my dining room!

Another “floral surprise” today… my Thanksgiving Cactus has decided to bloom all over again?! This is the exact same cactus plant that was in full bloom for my Holiday Home Show back in November!!! Guess it got tired of just sitting around being green? Time to show off a bit!!! And again… I think it’s all about the handmade flower pot that keeps the plant happy. Just sayin’…

Look who decided to pop open & greet the day today! My first re-blooming orchid of the season! Hopefully a few more orchids will start blooming in the weeks to come. Always fun to have an old orchid re-bloom at home… I’m sure it’s the handmade flower pot that makes the difference!

Christmas may be over… but Winter goes on forever! And here’s a cute little snippet of holly & berries from the bush in my front porch. A cutie-patootie vase with a little Winter freshness.

Here’s a beautiful arrangement of flowers with purples & pinks to go along with a new “aubergine” stamped vase… a special holiday gift from Dad. Now honoring Grandma’s memory with a collection of her favorite flowers. Thanks for sharing Allison!

On another dreary gray & rainy day, I felt I needed to escape to somewhere “tropical” even if just for a couple hours. So I spent the morning relaxing, chillin’ out & taking in the colors & textures of Garfield Park Conservatory. Such a great way to jump-start my day with beautiful flowers, fantastic textures, koi ponds, Chihuly glass installations & Mother Nature’s magic all happening under the glass roof. A much needed break from gray & gloomy!!!

This Fall my cousin Kim came over & we planted a LOT of new plants in my front garden. This is my first time trying hellebores & I’m kind of excited to see them flowering at the end of Winter. But I just saw these cuties this morning. Are they going to bloom too soon?… or are they just getting ready to impress me in very Early Spring?! Novice gardeners want to know!!!