Re: [OGD] orchids in Madeira
Thanks for the tips, Viateur and Marianne! Hmmm, I think I may do a little shopping on this vacation... On Mon, 11 Oct 2004 16:48:03 -0400, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Sandy : You asked : suggestions regarding orchid growers gardens to visit. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
[OGD] Growth media pH and EC
Do you monitor pH and Electrical Conductivity (EC) levels in your growing media? I was wondering if anybody does this, and the implications of monitoring pH and EC. Thanks, Dinesh ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
[OGD] Madeira orchids
Sandy, I went to Madeira in December 2000. The Botanic Gardens (Caminho do Meio, Quinta do Bom Sucesso, Funchal) are nice (spectacular views, excellent collection of palm trees) but most of their orchids are grown outdoors, and in late December they were suffering the effects of winter looking very sorry for themselves. The best spot is: Jardim Orqumdea (Rua Pita da Silva, 37, Bom Sucesso, Funchal). It is a family-run garden, hidden away on a cul-de-sac off a small side-street in a residential area just downhill from the Botanic Gardens and is quite hard to find .. I eventually got there by walked downhill from the Bot Gardens using my trusty Funchal street map (make sure you get one that has all the town in it, not just the town centre). The Jardim is a bit like Dr Who's Tardis; much bigger inside. I doubt they have 50,000 plants as the website boasts, but they do have a nice collection of plants that are healthy and well-grown. There is a collection of species (many of them fairly standard for northern-hemisphere collections) and hybrids (mostly Central and S. American), but many are at specimen-plant size and were blooming prolifically when I visited. I'm not very familiar with many of these American plants, and I really enjoyed the show. There is a large collection of hybrid Cymbidiums, some of which are extremely old crosses ... and these were in full bloom when I visited. The place is worth visiting. Also, try visiting the Central Market in Funchal. Madeira has long been one of the orchid-growing centres of Europe, producing spikes (mostly Cymbidiums) for the cut-flower trade. In the last few decades the Madeira orchid-flower industry has been surplanted by other places that produce more, better, cheaper, but there are still lots of Cymbidiums grown, many of which end up in the market. As is the case in the Jardim Orqumdea, what you see are mostly older crosses that will bring back nostalgic memories of the florist-shops of your youth (if you're old enough, that is !!!). One final tip ... try visiting a cemetery. There is a really big one on the hill above Funchal, but any large cemetary will do and there are several on the island. Yes, really, I'm not kidding ... if you want to see orchids used in a totally different context, visit a good cemetery in Madeira and don't forget to take your camera along. Peter O'Byrne Singapore ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
[OGD] Re: Madeira orchids
Fantastic!! Thank you very much -- I'm looking forward to this trip. Cheers Sandy On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 23:33:16 +0800, Peter O'Byrne [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Sandy, I went to Madeira in December 2000. The Botanic Gardens (Caminho do Meio, Quinta do Bom Sucesso, Funchal) are nice (spectacular views, excellent collection of palm trees) but most of their orchids are grown outdoors, and in late December they were suffering the effects of winter looking very sorry for themselves. The best spot is: Jardim Orqumdea (Rua Pita da Silva, 37, Bom Sucesso, Funchal). It is a family-run garden, hidden away on a cul-de-sac off a small side-street in a residential area just downhill from the Botanic Gardens and is quite hard to find .. I eventually got there by walked downhill from the Bot Gardens using my trusty Funchal street map (make sure you get one that has all the town in it, not just the town centre). The Jardim is a bit like Dr Who's Tardis; much bigger inside. I doubt they have 50,000 plants as the website boasts, but they do have a nice collection of plants that are healthy and well-grown. There is a collection of species (many of them fairly standard for northern-hemisphere collections) and hybrids (mostly Central and S. American), but many are at specimen-plant size and were blooming prolifically when I visited. I'm not very familiar with many of these American plants, and I really enjoyed the show. There is a large collection of hybrid Cymbidiums, some of which are extremely old crosses ... and these were in full bloom when I visited. The place is worth visiting. Also, try visiting the Central Market in Funchal. Madeira has long been one of the orchid-growing centres of Europe, producing spikes (mostly Cymbidiums) for the cut-flower trade. In the last few decades the Madeira orchid-flower industry has been surplanted by other places that produce more, better, cheaper, but there are still lots of Cymbidiums grown, many of which end up in the market. As is the case in the Jardim Orqumdea, what you see are mostly older crosses that will bring back nostalgic memories of the florist-shops of your youth (if you're old enough, that is !!!). One final tip ... try visiting a cemetery. There is a really big one on the hill above Funchal, but any large cemetary will do and there are several on the island. Yes, really, I'm not kidding ... if you want to see orchids used in a totally different context, visit a good cemetery in Madeira and don't forget to take your camera along. Peter O'Byrne Singapore -- www.pollenatrix.com Botanical discipline, daily. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
[OGD] scan / photocopy needed - Triana
Hello OGDers : If you have access to the following reference, would you be kind enough to send me a scan or photocopy (?) : Kyle RA, Shampo MA., 'Jose Jeronimo Triana: Colombian botanist', in Mayo Clin Proc., 61 (11) Nov. 1986 : 892. I suspect the biographical note is rather short since it apparently fits in one page. Thanks in advance. Regards, Viateur ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
[OGD] Extinction, not Entrapment
Bert, thanks for clarifying your earlier comment no orchid species is truly in danger of extinction. It is useful to know that this was based an urban legend rather than any properly conducted survey. Also good to know that you have no suggestions about how I could measure the endangearedness of a species. You asked me if I'd agree with: I might have put it that no orchid species is truly in danger of being rendered extinct by overcollection, even if its natural habitat is stripped, unless counterproductive restrictions such as CITES interfere with its artificial propagation. Would you agree, Peter? Bert, this question reminds me of the trial lawyer who said to Joe Bloggs the defendant do you always mug your victims before you snatch their bags, and is your name Joe Bloggs ? Give a simple yes or no answer to my question. I think you already know the answer to the first question, since I have, on several occasions, posted on OGD a list of species that have been rendered extinct by overcollection. In response to the premise that underlies your statement: I do not consider keeping orchids in greenhouses thousands of kilometers away from their natural habitats to be a viable method of long-term conservation, and a dubious method of short-term conservation. But you knew that before you asked, didn't you ? I think you are also only too aware that I consider CITES to be a highly necessary set of laws that need to be focused, clarified and strengthened in order to be really effective in countering the commercial-scale plant smuggling that is commonplace amongst some orchid-nursery operators (and others) in several parts of the world. I may have been less vocal on OGD recently, but I haven't changed my spots any of them. Finally, you said If the damage to Norris was truly done by a computer traffic monitor, are any of us safe?. Bert, there is no such thing as safety in this world; it is an intrinsically dangerous place. Carnivore has just made it a lot more dangerous for everyone in the USA something that Saddam Hussain could never manage, no matter how President Bush twists the truth. I think George Orwell said it first: Big Brother is watching YOU. Cheers, Peter O'Byrne Singapore BTW if you want to tackle the problem of Carnivore (and I would, if I lived in the USA), can I suggest you modify one of Mahatma Gandhi's best ideas ? Persuade everyone you know to persuade everyone they know to take part. Get everyone to add Carnivore-sensitive keywords to every e-mail they send. Give the bloody program a severe case of indigestion. ___ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids
