Sunday, March 13, 2011

Pretty picture: Paphiopedilum esquirolei


So. Went to the orchid show yesterday (it's still going on today, should you happen to be in or near the Quad Cities; check Wallace's Garden Center for hours and directions). I had a surprising reaction to it: I was disappointed.

I don't know why exactly. Some of it may have been that last year, I had basically no expectations (never having been to a plant show before), so what they had was surprising and impressive. This year, I remembered last year, and how it was surprising and impressive, so when it wound up being pretty similar to last year, I was disappointed. Expectations ruin everything, I tell you what.

Quite a few plants I remembered from last year were back again, too. I realize that it's unreasonable of me to expect the people putting the show together to get entirely new plants every year just for me, but I was, again, kind of disappointed. In a few cases, I maybe got better pictures than what I got last year -- as I write this, I haven't looked through all 322 photos I took to see how they turned out, though. Some of the preview photos on the camera display didn't look so hot. We'll see.


3 comments:

Paul said...

Well one does often see the same types of plants at a show that occurs the same time of year every year. Many orchides, just like other plants, have their own particular 'seasons'. Sometimes they get 'confused' due to differences in that particular year's weather going on outside, and sometimes they just seem to decide to surprise you by blooing earlier or later than usual. I always look forward to the shows in my area simply because -- whether I see new plants or not (and usually I do see a few) -- it sure beats what's blooming outside (can we say NOTHING?) in my area LOL.

Liza said...

"Expectations are premeditated disappointments." I read that on facebook awhile back, and it cracks me up to this day.

Bom said...

A show organizer told me that the show is timed to the blooming period. Since most plants bloom at approximately the same time each year, then it's a given that you will be seeing mostly the same plants. Plus maybe some imports, cultivars or hybrids.