Those Atlanta Botanical Garden Orchids!

Arrangement of plants near the entrance to the orchid hall

One of the neatest perks from being a member of Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is that I have reciprocal privileges at many other gardens across the country.  I found it cost $21.95 per adult to visit but that it was free with my Wildflower Center pass.

I totally enjoyed the grounds but was blown away by the orchid exhibit and spent a few hours there.

I had walk down a hall that had both planters of orchids and drawings of orchids. A side room held more of the orchid paintings.

A long hall took a while to transverse 

I reached the first of three rooms of orchids and could not decide where to look first. Orchids and companion plants were in large pots, arranged in wall displays, hanging from the wooden structures and sitting in smaller pots.

A singing arrangement

A wall of orchids and bromeliads

Another planter of vibrant blooms

Then I started to focus on individual blooms and they were also superb.

Already reaching overload here

This orchid seemed to be in business ataire

Another larger view

And single blooms that combine form and color

I never realized how many orchard forms there are

Living walls were formed of orchids and other tropical plants planted in vertical planters

Another area of the main room with a wooded path

I loved this flower design - and there were a chain of them making up the whole bloom stalk

A volunteer showed me several of her favorite flowers - this was one

Pure white was in short supply but was restful

Before going back to the flames

And the bizare

These blooms felt almost like fancy daffidils

And some bizarre shapes

The Lady Slipper clan was numerous - this was one of my favorites

Three arches were covered with this orchid

Pretty in pinks

More of the living walls

All you need is this one

These look like the azaleas that are blooming outside

One of the things that most amazed me was that I had never known that the vanilla bean comes from an orchid. Aztecs somehow figured out how to harvest and ferment the seed pod to release the intense odor and flavor. It takes nine months for the fertilized blooms to develop into the seed pod and another nine months to ferment it and dry it out, releasing the wonderful fragrance that is not present earlier. So it is really pretty cheap.

The vanilla orchid vine had no blooms

The vanilla orchid flower. Photo: Dan Sams/Getty Images

My friend Natalie and I share a passion for plants, gardens, and gardening and often tour gardens together. On this occasion, she had taken a day off from helping her mother recover from hip surgery to go to Longwood Gardens. (So even though we were not together, we were in the same kind of place. )She and I had a duel of pictures and words, each trying to claim that she had had the BEST orchid experience. I think it may have been a tie.  But I think it was close to a tie. So now I can recommend two gardens for magnificant orchards; this one, and Longwood Gardens.

And if you have a favorite orchid garden, please tell us about it in the comments.