Earlier this week I spent a few hours at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond. I love visiting this garden and try to spend some time there any time in Richmond. Their spring orchid show – Orchids Galore – had just opened – so I made sure to visit the Conservatory and take a look. One of the delights of the orchid show was the Blue Mystique Orchid. Yes there really is a blue orchid available this year!
(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
I’d seen a Blue Mystique Orchid at Longwood Gardens last month – but hadn’t gotten any good photos of it. At Lewis Ginter – I was able to get some fantastic photos of one of this year’s most unusual orchids!
(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
Blue Mystique Orchids are advertised as the world’s first blue phalaenopsis orchid. The grower who developed them started with white orchids – and through a secret patented process infused them with blue. As you can see, they are an incredible shade of blue! New flowers on existing stalks will supposedly come in as shades of lighter blue. New stalks will have white flowers.
(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
I find them a delight to photograph – I just haven’t found that many blue flowers to photograph. What has been interesting to hear have been the comments from other visitors to the orchid shows – the response to the Blue Mystiques seems to range from it’s a fake that people should be promoting – to wow that’s neat – got to have one of my own.
(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
Now that the process has been developed – I’m going to be curious to see what new types of orchids are developed using the same process – and what the reaction to them is as well. So what do you think about the Blue Mystique orchid?
I got to see these up close and personal at the Central Ohio Home & Garden Show two weeks ago, and due to the weird lighting for the display, I wasn’t able to get good photos either. (although you can see them here: http://tinyurl.com/4vqtv5e ). I’m not sure I like them, even though I adore blue flowers. It’s like eating green eggs and ham, sort of! Maybe I’ll get used to it. Your photos are, however, outstanding, as usual! These are the best photos I’ve ever seen of this!
Orchids are amazing…. I can draw one and paint it whatever colors I want, completely from my imagination, and it’s highly likely that that orchid actually exists somewhere.
Great shots. I love the being blue of the orchid. So appealing and relaxing to the eye.
Love the pictures you posted. I was unaware of such a beautiful flower. I seen some in Kroger last night and had to come home and look them up. Blue is my favorite color and I have fell in love with this flower 🙂 Thanks for sharing the great pictures!
Just bought one but I will be very disappointed if it starts blooming white next year. I paid $35 for a blue orchid not for just this years blooms!
Yea, we got one last year Nickie. It is dissappointing when the blooms are white. 🙁
I just had a blue Orchid gifted to me by my sweetheart, I had never seen one before tonight… Gorgeous Flower!