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billehighacres

Orchids, Orchids, Orchids

16 years ago

Some time ago on this forum I read about a Farm & Garden Center in Leesburg, Florida where you could buy orchids for five bucks or so. While Leesburg is quite a drive for us, we have a son that lives in Jacksonville so next time we were coming home from a visit we detoured to find the store. Sure enough we found five dendrobiums we couldn't live without. A couple of weeks ago we were again driving back from Jacksonville and took the detour. As we were driving along Route 46 we saw a sign on a post saying, "orchids $3. We had zoomed by the place by then so had to turn around and go back. We turned through a gate into a field and drove over to the greenhouse. An elderly asian couple welcomed us with gestures and smiles. We went into the shed and the little lady opened a big sliding door and we found ourselves in a greenhouse full to bursting with budded Phalaenopsis orchids in four and six inch pots. The three inch pots were three dollars and the six inch were six dollars. We filled up a box with ten plants that were budded but not yet blooming. We could choose colors because there were some blooming on the benches to show what variety were on each bench. Now ours are blooming and the colors are great.

http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/ad209/bblimes/P1040516.jpg

This one is very fragrant.

http://s936.photobucket.com/albums/ad209/bblimes/?action=view&current=P1040512.jpg

This one is my favorite

http://s936.photobucket.com/albums/ad209/bblimes/?action=view&current=P1040529.jpg

http://s936.photobucket.com/albums/ad209/bblimes/?action=view&current=P1040526.jpg

http://s936.photobucket.com/albums/ad209/bblimes/?action=view&current=P1040525.jpg

http://s936.photobucket.com/albums/ad209/bblimes/?action=view&current=P1040524.jpg

But they are all beautiful!

Bill

Comments (10)

  • 16 years ago

    Pretty....

  • 16 years ago

    Beautiful pictures! I've never been to that nursery but I'm going to have to give it a try.

    Bill - if you choose the HTML Code in Photobucket and paste that into your text the photo will show up instead of just the address. Hope that helps.

    Kate

  • 16 years ago

    Do you know the name of the nursery or where abouts no 46 it is, don't know the area but am an hr north of leesburg. I used to grow these orchids back in england no problem but find it a problem here inj fl , can you explain your secret, thanks frank

  • 16 years ago

    Tom, that is my favorite of the orchids I have now.

    Thanks for the info Kate. It has been so long since I posted any photos that I forgot how to make them show up.
    I am constantly amazed at how helpful and friendly everyone is on this site.

    Bill

  • 16 years ago

    Bill-

    Can you give us some more info on how to find this place? I am in Fort Myers, but my kids are going to school in Gainesville...Leesburg is on the way...

    Maggie

  • 16 years ago

    Maggie, I really can't pinpoint the location of this place. I just know it was on the North side of the highway and it sits out in a field. It is not a huge operation. We were just driving along and I saw the sign stuck up on a fence post saying Orchid Sale. It was a tiny sign, hand lettered, and looked very temporary. You pulled into a field and drove back to the greenhouse facility. There was a shed built on the end of the greenhouse and that is where we went in. There was no driveway, just ruts through the field. I wish I had paid more attention but it was really a chance encounter. The next time we go up that way I will try to get a better location. The people just wrote a receipt on a piece of paper; no business name. I think it is a mom & pop operation run by the little asian couple we met. They just invited us in, left us alone to wander until we were ready to pay for our purchases. I even got on Google Earth to try to locate it but no luck. I did realize that it is on Route 44 instead of 46. We take 46 from I95 over to 44 which then takes us into Leesburg. If you go to Leesburg you should check out the Simon's Seed and Garden Store on Magnolia Street. I got some good deals on Orchids and other plants there.
    I live in Lehigh Acres. Do you know of other people in our area on GW? We should try to get a group together to share knowledge and experiences if there are enough in our area. I have only been here about a year and we have been putting most of our energy into building walls, decks, walkways, and getting ready to plant. I am about to the planting point now. We went to ECHO Farm Day last week and picked up some good ideas and some citrus trees. I am really trying to get the info-structure completed before hot weather sets in. Bill

  • 16 years ago

    wow, that's a better price than the dying rack at Lowe's!
    Lori

  • 16 years ago

    i love it i am going to try and head up that way on weekend when we visit our parents

    I have a dendrobium it lasted for a few weeks after purchase from home depot, i recently repotted and was terrified i had killed it as some root was stuck on the old pot really good but its coming back and growing a new chute, these plants really are fascinating

    here is my dendrobium:

  • 11 years ago

    Wow! What a pleasant adventure!


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