Green Places – Exploring Bolz Conservatory in Olbrich Botanica Gardens

Green is Beautiful

Green is Beautiful

The sun is shining, the snow is melting. I always think of mid-March as the teaser. Sunny days, almost touching the 50˚F mark. The a dip back into the teens or 20s and frosty again. There are bits of my yard where there are peeks of grass, though much of the yard is under 6 or more inches of crusty snow. But it’s melting. Yes, it truly will be Spring soon.

I still have to find my green in the Bolz Tropical Conservatory, but I’m practicing for when those first bits of green shoots pop out of the earth. Ahhhhhhh!

Trio of Orchids

Phalaenopsis Orchids

Phalaenopsis Orchids

The sun is shining more, and the snow is melting, though I still have over a foot of snow in my yard. It will be awhile before I see flowers popping out of the ground in my neighborhood.

The next best thing is taking a drive across town to Olbrich Botanical Gardens and spending a couple of hours in the Bolz Conservatory which is Madison’s answer to tropical paradise. Yes, even in the snowy northern climes, we know how to grow hot house orchids!

Hub Caps, Light Show

at Texx Tubbs

at Texx Tubb’s

I think every display of hub caps should be lit with Christmas lights –especially when they are wall decorations at the local taco place.

Hot Stuff on Display

Mild, Medium, or HOT!

Mild, Medium, or HOT!

Pick your pepper.

We were near a local hangout that offers a Tex-Mex weekend brunch, so we headed to Texx Tubb’s Taco Palace on Atwood Avenue after an early morning photo shoot. The food was fine, a Mexican omelette filled with cheese and peppers, but I was more interested in photographing the place.

After the manager gave me the OK to shoot whatever I wanted, I wandered around. Tabasco bottles, vintage metal water pitchers, hub caps on the wall rimmed with Christmas lights, a neon yellow refrigerated case for beverages, and an entrance decorated with photo strips, vintage 1960s Kresge’s.

Lots of fun on a full stomach!

Moth Orchids

Looks like Flurry of Purple Moths

Looks like Flurry of Purple Moths © 2008 Bo Mackison

Another visit to my stash of photographs from the Olbrich Botanical Garden.

There’s something about this row of orchid flowers that makes me feel like I’m in a flurry of purple moths.