New York blossomed at The 27^th New York International Orchid Show at Rockefeller Center attracting a record number of visitors who gathered to celebrate the exquisite beauty of the orchid.

Gorgeous, adaptable, colorful, fragrant, unique, dazzling; all of these adjectives capture the essence of one of the most beloved flowers on earth: the orchid. I look forward to attending The New York International Orchid Show each spring because I always learn something new.

Although orchids have the reputation of being temperamental and difficult to care for, actually there is an orchid that is right for everyone. Information is key when it comes to selecting an orchid, as there are orchids that are suitable for growing in low light, medium light, and bright light. Some orchids require cooler or warmer temperatures, as well as different levels of humidity, so it is important to look at your conditions in order to determine which orchid is the best for you. A few orchid suggestions that beginners might like to consider are Bulbophyllums, Catasetums, or Cycnoches hybrids, which are all very easy to grow.

For low light conditions, orchids you might consider growing are the Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilums, or Masdevallias. For medium light, a few suggestions are the Minicatts (yellow and red), Mini Dendrobiums, or Miltoniopsis. For bright light, Cattletonias, Vandas, Brassias, or Cymbidiums are wonderful selections.

Some orchids are highly fragrant, and may play an important part in the selection process. This year, Ivan Snyder, Certified Judge of the American Orchid Society, was on hand to introduce visitors to the wonderful fragrances of orchids. Imagine a flower with a fragrance of coconut, chocolate, or lemon; talk about the ultimate in natural aromatherapy. One of the fragrant orchids that I experienced at the show was the Tenuifolia Maxillaria orchid that has a delightful fragrance of coconut. Another fragrant orchid that I experienced was the Brassolaeliacattleya Ports of Paradise (an inter-generic hybrid of Brasso, Laelia, and Cattleya, named Ports of Paradise) that has an appealing lemon aroma. I once bought my friend, Cenira Sacilotti, an orchid enthusiast with a collection of more than 100 orchids, a chocolate orchid for her collection. As I entered the room with the orchid, the subtle aroma of chocolate wafted in the air, and the other guests started immediately searching for the chocolate dessert, so perhaps this orchid is not suitable if you are on diet.

The orchids on display at the show this year were absolutely breathtaking, and a "waterfall" of richly hued pink orchids stole the show with their exuberance. Striped and intensely exotic Rothschildum orchids with long "ponytails" dazzled the eye with their unique look, while tiny Masdevallia encouraged the visitors to take a closer look. There were also Cattleyas, Vandas, Miltoniopsis, Jewel Orchids, Dendrobiums, Pleurothallids, Oncidiums, Cymbidiums, Phaius, Phalaenopsis, Phragmipediums, Zygopetalums, and many more. With so many shapes, colors, sizes, and fragrances to select from, it is no wonder that people are so passionate about collecting these most enchanting tropical flowers.

In addition to the incredible selection of orchids on display, there were many workshops and lectures, sensational orchid arrangements, which inspired my "designer eye," and more than 35 vendors with 50,000+ orchids, books, and orchid supplies for sale to help establish or increase an orchid aficionado's collection.

The 27^th New York International Orchid Show, organized by The Greater New York Orchid Society, and hosted by Tishman Speyer ran from April 18 - 22, 2007.

For more information on orchids or next year's show, please contact The Greater New York Orchid Society.

© June 2007. Luxury Experience. www.LuxuryExperience.com. All rights reserved.