Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - February 2011

Usually, winter in Ohio means that the view out our windows is a study in brown-grey ombre. Not very inspiring, but a much better backdrop for my jewel orchid flowers than this combination of white lace curtain and white snow outside:

Luckily, when I view these flowers as I crest the stairs, the Tang-gold walls, green plants, and blue ceramic pot make a much more exciting backdrop.  The colors even liven up the still-closed buds:

The tiny orchid flowers, reminiscent of snapdragons, look sweet against the striped draceana when you look down onto them, as shown here.  I like how they pull out the thin white stripe between the inner and outer shades of green:

Viewed from the upstairs hallway, though, they get totally lost against all that winter white--especially on a sunny day:

The jewel orchid flowers ARE rather nondescript, so they benefit from being one of the few things that flower for me at this time of the year.  (In fact, they are my ONLY flowering plant on this Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!)  Any other month, they might be overlooked in favor of showier blooms... but in February, they're a welcome distraction.

To cut YOUR winter gloom, and see more lovely blooms from around the world, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens!