You Grow Girl™

Water Lettuce

I'm back from my trip to Montreal. Where to begin? On our first day we went to the Jardin Botanique. We started in the Greenhouse and worked our way around the grounds to the Japanese Garden. I would guess that we spent nearly half of our six hour visit in the Greenhouse alone. It truly is spectacular and I highly recommend anyone planning a visit to the area to plan to spend a day there. Aside from the sheer beauty of the plants, my respiration hasn't been so clear since my last trip to the greenhouse two years ago. If I lived in Montreal I would visit all the time for the health benefits. The tropical rainforest room with the bromeliads is especially great because automatic misters release a fine, cool spritz of water into the air at regular intervals. That in combination with warm, but not hot air makes for the perfect environment.

Tropical Rainforest Room

Rather than ramble on with descriptions I'd rather just show a few photos. I took around 100-200 digital photos in the Greenhouse alone plus a yet-to-be-counted number of film photos with multiple film cameras that I must take in for developing. At some points I looked ridiculous balancing six cameras around my neck and tucked under arms. And oh how my arms, shoulders and neck hurt after six hours of this. But it was so worth it and so fun. This was by far the best day of my vacation.

Bromelid

Fern Spores (Fern Conservatory)

Another really amazing room. I get teary-eyed in this one. Fiddle heads on Tree Ferns as big as your fist! You'd never imagine there were so many types of ferns... but there are and each is more fascinating than the next. I sounded like Martha Stewart repeatedly exclaiming "Oh beautiful. Just amazing".

I believe this is a type of Maidenhair Fern. I love the contrast between the delicate, feathery leaves and the black stems.

Phalaenopsis -- Orchids and Aroids Conservatory

Succulents -- Arid Regions Conservatory

Poppy

Lots more to come...