Summary

Two Canadian gardeners, Jill and Chris, share their experience of working at a Caribbean botanical garden, focusing on the diverse and endangered orchid collection they cared for, while also highlighting the importance of conservation and regulation in the international trade of orchids.

Abstract

Jill and Chris, Canadian nomads since 2017, had the opportunity to volunteer at a Caribbean botanical garden in 2019, which provided them with accommodation, food, and a vehicle in exchange for a six-month commitment. The garden boasted an impressive collection of approximately 80 orchid varieties, which were in a constant state of bloom, offering the couple a unique chance to engage with rare tropical plants. They reflect on the global diversity of orchids, noting that there are nearly as many orchid species as there are bony fish, and more than double the number of bird species. The authors also raise awareness about the endangered status of orchids and the strict regulations governed by CITES to protect them from overexploitation in international trade. The couple feels privileged to have been surrounded by such natural beauty and acknowledges the rarity of encountering such a vast orchid collection. They conclude by inviting readers to enjoy their photo collection from the garden and to consider supporting them and other writers by joining Medium.

Opinions

The authors express a deep appreciation for the opportunity to work with the orchid collection, highlighting the joy and excitement of witnessing new blooms.
They convey a sense of responsibility and concern regarding the endangered status of orchids, emphasizing the importance of international regulations to prevent illegal trade.
The couple's enthusiasm for gardening is evident, as they describe their eagerness to get their hands dirty and learn about tropical plants after a hiatus since leaving Canada.
They share a sense of wonder and admiration for the extensive variety of orchids, comparing their diversity to that of bony fish, birds, and mammals.
The authors feel privileged to have experienced the beauty of the orchids up close, suggesting that such an extensive collection is a rare sight.
They encourage readers to support writers and their work by joining Medium, indicating a belief in the value of shared knowledge and storytelling.

Orchids — The Most Delicate Flower of Them All

The varieties seem to be endless!

We had the good fortune to work at a Botanical Garden in the Caribbean, back in 2019. I’m not going to say where exactly because our work arrangement was sort of under the table.

We arrived as volunteers, but the owner desperately needed people to commit for 6 months, so she enticed us by also providing us with a food allowance, a vehicle to drive, and a house to stay in.

As gardeners, we were thrilled with the opportunity. We hadn’t had a chance to do any gardening since we had left Canada back in 2017, and we missed it. This gave us the opportunity to get our hands dirty and to get to learn about many tropical plants that we hadn’t seen before.

The most impressive part of the garden was its extensive orchid collection. The owner had brought them in from many parts of the world. This garden had roughly 80 varieties, and they were in a constantly rotating stage of bloom, so we were always witnessing something new. It was so much fun waiting for a new one to bloom so that we could see what it looked like.

According to Wikipedia there are about 28 000 currently accepted species of orchidaceae. Which is nearly equal to the number of bony fish species, double the amount of bird species, and four times the number of mammal species.

At the time I was in love with them all and was so happy that she had curated the collection. But I now realize that orchids are highly sought after, and are endangered in some areas.

Also according to Wikipedia, almost all orchids are regulated by a permit system to control international trade. CITES — Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species states that international trade of wild-sourced specimens is prohibited, and all other trade is strictly controlled.

I know that she had acquired much of them many years ago, so maybe it was before the regulations came into effect. Either way, we felt so privileged to be surrounded by these stunning products of Mother Nature, and we may not encounter such a vast collection again.

Below are some shots from around the property. I’m sorry that I don’t know the names of them, I just like to look at how pretty they are!

Hope you enjoy this collection of my best photos from the garden!

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artisticvoyages.medium.com

Hi there, we are 2 Canadians, Jill and Chris from Artistic Voyages. We have been nomadic since 2017 living in numerous different countries, and experiencing the life and diversity of our planet on the ground and firsthand. We have now been on the African continent for 2 years! Join our adventure by hitting the links below!