Orchid festival at the Abbaye de Fontfroide

Hi guys, we’re back from our travels! We had very mixed weather again, just like our June trip. This year has turned out to be pretty rubbish weather-wise, apart from July and August. Our housesitter didn't even get in the pool, yet she was in it most of October last year! We had a good time anyway.

So, back to home ground. We haven't been to this orchid festival before as we were away in October the last two years, so this year's dates coincided perfectly. The festival is basically a grouping of mostly French orchid growers bringing their best wares for sale in a beautiful historical setting, where we, the public, get a chance to look around the Abbey and its gardens as well as drool over the orchids, and put our hands (deeply😀) into our pockets.

There were two halls this size with stalls selling mostly orchids. There was such an amazing display of colours and shapes and sizes of flowers, from big and blowsy to the tiniest little blooms which you wouldn't even have realised were orchids if you hadn't been told.

I bought a couple of new plants which I'll show you at the end of the post. I have been reading up a bit more about the orchids that I own, as some flower repeatedly and others not at all, so I know now a bit more about what I should be doing with them. I made sure to buy two new genuses as I don't want any more Phalaenopsises!

The unusual slipper orchid above is Paphiopedilum 'Pinocchio' - I couldn't fit it all in the space.

There was also this stall selling carnivorous plants, some of which were quite beautiful. I wasn't tempted though as I have had a few in the past which didn't thrive (probably because I didn't really know what I was doing!).

The abbey which dates back to 1093 is now privately owned. It affiliated itself with the Cistercian movement in 1144 and stood firm with the Catholic church against the Cathars. The abbey, once rich and powerful, declined from the 15th century and was dissolved during the French revolution. Refounded in 1858 but abandoned by 1901, the property was bought by French artist Gustave Fayet and his wife, to keep the abbey from falling into American hands. Thanks to them the abbey was restored and used for artistic projects.

Nowadays as well as being open to the public and having a restaurant and gift store, the abbey produces wine and has a small working farm. It also hosts cultural events such as musical concerts and exhibitions.

A rather interesting sculpture made out out many pieces of metal; I'm not sure what the metal bits are - any ideas, anyone? Click on the picture to see it larger.

The trees on either side are Strawberry Trees (Arbutus unedo) with edible fruit, and whose leaves host the caterpillar of the glorious Two Tailed Pasha butterfly.

Below are the cloisters.

We didn't have a map of the buildings and grounds which was a bit frustrating as we had no idea what there was to see here! That was the problem with pre-buying our tickets so getting to bypass the ticket office - not such a good thing after all. I did find out later that we saw most of what there was to see which was a relief.

We then found ourselves inside the church, which had a stunning display of ... guess what.... orchids!

There wasn't really a lot to see inside so I'm glad we had another reason to go there. If we went again, we would do one or two of the walks that one can do from the Abbey.

Below we are up one floor and looking down over the roofs of the cloisters.

There was a covered walkway with lots of these interesting doors - possibly monks' cells?

The front facade of the church.

Beside the church in the rose garden There were still a few roses flowering but the best time is May and June. Never mind, it was still very colourful here with sages and perovskia all flowering.

We then walked up the terraced gardens where there were a few herb, vegetable and medicinal herb gardens as well as a garden with flowers and bee hives.

Neptune's fountain.

From the terraces we had lovely views over the roofs of the abbey.

Here are the two orchids that I bought. I already have several Phalaenopsises which often repeat flower, a Dendrobium which repeat flowers, and a Cymbidium which I inherited from Mum and which has never flowered though I remember it flowering prolifically for Mum who had amazingly green fingers with houseplants (I need to put it outside during summer - apparently the difference between day and night temps stimulate flowering).

The following is from the Odontoglossum genus, which are known as Butterfly Orchids and come from the high Andes.

I hadn't realised that there was a bloom that had gone over on the left!

This is Ludisia discolor which is a terrestrial orchid, meaning it grows in the ground rather than up in the tree tops and therefore needs ordinary potting mix with added drainage and not the bark type orchid mix. We saw one in full flower and it has little white and yellow flowers. These orchids are known as Jewel Orchids and are mostly grown for their attractive leaves. These orchids come from south-east Asia. I'll take another photo to share when it's in bloom.

Anyone noticed that I seem to have become somewhat smitten by orchids since moving down here? 😀😁😀