The annual Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show is underway at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens 700 Frank Curto Drive, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The orchids are on display in the glasshouse, and the tropical bonsai in the permanent collection.

Orchids are celebrated for their diversity — more than 25,000 species exist around the globe. Selections on view include some from the Barbara Tisherman Slipper Orchid collection, curated in collaboration with the Orchid Society of Western Pennsylvania.

Offering a striking contrast to the orchids, Phipps’ tropical bonsai — dwarfed trees trained to take on the shapes of their larger counterparts in nature. Classified by size and style based upon the shapes of their trunks, roots and branches, bonsai take many forms, from the iconic formal upright bonsai to the more dramatic slant bonsai that resemble windswept trees.

A new art exhibit is open for the duration of show as well. Located in the Welcome Center Gallery, Orchids and Irises in the Garden features the work of Jamie Kirkell, a Florida-based silk artist whose paintings result from his time spent studying batik and textile design in Indonesia. In addition to exhibiting his art, Kirkell will be teaching a Two-Day Painting on Silk Workshop at Phipps Garden Center on March 7 and 8.

Starting your own orchid and bonsai collections at home can be very rewarding if you know where to begin, Road Trips Gardeners. If your trips take you to Pittsburgh on weekends, check out the series of how-to presentations at 1:30 p.m. on select Saturdays and Sundays (offered free with Phipps admission).

The Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show, designed by Phipps staff, is open daily from 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. and until 10 p.m. on Fridays through March 1, 2015.

(Photo courtesy of Phipps Conservatory)