I don't know about you, but I'm completely and utterly ready for some vibrant, beautiful flora to reenter my life. If you missed the George Eastman House's recent "Dutch Connection" exhibit, the greenhouses of different mansion are filled with lush, exotic plant life for your enjoyment this weekend. Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park, 151 Charlotte St. in Canandaigua, will hold its annual Orchid Show Friday-Sunday, March 5-7, running 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day.

Get thee to Sonnenberg's historic Lord & Burnham greenhouse complex, admire the gorgeous and alien Cattleyas and Cymbidiums, delicate Dendrobiums, Phalaenopsis, and Paphiopedilums, and just try to pronounce their names. While you're there, visit the Tropical Palm House and the Cactus House and pretend you took that Caribbean vacation after all.

Seminars from guest speakers and master orchid growers will cover orchid varieties and care procedures, and are offered at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the Greenhouse Planting Room. Not only is the event educational, but you'll also benefit from the euphoric sense of peace we humans get when we surround ourselves with nature. Don't know what I'm talking about? Then you totally need this, trust me. Blooms from each grower, as well as a selection of dish gardens and other plants from Sonnenberg, will be available for purchase at the gift shop. General admission to the event is $5. For more details, call 394-4922 or visit sonnenberg.org.