Villa Park greenhouse in bloom during annual open house

Kathy Brant wandered down aisles filled with colorful Phalaenopsis orchids, occasionally stopping to snap a close-up photo to use as a greeting card.

"The white ones come out looking real nice in photos," Brant said.

The Downers Grove woman was one hundreds of people attending the opening weekend of orchid show, sale and open house at Orchids by Hausermann in Villa Park.

This weekend and next weekend, more than 6,000 people are expected to walk through the more than three acres of greenhouse space, take part in seminars on growing and arranging flowers, and take sneak peaks into work areas typically off limits to the public.

"This is a great time of year because it's when most of the different varieties of orchids are blooming," said Gene Hausermann, one of the family's several owner, adding that the store has roughly 400 to 500 varieties on display among his store's 500,000 orchids.

Pat Daigle and her husband, Dave, trekked from their Vernon Hills home to find a few plants for their home.

"When we first came here, we just lost track of time," she said. "What a feast for the eyes."

These days, Hausermann's grows more than 200 species of the flowering plant, bringing them to market for retailers and wholesalers.

The different orchid species have varying needs - some require daytime temperatures as high as 85 degrees while others prefer the low 70-degree range. That means Hausermann's must use a sophisticated system to maintain correct temperatures and sun exposures.

Marsha Molthop of Roselle and her friend, Terri DelPrincipe of Schaumburg, spent the morning touring the numerous greenhouses, which house 500,000 plants.

"We both needed a shot of spring," Molthop said. "The fragrances here are so incredible."

Hausermann's Open House Orchid Show and Sale continues Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 6-8, at 2N134 Addison Road in Villa Park. For more information, call (630) 543-6855 or visit www.orchidsbyhausermann.com.