The winter of 2013 affected my four "orchid trees" in different ways, not surprising as they were different varieties originating in very different climates. Our native variety, Bauhinia lunarioides , commonly called an Anacacho Orchid, lost tender branches (about 2 to 3 feet of each limb), but has since fully recovered. The Bauhinia blakeana, which produced enormous pink blooms that really did look like orchids, died to the ground. A fourth, Bauhinia fortificata commonly called the Brazilian Orchid tree, also died. I had high hopes for my favorite, Bauhinia mexicana , a tiny shrub with delightful split leaves, as it had survived freezes in other years. But evidently our pattern of freezes alternating with high heat followed again by late season freezes was just too much - and it too died. The "native is better" movement may have gained support here. Even so, we gardeners probably all have our guilty little collection of plants from some remote place
If you're particularly interested in rainwater harvesting, see these posts: "900 and Counting" on 4/28/08, "First Crop" on 4/10/08, "Ongoing Saga of the Rain Tank" on 3/2/08, and "The Debate" on 2/7/08. Vermiculture was covered 8/12/08. Pond construction was covered in "The Heart of Our Garden" on January 22, 2008.