I’m sure you aren’t surprised to learn that I have orchids. Four, at the moment. All bought on super-sale. My oldest one was bought in 2009 for just fifty euro cents. It’s a tiny one (or was) and was ‘potted’ in a glass tea light! That one hasn’t bloomed in a couple of years now, but it is happy and healthy.
My next oldest one sent up a flower spike last year, and like a dammed idiot I tried to train it up straight and snapped it right off. I cried. It is trying again right now, and I am being SO GENTLE this time. But it does have to go up, not sideways! Both of these live on my kitchen window sill, over the sink, so they get lots of attention.
This year hubby got me two new ones. They have been in bloom for months, but the yellow one is starting to fade. Last night I gave all four a good soak in warm water with a bit of fertiliser in it, and while they were in the sink, I finally took some pictures.
Orchids are very, very hard to photograph up close! Especially when using an iPhone. So apologies for bad focus, and my junky kitchen (yes the walls are lavender, I love it).
Yellow one!
You can see the sad dying flowers in these. Bummer. I really should have taken pictures sooner. Moving it from the front window to the bathroom shocked it too much. But I had to, because…kitten. The bathroom is a much safer place for plants, away from the little monster.
The purple and white one. It’s been in the bathroom since it came home, so it is happy there. I need to repot both of these as they are in ugly clear plastic pots. Also, as they both were mistreated, the potting medium is full of moss and dead roots and in general, smells bad. Musty. Can’t be good for them! I made my own orchid pots before, at a ceramics shop. Got a square bit of greenware and cut round holes all over, for aeration. The roots grow out the holes and all over the place! Next time I’ll share pictures of the older two.
heretherebespiders 
Lovely 🙂
You have a green thumb! Orchids are very hard to grow and look at Yours! Outstanding!
Linda
Oh, I’ve killed one or two. But as we only buy the ones on sale, sometimes they can’t be saved.
Stores are so hard on plants. But you know how to save them!
I’ve got a few that I rescued from offices, too! Hey, they aren’t just there to look nice, take care of them! What, you threw it away? Mine now!
Good for you!
Grand. A happy kitchen is the sign of a happy home. I love the little face in the center of the flowers of the first few pictures. As for the little monster 🙂 I made a catnip plant in a pot with an orchid cage on top, wired on through holes in the top of the pot, keep them quite happy. I use ten inch plastic pots or 12 inch so they can’t easily knock it over. They eat the catnip that grows out the cage without being able to kill the plant or roll on it. The only draw back is if they are outside you will attract cats from miles away it seems. 🙂 be well and happy. Hugs
Your orchids are beautiful, and obviously love the care and attention they receive. I have two phalaenopsis, one white which I’ve had for over 10 years, and the other purple, which I’ve had for 3. They both flower every year, but can’t decide if they prefer it inside or outside. I also have a oncidium which grows on a palm tree outside, is outrageously beautiful, healthy and indestructible and doesn’t seem to care what nature throws at it.
Gorgeous! The last one looks like a Marimeko design.
Those are lovely! I don’t have a place in our house that orchids would like at all.
Awww.
They are so beautiful. I wish I had a green thumb. I can barely keep grass alive.
Thank you! They aren’t that hard, to me anyway. Now, bromeliads and actual cactus, I kill.
Very nice.
My daughter has one that I am caring for… Mainly because she forgets to water it!
Hers has only just started to put out a new spike. Not sure what that is about… It’s possible it’s just reacting to the fact that its now being watered!
They are odd, seem to want to bloom in the winter here. I’ll take it!
Beautiful. My wife is a fan and also grows orchids: inside ones and the more robust outside flowers.
My outside ones are all ground orchids – have to be, to be native to Ireland! They die back every winter. I’d love to see pictures of hers! I bet your camera will do them justice.
You have some lovely Phalaenopsis orchids. I love the colours and patterns on these ones!
Thank you! I don’t have any rare ones, but they are my favourite flower. So much variety out there! I won’t find anything but phalaenopsis on the cheap here, however.
I do grow native Irish orchids outside, too!
That’s a shame. I have managed to find Oncidium type orchids relatively cheaply in Ikea but they aren’t always in the healthiest condition.
What are the native Irish orchids…I’m intrigued!
I’m 2.5 hrs away from Ireland’s only Ikea! Lol
I think we have something like 17 varieties. All ground orchids, all perennials. And seed like mad – they have spread all over my back garden, and possibly the front, too.
These are my three posts that include native orchids: https://heretherebespiders.com/?s=Native+Irish+orchid
I assume they must grow from seed really quickly if they spread like that? They look really beautiful – you’re very lucky 🙂 Oh and thank you for ‘following’!
Same as! Where are you?
Just across the water in the UK. Relatively new to blogging so I’m always grateful for new followers 🙂
Oh, you will likely have many of the same species there, in boggy land. Hubby and I went on an orchid-spotting walk during the season this year, it was fun. Looking forward to seeing more of your collection.
An orchid-spotting walk sounds fun. I’ll do a bit of reading up on native species I think. Looking forward to more posts from you too 🙂