In the beginning was this gorgeous plant , (immediately below), who despite my best efforts continues to flower and flourish . It sits on my bathroom window ledge and is obviously a very happy plant. Spurred on by my success I have acquired other phalaenopsis, - my relatives are relieved to have found something they can buy me and I now have about 10 of different colours but I have no idea what variety. Having had a rest they are all now coming back unto flower and I shall photograph when the flowers open.

Reasonable succes may not have been a good thing because I am now starting to collect some more unusual and specialist orchids. These require varying conditions so it will be a challenge to keep them healthy. A new orchid house goes up soon for the varieties. that prefer warmth and a good amount of light. The ones that like cool conditions will remain on my North & East facing window ledges, (in an unheated room), for the time being until I build a cool house.

As a real challenge I have acquired three seedlings from Thailand, Encyclia cochleata which is supposed to be an easy plant to look after, a Rhynchostylis gigantea and a Vanda coerulea which I understand are more diffcult. Other seedlings include 2 Dendrobiums, several Catlleyas , a couple of Bulbophyllums, 2 Brassias and a Schoenorchis fragrans that I have mounted on a small piece of drift wood. I also have acquired a couple of Epidendrums a Zygolettalum, a Bifrania and a Masdavallia Watch this space to see how they do.So far of the plants I have acquired I have only managed to kill one so I see that as reasonably encouraging.

Pink Phalaenopsis with a maroon lip, re-flowering after a 4 month rest

A lovely pink Phalaenopsis that is re-flowering after resting for three months, it has twenty blooms on it

Other happy plants include a lilac dendrobium, a white dendrobium with a mauve throat and a pretty pink phalaenopsis with a deep apricot lip that I acquired on May 3rd and whose flowers finally dropped on November 1st, but is now flowerong again. The white dendrobium is budding again after a rest, I do wonder if it is a "Nobile "of some sort. Other than that I have no idea what varieties they are, if anyone can enlighten me I would be very pleased.

During my researches have become fascinated by the Bulbophylums and Cirrhopettalums. I have now acquired 20 different varieties with a few more expected from Thailand and Malaysia soon. These tend to grow in baskets and on wood and it will be quite a challenge to get them to flower, they like to be warmish, need lower levels of light and high levels of humidity . Quite a few of them are perfumed, not all pleasantly. Mine are currently hanging in my bathroom until a more permanent home is put up, so it's a bit like a jungle in there at the moment, . Photos of them flowering (hopefully) will appear in due course

I also now have several young Cattleyas.

HOT NEWS - my Bulbophylum biflorum & Denrobium Lamyaiei have flowered, click on the link below to see pictures.

Angraecum magdalene -

This beautiful scented flower lasted for quit a while.

The babies..... sadly I lost the Vanda. but the Encyclia has as least 10 more pseudobulbs, each one larger than the previous one and I am hopeful of flowers next year