Orchids: An Introduction

I thought that I would make an introductory post about one of my major passions, Orchids, before I launch into talking about them in future posts.

I have always been very interested in wildlife and nature, in particular the plant kingdom. For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with plants-my mother and grandmother even say that even before I could talk, the sight of flowers in full bloom would make me smile and that if I was crying some cut flowers would always cheer me up! Initially I was interested in all plants generally, but when I was perhaps 5 or 6 years old something happened which made this interest much more specific. As usual, my mother took me on a weekly trip to various flower shops, where she would always buy me a bouquet of flowers and perhaps a potted plant too. But on that particular evening I saw several white Orchid flowers, which I know now were Phalaenopsis Orchids. This was the most beautiful flowers I saw up until that time: they seemed so delicate and beautiful, so enchanting. From that moment I knew that I was hooked. I immediately asked my mother to buy me a plant, but she just replied with "No no no don't be silly, Orchids are extremely difficult to grow. No one can grow Orchids." But little did she know that that statement would make me even more determined to try to grow them one day.

When we got to England I bought 2 Orchids for myself, but not knowing how to care for them resulted in their premature deaths. A couple of years later I bought another one. But this time, I was armed with the knowledge of how to use the internet, and I researched my Orchid and all about how to care for it. I still have it today. Things then began to move quickly. That one orchid turned into two. Then that turned into three. Then four. Then my windowsill and bedroom table were filled with plants. Then all the windowsills in the house were filled with plants. Shortly afterwards, at the age of 13, I joined the Bristol and South West England Orchid Society and became their youngest ever member, and after just a few months a senior member there gave me one of his old 12 by 8 foot greenhouses, one half which became devoted to carnivorous plants and the other to Orchids. I now have over 300 Orchids, both in the greenhouse and in the house and am also a trainee Orchid judge, a process which takes 4 years to complete. I know that I am definitely addicted to Orchids for life now, and one day I hope to start my own business selling carnivorous plants and Orchids.