In addition to having plants in pots, growing orchids under glass enables you to grow them mounted on bark or attached to tree branches. The latter can make attractive and unusual additions in the greenhouse, and can be set up at one end to create a pleasing, eye-catching and permanent display. Some orchids can be grown in open slatted baskets, and by using these different methods every available space can be utilized. It is surprising how many orchids you can fit comfortably into a small greenhouse. However, if you are considering purchasing a new greenhouse for your orchids, it is always best to obtain one that is larger than you think you will need.

Phalaenopsis, which in the Northern Hemisphere are grown in outdoors every year, can Ao extremely well outdoors in tropical areas. The plants should always be established so that their fleshy leaves hang down, as those of the species do in their natural habitats. This ensures that water does not lodge in the centre of the plant but becomes self-draining. This is less easy to do with some of the modern hybrids, whose leaves have lost the elongated shape of the species and have become rounder and more rigidly upright. Look for plants of the right shape for this purpose.

Ideally, the greenhouse should be sited so that it runs from north to south. This means that the plants inside will receive the maximum amount of light, although much depends upon the space you have available for your greenhouse. In years gone by, the greenhouse was usually built at the bottom of the garden, often some way from the house. This means a long walk on cold winter nights to ensure that all is well with the heating and plants.

These lovely plants, with their tall, monopodial foliage and vigorous aerial roots, are grown in vast quantities in large ground beds made up with suitable compost. Today, these are grown for the cut-flower trade as well as the export market.

Spraying the foliage is no substitute for watering the pots, and the aim should be to keep the orchids evenly moist at the roots to ensure a steady rate of growth.

When catasetums were first introduced, plants with different flowers were thought to be different species. It later became apparent that, within this genus, a plant could produce all-female flowers one year and all-male flowers another, or, very occasionally, to produce both on separate spikes on the same plant at the same time. This also occurs with Cycnoches species, a genus closely related to catasetums.

In this way, the compost (growing medium) will remain moist for longer and keep the roots cool. Check daily to see if watering is needed, and give plenty each time to ensure a thorough wetting.

Artificial feeding can be increased in relation to the extra light the orchids are receiving. The occasional foliar feed (spraying the foliage with liquid feed) will ensure that the leaves remain a good mid-green. This is especially useful for any orchids that turn slightly yellow after being placed outside.

Probably the most distinguished nurseryman of the Victorian era was Frederick Sander, the man they called the Orchid King. His huge nursery was one of the largest in Britain, and he boasted of having orchid collectors in every corner of the world.

The finest varieties of those plants that remained were sold at auction at hugely inflated prices, where competition among the wealthy collectors was fierce. In this way, the first of the prodigious collections of orchids were created; their equal has never been seen since. The lust for tropical orchids spread beyond Europe to the East Coast of the United States, and by the turn of the 20th century orchids were being grown on both sides of the Atlantic.

In London, the Royal Horticultural Society appointed an Orchid Committee to set the standards for judging and awarding the best clones, and Britain maintained its lead in the introduction of new species. Early Orchid Nurseries The earliest nursery to specialize in tropical epiphytes and other exotic plants was that of Conrad Loddiges. He set up his nursery in the Hackney district of London. By 1812, he had established the largest collection of tropical plants known at that time. He published a journal, The Cabinet, in which he described many of the new plants. Other nurserymen followed, and the firm of B. S. Williams and Sons in Upper Norwood, London, and William Bull in the King’s Road, Chelsea, London, were at the forefront of supplying orchids to owners of large estates.

He made gestures of friendship and was allowed to land. He exchanged gifts in return for being shown where the red Phalaenopsis grew, and later left the island laden with a valuable cargo.

Started by Frederick Sander, this company Nourished through three generations of Ise same family before finally closing .icw.cn in 1962. In its heyday, the nursery employed over 100 men, whose main activity was to unpack the stream of boses that arrived almost daily and to sort out and pot up the new species. nursery opened a branch in Bruges, Belgium, and later in New York.

A few orchid nurseries that had beginnings in the 19th century are still flourishing today. These include Beans Orchids of Cooksbridge, Sussex, which was started in 1879 by a Scotsman, Alexander McBean. Mansell and Hatcher’s nursery in Leeds, Yorkshire, commenced in the 1890s, and in France, Vacherot and Lecoufle have been in existence since 1886, making theirs the oldest family-run nursery in the world.

Vanilla is still much in use today as a flavouring, but, while the seed capsules, called pods (beans), are in steady demand, artificial vanilla essence has lessened the need to cultivate plants. Today, the main vanilla crops come from Madagascar.

The botanical gardens employed botanists and taxonomists to classify and name the new discoveries. The upper classes of Britain and Europe were the patrons and they were willing to pay the huge sums often asked for the latest orchid sensation. In the size and number of their greenhouses, some of these private collections rivalled the nurseries who supplied them.

If you are growing your orchids indoors you may want to be more selective about the range of colours from your orchid blooms. With such a vast choice of hues and shades, it is possible to arrange your colour schemes to suit any room or personal choice. The following charts will give you some at-a-glance ideas for this.

Orchids that benefit most are lightloving, cool-growing types such as cymbidiums, odontoglossums, coelogynes, encvclias and dendrobiums, all of which have fairly robust foliage that may become a little spotted or marked throughout the course of several months but will not come to any harm. Those orchids with softer, wideleafed foliage, such as lycastes, anguloas and the deciduous calanthes, would very soon become notably spoiled by blemishes as a result of the effects of the weather.

If you also choose your orchids to bloom at different times of the year, you can have a plant in flower for most months of the year, ensuring that your favourite position is always filled with at least one plant in bloom.

During the summer, the aquarium can be left open at the top; close it down only when warmth needs to be conserved. By setting up a horticultural fluorescent light tube above the plants, it is possible to place the aquarium in an unlit corner that would otherwise be unsuitable for growing orchids. This idea can be adapted to a smaller or larger degree.

If you do not stand the plant on a damp base, you will need to remove it for watering and replace it after the pot has drained. The flowers of some orchids can also be highly scented, which adds immeasurably to their overall appeal.

Alternatively, you can build your own indoor growing case as large as conveniently possible and with the inclusion of electric lighting. This will provide a permanent home for those plants that do not need bright light. These include the phalaenopsis and paphiopedilums.

It blooms during the autumn and is highly fragrant at night. Well-chosen colour combinations can create beautiful effects, as is shown by this display of pale pink Phalaenopsis schilleriana and the deep pink P. Mad Milva. Orchids can be displayed in most rooms in the house.

Orchids that have outgrown their pots are also at risk of being top-heavy and are easily knocked over and damaged. These same orchids are also extremely difficult to keep watered, and once they have become dry it is almost impossible to get water down to the roots without a long soak in a bucket of water. Other orchids better left where they are include those that are producing their flowers during the summer period. Developing buds and flowers are the first to suffer from dampness, rain and wind. It also becomes difficult to keep the buds free of aphids and attacks from slugs. Newly repotted orchids should not be taken outside until they haw started to make their new root systems.

In tropical climates, which include parts of the United States, Central and South America, parts of Australia, South Africa and South-east Asia, orchids can be grown permanently out-of-doors.

By the time the cymbidiums are ready to be returned to their winter quarters, they will be bristling with flower spikes. The Odontoglossum types, in particular, will reflect their change of surroundings and the extra light by the reddening of their leaves. Provided the amount of light they receive is not overdone, and they are not exposed to bright sunlight, this reddening will do no harm; it can be likened to a suntan and is not sunburn. During the following winter, these leaves will regain their midgreen coloring.

Orchids growing naturally in this way need to be comfortable with the changing temperatures throughout the seasons. Coolgrowing orchids will not do well in a tropical garden, which may be too hot for even the warmer-growing orchids.

In a garden, there are a number of places that will provide a good summer home for your orchids. It may be alongside a fence, a wall or a hedge, which will provide the necessary protection from the sun. Trees may also offer a shady place, but fruit trees should be avoided if there is any danger of ripe fruit crashing on the plants. They also harbour aphids and other pests that will get on the orchids.

Before bringing the plants back inside, check for pests. Out-of-doors they can harbour insects, such as earwigs and woodlice, which will be out of sight beneath the leaf-bracts and will need to be searched out.

Ideally, stand the orchids on grit or expanded clay pellets in water-filled humidity trays. This will ensure some moisture around the plants at all times. There should be no problem with water overflow, which will normally run away into the surrounding ground. Any orchids growing on a balcony outside your window may have to be brought inside for watering if surplus water may cause a problem. Avoid standing the orchids directly on the ground, where the pots will be subjected to infestation by all types of ground-dwelling pests. To prevent the orchids from being blown off their bench during very windy weather, it is a good idea to place a small railing around the edge.

If you cannot find a sufficiently shady place for the orchids erect a shade-cloth roof above the plants on the bench, leaving open ends or sides to allow a free movement of air.

Once the plants have been overhauled, they can be safely returned to their warmer winter quarters, having enjoyed their stay outdoors. The plants will be better prepared for flowering, and you will be wonderfully surprised at the improved quality of the blooms that will undoubtedly follow.

Synonym are X. violaceum Schott., Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott

Common names are Indian Spinach, Ceylon Spinach, Gambian Spinach, Vine Spinach, Malabar Nightshade, Malabar Spinach (Eng.); BaseIle, Brede de Malabar (Fr.); Espinaca (variedad de), Espinaca de Ceilan (Sp.); Malabarspinat (Ger.); Poi (Ind.); Alugbati, Grana (Philipp.); Remayong (Mal.); Gendola (Indon.); Bretaila, Libato, AceIca Trepadora (W.I.).

Common names are Tan(n)ia, Tannier, Yautia, Elephant’s Ear (Eng.); Chou Caraibe (Fr.); Belembe, Calalu, Malanga, Tayobe, Tayonne, Tayo Tyo (W.I.); Mangaretto, Rascadera, Taioba (Braz.); Yautia (Lat. Amer.); Kimpool.(Indon.); Kong Kong Taro (Pap. N. Gum.); Maduma (E. Afr.). In West Africa and other areas, Xanthosoma is commonly referred to as Tocoyam’

Indigenous to southern Europe and Asia, probably derived from B. vulgaris subsp. maritima L. Thell. (Wild Sea Beet), now fairly widely distributed in the tropics.

Cultivated in tropical Asia (India, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia); the Caribbean: West Africa. In the Philippines, the red-leaved form is grown in preference to cultivars with green leaves. Both forms are cultivated to a limited extent in West Africa.

A herbaceous perennial, 1.3-2.5 m in height. Stems: the main underground stems are generally referred to as tubers or corms and may be white, pink or yellow. The smaller offshoots produced by the main corm are often termed cormels; 10 or more cormels, 10-25 cm in length, are normally produced. Leaves: large, light green, sagittate or hastatc with a marginal vein and two large basal lobes, prominent marginal vein; petioles up to 3 in in length; pigmentation variable with red-purple forms occurring. Flowers: rarely formed, although flowering is more likely to occur in wet regions.

Heavy clay soils are considered to be unsuitable for the cultivation of this crop which is often grown in areas where the soil moisture content is too low for the successful cultivation of Colocasia. Mulching may assist in the retention of soil moisture during the dry season. A high level of soil organic material is essential for early maturity of the underground stems. Fertilizers containing nitrogen may be required as supplementary surface dressings at intervals during the early growing period.

Propagation and planting Propagation is by seed, particularly in Africa; in Asia cuttings up to 25 cm in length are commonly used. For seed propagation, the whole fruit is often sown in nursery beds, the seedlings being transplanted when 10-12 cm high. Seedlings or rooted cuttings are transplanted to beds on a square planting of 40-50 cm X 40-50 cm, or alternatively, in rows 60-70 cm apart, 25-30 cm between plants. On a commercial scale, with a density of 50 000 plants/ha, 10 kg/ha of seed will be required. Support is required if the plants are to develop fully but frequent pruning of laterals, such as occurs during harvesting, is necessary to prolong the vegetative phase of growth and prevent early seed production. Irrigation: This should be liberal until the seedlings or transplanted cuttings are well established. Subsequent irrigation is required only during dry periods.

Harvesting of the young shoots may normally begin 55-70 days from trans- planting, continuing at regular intervals for approximately six months. The shoots removed are normally 15-25 cm in length; flowering shoots should also be removed to encourage continued leaf production. Yield: Variable but, depending on the cultivar characteristics and the frequency of harvest, single plants may yield up to 1.5 kg of fresh leaves and young shoots over a period of 180 days.

Commercially grown crops may yield approximately 50 t/ha.

The shoots and leaves are relatively high in food value, providing a useful source of vitamins and minerals. The leaves of most forms contain mucilage and are normally cooked with meat or fish. The juice from the fruits is sometimes used as a food colouring.

Orchids are shade-loving plants, and while they are growing they need the equivalent of the dappled sunlight they would receive growing in the tree canopy of their natural home. Too much light during the summer will harm the plants by turning the foliage a light green-yellow.

A useful piece of equipment is a maximum/minimum thermometer, or even several, which can be placed close to the orchids and the temperatures noted. In a greenhouse, it becomes difficult to grow orchids from these three ranges together in one place. What suits one group will not suit another, and you will find that inevitably some orchids will suffer from being too cold or too warm. An ideal situation is to divide a greenhouse into two or three sections, depending upon which orchids you wish to grow.

The cool-growing orchids are the largest group, and these include cymbidiums from the Himalayas, odontoglossums from the Andes, and many other genera, most of which are high-altitude plants, coming from elevations as high as 2,500m (8,000ft). They are often subjected to cold nights that drop to freezing, but at high altitudes the air is thinner, and occasional frosts do them no harm. In cultivation, we grow these orchids in a temperature band that rises from 10C (50F) minimum to 30C (86F) maximum.

After flowering and before the new growth starts, Calanthe pseudobulbs can be taken out of their pot and left to dry until the new growth is seen.

The summer daytime maximum should not exceed 30C (86F), which is a comfortable temperature for the orchids. Above this, the plants will inevitably become stressed, and growth will slow down and may even come to a stop. Overheating can be difficult to prevent in a greenhouse and needs to be controlled by sufficient ventilation, shading and damping down.

After their winter’s rest, orchids commence their new growth in the spring. Repot the plants as soon as this happens and before the new roots start at the base.

Calanthes are deciduous orchids which produce their flower spikes at the end of the growing season, as the plant is about to shed its leaves and rest. The flowers will appear while the plant is leafless.

Orchids can be fed at all ages, from young seedlings and propagations to adult plants. Feed only healthy plants, however, because they have the ability to absorb and convert the chemicals. Do feed plants that are sick or have lost their roots. New roots that appear may be burnt by the residue remaining in the compost (growing medium). For the same reason, do not feed orchids that are resting. Their roots will have become inactive, and the chemicals will remain in the compost where they may cause harm as the plant sans into growth in the spring.

In time, bark- and peat-based composts (growing mediums) will break down, which is why regular repotting is important. A plant that suddenly loses much of its foliage, or shrivels, may have lost its roots, and this will become apparent when you knock the plant out of its pot and examine its condition.

These materials include Rockwool, which is produced for the horticultural industry from spun volcanic pumice. Rockwool looks like discoloured cotton wool, and the surface is sometimes stained green with an algae that grows in response to the nutrients.

On average, orchids need repotting about once every two years. Older established plants may be left for longer, especially when they do not outgrow their pots, while young plants need to be moved on every six months or so in order to maintain a steady rate of growth.

Once the compost has broken down in this way, the roots cannot thrive and will quickly die. Speedy repotting is essential. First cut away all the dead roots and remove all the old compost, then replace it with fresh material throughout. Roots that can be seen to circle the rim of the pot without penetrating to the bottom indicate that the compost (growing medium) is unsuitable.

The cause may be that the compost is too dense for the roots to penetrate, and once again repotting may be needed. Phalaenopsis are particularly reluctant to immerse their roots in a compost that they do not like, and will prefer to extend their roots over the rim of the pot into the air, where they will adhere to any surface with which they come into contact.

The advantages of these inorganic materials are that they are very light, easy to use, and, when the plants are repotted, the old mix can be left, causing less root disturbance.

You will also need a pair of secateurs or scissors and a sharp pruning knife, as well as a sterilizing agent and a few sheets of newspaper. There are two basic methods of potting. The first, “dropping on”, is done when young plants do not need any root pruning and when the compost (growing medium) is in good condition, and can be left intact. Because this causes no disturbance, dropping on can be done at almost any time of the year, but avoid the hottest and coldest months when the plants may be stressed or growing slowly.

Some orchid growers like to mix up their own special brand of orchid compost (growing medium) from locally available materials. These materials may include dried oak leaves and beech masts, mixed with live sphagnum moss. While these may be successful when made up by an experienced grower, beginners should seek advice from their local orchid nursery.

The outbreak of the First World War interrupted the blossoming new science of hybridization because changes to the social order greatly affected the advancement of orchid cultivation. Many of the estates that had been holders of the large private collections had to be run down because their labour force was called to enlist, many never to return.

The birthplace of orchid hybrids was the nursery of James Veitch and Sons in Exeter, Devon.

With the relatively low cost of air travel, global events attract registrants from around the world. Interest is perhaps keenest in Japan, where orchid exhibitions are attended by hundreds of thousands of orchid fanciers and where prizes for the best plants start with a car.

Europe joined in this new orchid bonanza, and commercial nurseries appeared in Germany, Holland, Belgium and Denmark.

The oldest journal in the world is the Orchid Review, started in 1893, which is published six times a year by the Royal Horticultural Society in London. Further information is available on the Internet, where individual websites can be visited and ideas exchanged on a global basis.

Today, hybridizing has come a long way from the tentative steps taken by John Dominy in Veitch’s nursery. The Royal Horticultural Society in London is the world authority for the registration of orchid hybrids, where over 100,000 have been entered. This astounding figure continues to rise by over 3,000 per year, testimony to an insatiable appetite for better plants. The majority of these new varieties are produced for the pot-plant trade, which demands a supply of cheaply produced, easily grown orchids.

Amateur societies dedicated to the advance of orchid cultivation started up, and in the United States the American Orchid Society was founded in 1921. This organization grew from small beginnings to a worldwide network, becoming the largest orchid society in the world.

Twenty years after the First World War, the orchid industry was again flourishing when the Second World War began, dashing all hopes of further progress. There was difficulty in obtaining fuel for amateur greenhouses, while commercial nurseries had to be used for the production of food crops. The lack of skilled growers saw the demise of the last remaining large collections.

Methods of raising orchids have improved so much that it is now possible to bloom seedlings within three to four years from the flasks, whereas previously this had taken up to seven years.

Older plants that have, over the years, produced a large number of pseudobulbs, will have several that are leafless. These may not be dead, and if they are still plump and green they will have some life left in them. At present they are supporting the newer, leafed pseudobulbs, passing on their stored food supply to the younger part of the plant. However, if there are more pseudobulbs out of leaf than in leaf, they will become a drain on the main plant and need to be removed. Where there is more than one new growth, it may be possible to separate the plant into two or more divisions, provided each has at least one new growth. To maintain flowering, a division should have at least three pseudobulbs in leaf with Jne new growth. With this in mind, -mu can separate your plant into as many divisions as it is safe to do so.

Your plant may already be growing more out of its pot than in, and there may be a number of aerial roots that have not entered the compost (growing medium). Remove the plant from its pot and take away all the old compost and any surplus backbulbs. The plant is now ready to be mounted onto the bark. Have ready a supply of material to place around the plant for moisture retention. This can be a mixture of sphagnum moss and coconut fibre, both of which are available from specialist nurseries.

Select a piece of cork bark, or similar wood, of a size to accommodate the plant, allowing room for growth. Insert a length of wire to make a hook in the top of the bark. You will also require a length of thin, plastic-coated wire and a pair of small pliers. Place a wad of the supporting moss and fibre around the base of the plant, without covering the pseudobulbs, and place another wad directly on the hark. On top of this, place your plant with the new growths at the top, facing towards the bark. If the plant has a downward-growing habit, such as Brassavola nodosa, reverse it.

Position it so that the older pseudobulbs are against one side of the pot, allowing space for the plant to grow towards the other edge. If you are potting a phalaenopsis or similar monopodial type, place the plant at the centre of the pot, bearing in mind that it will grow upwards rather than outwards. Hold the plant, and pour in the compost (growing medium) all round, firming it down until the pot is full.

In a few weeks, you will be died with new growth and roots. It some species, such as Oncidiu ni ilkirami, a dense mat of roots will be reduced that will creep over the bark and hang down well below. You need a slab of tree fern or a piece of cork bark (with a wire hook), a sphagnum moss and coconut fibre, 1 plastic-coated garden wire, a pair ecateurs (pruners), and a pair of pliers. Cut a length of the plastic-coated wire i. using the pliers, wire the sphagnum ss and coconut fibre firmly to the tree n or piece of cork bark.

Place plant to one side of the pot, with the adest pseudobulbs at the back and the growths facing forward. Crock the ease of the new pot and place sufficient mmpost (growing medium) on top so that when you insert the plant, the base al the new growth will be level with, or nst below, the rim of the pot. Fill in with artnpost - tucking some under and mound the roots to ensure that there are a, open spaces - until the plant is firmly a position and the compost finishes -Mow the pot rim. This will ensure that when you water the plant the compost la not be washed over the rim.

Repotting and dividing involves completely repotting orchid, stripping out the old compost growing medium), discarding any dead and removing surplus leafless or pseudobulbs. It can be used for nng up large plants, so that they can often be returned to the same size of pot. You can separate the plant into two or more divisions, provided each has at least re new growth.

Water the plants after a few days, having allowed time for damaged roots and cut ends to heal partially before being wetted. Careful watering will be required for a while until you can be sure that new roots have started to grow from the new growth. When this happens, normal watering and feeding can resume. After repotting, expect your plants to shrivel slightly or shed some foliage until the new roots grow. ‘Ibis is the reason why it is best to repot in the spring, just prior to the formation of the new roots. Repotting a plant at the wrong time can cause stress until the new roots take over from those severed during repotting. After about six weeks, tap out one plant, and check the new roots. You will be surprised at the progress of new white roots extending through the compost (growing medium). If this is not the case, and the plant continues to shrivel, it may be late in growing and will benefit from being placed in a propagator, where a little extra warmth will start it growing.

While orchid plants themselves are extremely varied, in their flowers they know no bounds in terms of variation in structure and colour. The flowers are so diverse and often incredibly beautiful, in stark contrast to what some see as distinctly unattractive plants. Many people are amazed that such beautiful flowers can come from what they consider to be untidy or ugly plants, though to the true enthusiast, most orchid plants are handsome.

The more time you spend around your orchids, the more attention you are going to give them. In summer, keep a hand-held spray bottle nearby and regularly mist the leaves lightly when you pass by. Should the orchids be receiving too much light so that their foliage changes colour, you will notice this and can remove them to another, more suitable place, long before any harm is done. In this way, your orchids become your constant companions, and it is surprising how attached you can become to them, doting upon their every need and enthusing about new leaves or roots as they appear. Take a look around your home to decide which would be the most favoured position for your first orchids.

One part of the flower has always become much exaggerated, with petals or lip dominating the flower. All these modifications have evolved to attract a specific pollinator, and to do this some orchids have gone to extraordinary lengths.

Orchids are largely insect pollinated, and their flower structure reflects this. Each flower consists of six segments - three petals and three sepals - that are known collectively as the tepals. The outer three are sepals; the inner three petals. The third of the petals has developed into the labellum, or lip, which provides an ideal landing stage for the pollinating insect. Often the lip is lightly hinged, so that it can position the insect correctly for pollination, as well as ensuring that only the rightsize insect enters the flower. In many orchids, the lip is large and highly coloured and has a bright patterning quite distinct from the rest of the flower.

At the centre are a number of ridges that guide the insect to the bloom. These are usually bright yellow and are called the honey guides. Above the lip is the column - a single, finger-like structure containing the reproductive parts of the flower. The pollen is found at the end dorsal sepal of the column, usually in two, four or six masses. These pollen masses contain the pollen grains, or pollinia, which, unlike other flowers, are not in a powder form. “l’hey are held at the end of the column under a protective cap called the anther.

From among the immense number of hybrids raised, several alliances that contain numerous related genera have emerged. Among these the most favoured are the Cattleya alliance, the Odontoglossum alliance and the Vanda alliance. Within these three natural genera, alliances can be found consisting of anything from two natural genera (Laelia x Cattleya = Laeliocattleya) to six (Cattleya x Brassavola x Broughtonia x Laelia x Schomburgkia xSophronitis = Mooreara), and, in a few instances, nine (Cattleya x Brassavola x Broughtonia x Cattleyopsis x Diacrium x Epidendrum x Laelia x Schomburgkia x Sophronitis = Sallyyeeara). Here, there appears to be no limit on the multiples, which have led to some astonishing results.

Orchids should not be stood so dose to the window that their leaves touch the glass. Ideally, double-glazed windows are best, so that in winter the old does not impinge on the plants. Blinds or curtaining prevent the plants ‘Dm being too close to the window, Ahich is ideal. On winter nights, ensure that heavy curtains are drawn behind the orchids, leaving them inside the room. In summer, windows can be left open to give the orchids a flow of fresh air whenever the weather is warm enough, but this should not cause a cold draught.

At present, we are denied a union between the angraecums and phalaenopsis, and can only speculate on what the results might be. A few hybrids from the crossing of angraecums and vandas have been achieved, but with little result.