Janice,
I just want to thank you for your enthusiasm and for sharing it with us!! Very glad you have joined us. Keep on growing!
Kathy

Hi everyone,

My name is Joseph, and I am a big fan of orchids. I marvel at the diversity of flower form and color in this plant group. I have a bunch of photos I can add to the database which I have taken at Longwood Gardens, but need guidance on how to identify the plant since most of them are hybrids. I have the name of each one as identified by Longwood staff, just need advice on presentation of the name.

Here is a beauty that had all visitors oooohing and aaaahing, Miltonia g. Andy Easton 'Mount Cuba' (I am a big fan of Miltonia).

Hi, Joseph! Good to meet you!

Welcome aboard Joseph!

Hi Joseph! I can't wait to see more of your beautiful photography!

Thank you for the warm welcome, Ursula, Carol and Lindsey! I will be sure to contribute all of the photos I have taken in my trips to Longwood Gardens' Orchid Room.

Hi folks, I'll be watching, and reading your post, and trying to let some of this in through osmosis. So far, I have been growing orchids for the last five years. Mike

They look great and so does your kitty. Welcome again,Mike. Jump in and show us pics anytime you want!

Yes, and cute Kitty!

Hello everyone, My name is Bill and I've been growing orchids with varying sucess since 1975. My comfort zone is phals and paphs with a few different species over the years. I currently have about 30 plants. I grow them mostly in an unheated basement under lights(T5's) on shelving units wrapped with plastic to heat and maintain humidity. When they come into bloom, my wife allows them to come upstairs for a while.
I found this site because of my GPS. I was going to J&L Orchids in Easton CT for their annual sale.(20% off- I couldn't resist). I was following the voice and obediently making all the turns when I came to a dead end. I turned around to go back to the main road and I see a car with Mass. plates stopped. I figured these people must have the same voice directing them, so I get out of my car and sure enough they are going to J&L also. When we finally get to J&L(there are 2 Sherwood Rds in Easton) I meet Kathy and she gives me this website. So, here I am.
Here's 2 of my recent blooms:




Bill

How lucky for you Bill! Everything happens for a reason...welcome to our little paradise !

Bill, welcome!!! It was fate!
I love that you grow under lights and can advise others about this. I know nothing about using lights but I may add lights next winter for my north light cool growing orchids. So I may have some questions for you! I'm also impressed that you've been growing since 1975! Nice pics!

hi bill what paphs do you have? i love them there my fav. orchids.

Thanks for the warm welcome.
Bree, I mainly have strap leaf multi florals. Roth, St Swithin, wilheminiae, dianathum, Michael Koopwitz(my favorite), Mt Low and probably 1 or 2 more that escape me.
Here's a pic of MK in bloom last year.


I've had several mottled leaf paphs, but I keep killing them. I think I water too much. I really like the patterns on their leaves.

Bill

Bill that is glorious. I'm always attracted to those St Swithin types but I have such low bloom so far on what I have, that I never dared.

Bill has that been photo shopped ?
(only kidding!) that's an amazing picture!

Lindsey, The sky was a perfect color that day and the sun just happened to be positioned in a good place. My photographic skills are non existant. I have a little point and shoot camera and anything that comes out looking good is pure luck.
Kathy, try giving your 'St Within types' more light. I put mine outside in dappled sunlight in the summer. I have some locust trees in the back yard that somewhat shade where I keep the paphs. They can take a lot more light then you would think if you gradually introduce them to it.

Bill

Love it bill. Heres my Helvetia thats now one got one flower left but another bud which may open.
(as you can see i can't pics as good as bill)

Nice, Bree. Helvetia is Paph. chamberlainianum X philippinense (I just looked it up) and I think the philippinense parent is where the neat twisty petals you have come from.

Bill