Lovely Orchids

Well hello on this very sunny day.

 I love the sunshine and really enjoy delving into my summer wardrobe at this time of year. Dress wise, I am definitely a summer person and I especially like to grab all the colours of the rainbow to wear. 

Take this lovely floral dress from good old M&S that I bought many years ago, I still wear it often and the hot pink lace really jumps out at you amongst all the pretty florals. 

Talking of pretty florals, I also like to have the real things surrounding me and I was delighted to receive a surprise delivery of the most gorgeous selection of orchids. My looking after abilities with orchids can be, hmmm, lets say a bit hit and miss. I can have one orchid last me years and years, and another no matter how well I care and look after it, doesn't seem to bloom as well. 

I know for sure these beauties are going to get my most bestest attention and I shall do lots of research for each variety. I found three pretty pots that weren't being used and I think they look great. Most orchids cope very well in small pots so I think they shall be fine in them for now.

First up we have the Dendrobium Starclass, with its bright pink flowers and yellow centre, which grows along the stem. I think it a very elegant and charming orchid.

Then we have the beautiful Oncidium which produces dozens of small flowers at the same time. Due to the distinctive shape of the blooms carried on many branched stems, akin to dancing sprays, its no wonder this orchid is also known as 'The Dancing Lady'. 

Such a perfect sunshine yellow.

Finally, its the glorious twin stemmed Phalaenopsis orchid, a wonderfully sleek and graceful orchid and perfect for any shelf. 

I think this has to be my favourite, perhaps it's all that lovely pink! 

I have found a comfy place for the orchids inside and am keeping my beady eye on them. I may even be having a little chat with them on occasion, well they do say it helps and its been scientifically proven that plants respond to sound and it encourages growth, at least now I can't be given funny looks for talking to myself ;) X


Disclosure: Orchids were provided by Fresh Retail, for more information on orchids, please visit Orchids Info 

I Did It!....

No, I haven't swum the channel, or baked a 10 tiered cake. I have managed to bring this little beauty back to life....

My orchid, my very lovely orchid that was given to me as a lovely birthday gift, over 15 months ago from a lovely lady and I treasure it. When I first received it, it was blooming, and beautiful and everything pretty orchids should be, though I am rubbish, quite rubbish at looking after house plants ( obviously I do something wrong ) so I knew my time with the orchid was going to be short and sweet. It was all too soon, after I had enjoyed all those beautiful flowers, that she withered and started to look pale and I knew the time was near. I tried in vain to have this orchid, this one I loved so very much stay with me, and not end up where all the others end up. I knew they could last for years and years, and so I did what I hope all lovers of house plants do....

I started talking to her....

  Gently and softly at first, so she wouldn't be startled. I asked her to grow big and strong as I so wanted to see her beautiful flowers again one day. I watered her, not too much, not too little, and I talked....

Not everyday, but when I glanced at her in the kitchen I gave her a knowing look, and said hello and occassionally we would have a chat. Yes, yes I know, you all think I am as daft as a brush! Well, slowly but surely she grew stronger and stronger, and the leaves grew, and then I saw one...her first little re-birth of a bud, and then there were more and more and more....I tried not to get too excited, and when I saw that first flower after a year of her being flower-less, I smiled the biggest smile. I can't believe I have done it, after years of trying, but not being able to grow anything, and I mean anything, it really made me well, a little proud.

So, do you think it was the talking....should I carry on with our little chats?

X