Why do we grow Orchids?
Orchids are the largest and most diverse family of plants on earth comprising at least 35,000 species of which Ireland cherishes 30 natives. There are also countless thousands of hybrids mostly produced by man. Species of orchids can be found growing almost everywhere except in deserts and the polar lands.
The conditions in your home, whether it is a warm apartment, an unheated room, conservatory or greenhouse will suit some group of orchids perfectly as will outside in your garden. With a little knowledge you can discover which ones are right for you. Orchids are for everyone and today they have never been so well understood, available and affordable to own!
Orchids mesmerise us by evoking feelings of romance, magic, mystery, obsession, of wild and remote places and of folklore. From the Aztecs and Incas to the ancient Chinese and Japanese Samurai to the Victorian English to millions of us worldwide today the human heart has continued to be enchanted by their ethereal beauty and intoxicating fragrances.
So then why do we grow orchids? Because we have no choice!
Did you know...
The world's largest orchid is Grammatophyllum speciosum, also called the Giant Orchid. It can grow to gigantic clusters weighing from several hundred kilograms to more than one ton!
The world’s smallest orchid is Platystele jungermannioides which has flowers only half a millimetre in diameter and the mature plant is only half a centimetre in height!