By Gnarly_gnome
Wales
Outdor Orchids for the garden
The good the bad & the ugly
Any easy ones to grow ???
or are they realy difficult to grow
- 2 Dec, 2011
Answers
If you have a soil with plenty of humus in it and it is reliably moist then terrestial orchids are EASY. The British marsh orchids, Dactylorhiza, self seed readily in our garden and are most welcome. Another that does well is the helleborine, Epipactis. We grow E. gigantea, about 18" tall and unusual.
Btw, welcome to GoY.
2 Dec, 2011
I had one of the native orchids self sow into my garden which I let seed each year. I'm getting a couple more plants each year
2 Dec, 2011
How much effort do you want to put in?
As has been pointed out, the native (European) orchids can be easy.
Others, such as Bletilla will need lifting in winters such as the last couple. Best grown in a pot (along with the Pleiones and Habenaria radiatta) and stored frost free.
House orchids such as Phalaenopsis and Paphiopedilum can be put outdoors in the summer in shade and will happily flower away too.
Cymbidiums need to go out for the summer and into the Autumn to get blooms when you bring them indoors. This treatment is also needed for my Dendrobium kingianium plants too.
3 Dec, 2011
I stuck Epipactis Gigantea tubers in last spring and they all grew and flowered...gorgeous orangey terracotta and buff coloured blooms...they are lovely! I also have a few little Calanthes and they grow easily too. The only down side with hardy orchids is their cost..they are quite an investment! Enjoy!
4 Dec, 2011
Thanks Everyone I will look into it more any one know a reputable supplier would be handy
Thanks for the warm welcome as well
Gnarly g
4 Dec, 2011
Previous question
« I will be seeding a lawn (700sqft) next spring. Friends have brought us "B&Q...
I don't know how well they do in the UK, but I have found Chinese Ground Orchid (Bletilla striata) to be very easy....Had to look it up, but it is hardy to -9.4ยบ C, so it might have problems in the colder parts of Britain.
2 Dec, 2011