It’s an obsession

Phalenopsis Aphrodite “sunset”

I’ve always wanted to be able to grow orchids, but I like to water. I’ve probably killed 150 orchids over the last 20 years just by smothering them.

So I’m not starting from level 1A, but I hesitate to call it level 2. I have learned what they don’t want, and I have a basic concept of what they do. 

Plus, I just had a big orchid revelation. I went to Kenya for a month and told my family “Do NOT touch my orchids while I’m gone.” They didn’t, and I came home to tons of new growth. And now I know what they want.

My revelation is that they don’t need you. The orchids - they don’t want or need you. Leave them the hell alone. If I could finally manage active neglect, I figured I was ready for a collection

This round of obsessively collecting every orchid I could get my hands on started on Valentine’s Day 2024. I decided to just buy myself any orchid I wanted. The one above is my favorite. It’s an Aphrodite phalenopsis, a moth or moon orchid. I just got it at the grocery store because I couldn’t wait for the orchid festival that was coming up the next day. 

So I bought myself 12. Just a quick dozen to see if I could repeat the freak accident. Within the week, I had 40.

She’s doing great