A non-commercial guide to organic gardening in the mid-Atlantic states, with some specifics to central Virginia..and some information applicable across the country! Or to other time zones! Across the seas! Who knew? "No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden." Thomas Jefferson
Sunday, June 6, 2010
All Orchids Are Not Created Equal
Orchids are just too darn hard to grow! Right? Not if you grow Bletilla striata (and B. striata var. Alba) in your zone 7 and higher (farther south) garden. I purchased my first Bletilla bulb from Brent and Becky's Bulbs a few years ago, then got a few more, and they have reliably come back and reproduced in a shady garden bed. I love orchids, but have sadly killed so many indoor ones (phalaenopsis and cymbidium), so I am delighted that I can have a reliable, and lovely, outdoor orchid- and it has a slight sweet scent! Another "Judy Recommended" plant- pretty, slightly exotic and easy to grow!
Happy gardening!
Gotta ask my husband and next door neighbor (the gardeners) about their opinions on orchids, too.
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