The OrchidExotic beautiesThere are many different types of orchids, each with their own scent and color. Each orchid must be cared for in a different way.
The Orchid
Thursday 5 September 2024 is International Orchid Day
As the ‘Queen of the plant kingdom’, the orchid even has its own day. International Orchid Day takes place annually on the first Thursday of September. During this special event, we celebrate the plant in all its beauty and versatility. In 2024, International Orchid Day will be celebrated on September 5th. A good occasion to talk about the orchid: the long lasting designplant! Will you celebrate this day with us?
Thursday 5 September 2024 is International Orchid Day
Beauty that lasts
Besides the easy care, orchids also have a long flowering period. Orchids easily bloom for six to eight weeks, and some varieties even bloom for months. You can enjoy its beautiful appearance, lovely fragrance and vibrant colours every season.
Natural style icon
For decades, the plant has been incredibly popular. Millions of households worldwide are decorated with orchids. With more than 25,000 different orchid types, there is plenty of beauty to choose from. With spectacular colours, exciting shapes and breathtaking flowers, the orchid is obviously no ordinary plant. The orchid adds instant allure to a room and is, against all odds, a very easy plant.
Easy care
With the right tips and tricks, it is quite easy to keep orchids healthy and beautiful and enjoy them for months. The important thing is that the orchid gets plenty of light, without direct sunlight and is watered weekly by, for example, dipping the pot in water for about 5 – 10 minutes. Orchids can flower several times a year. So besides being a low-maintenance plant, it is also a very sustainable plant.
As the ‘Queen of the plant kingdom’, the orchid even has its own day. International Orchid Day takes place annually on the first Thursday of September. During this special event, we celebrate the plant in all its beauty and versatility. In 2023, International Orchid Day will be celebrated on September 7th. A good occasion to talk about orchids.
An ode to the orchid on International Orchid Day
Beauty that lasts
Besides the easy care, orchids also have a long flowering period. Orchids easily bloom for six to eight weeks, and some varieties even bloom for months. You can enjoy its beautiful appearance, lovely fragrance and vibrant colours every season.
Natural style icon
For decades, the plant has been incredibly popular. Millions of households worldwide are decorated with orchids. With more than 25,000 different orchid types, there is plenty of beauty to choose from. With spectacular colours, exciting shapes and breathtaking flowers, the orchid is obviously no ordinary plant. The orchid adds instant allure to a room and is, against all odds, a very easy plant.
Easy care
With the right tips and tricks, it is quite easy to keep orchids healthy and beautiful and enjoy them for months. The important thing is that the orchid gets plenty of light, without direct sunlight and is watered weekly by, for example, dipping the pot in water for about 5 – 10 minutes. Orchids can flower several times a year. So besides being a low-maintenance plant, it is also a very sustainable plant.
Styling your bathroom with orchids can provide several benefits for both your physical and mental health. It’s a good idea to add orchids to your bathroom decor because plants improve air quality, increase relaxation and they can add a natural refreshing touch to your bathroom decor. Read on for some bathroom styling tips with orchids.
Styling your bathroom with orchids
Choose the right type of orchid
There are many different types of orchids, so it’s important to choose one that will thrive in your bathroom. Phalaenopsis orchids, also known as moth orchids, are a popular choice for bathrooms because they originate from the tropics of the rainforest, and actually love a moist environment.
Photo: Anthura
Indirect sunlight
Place your orchid in a spot with indirect sunlight. Orchids need bright, indirect sunlight to thrive, so a bathroom with a window that gets plenty of natural light is ideal.
Think about placement
Consider where you want to place your plants in your bathroom. Hanging orchids – like Vanda’s – can be a great option if you have limited counter or floor space, while larger plants can make a statement in a corner of the room.
Maintenance
While orchids can add beauty and colour to your bathroom, it’s important to remember that they require maintenance. Water your orchid when the roots look grey, by submerging the orchid in the water, letting it drain for a moment and putting it back into the pot.
And last but not least: add some decorative accents. Orchids are beautiful plants on their own, but you can enhance their beauty by adding some decorative accents to your bathroom. Consider placing your orchid on a decorative tray or adding some small plants or flowers in coordinating colors to create a beautiful and cohesive look.
Photo: Anthura
Overall, incorporating plants into your bathroom design can help create a more pleasant and healthier environment, promoting relaxation and wellness.
Placing orchids in your bathroom is not a common occurrence but as the orchid is originally from the tropics of the rainforest, it actually prefers to live in a moist environment. As long as the orchid has access to some natural light, you will have a bloomin’ good orchid to brighten up your bathroom. Here are some tips on how to do it best:
Create a tranquil oasis
The bathroom is renowned as a place of relaxation and the fewer objects in it the better. Keep it simple with a touch of colour to create small bursts of energy. Placing Phalaenopsis orchids in your bathroom on the side of the sink is a simple way of creating a tranquil oasis as it requires minimal styling. It adds a touch of colour to a neutral colour scheme!
Photo: Anthura
Try that rustic edge
Planting your orchid in a straw basket can create a stylish yet warm look in your bathroom. The Phalaenopsis lends itself to this style perfectly due to its stunning shades of purple and yellow.
However, if you would prefer to try something a little more extravagant why not hang your orchids? A Vanda is a perfect variety to create a display of hanging orchids as the plant has aerial roots. With an iron wire as a suspension system, you can create a stylish yet rustic orchid arrangement.
A hint of romance
Adding a hint of romance to your bathroom is extremely easy once you know which orchids to choose. Chose a pastel-coloured pot and include an elegant, pink Phalaenopsis – this combination oozes romance. If your bathroom is dark, combine a pot with a Phalaenopsis in rich purple, the most romantic colour of the year.
Every year we look forward to the blooming of our orchids. That’s not surprising because, with all its beautiful colors and all the different shapes and sizes, it’s always a party! Unfortunately, the party always comes to an end. When an orchid has finished blooming, the beautiful flowers fall off. So what’s the best thing to do to make orchids bloom again? In any case, don’t throw it away! You can make orchids rebloom. You can read how to do that in this article.
How can you make orchids bloom again?
Since there are as many as 25,000 species of orchids, there is not one solution for all. That is why in this article you can read tips for a number of different types of orchids, such as Phalaenopsis, Cymbidium, Cattleya and Oncidium. That’s how you get them to bloom again!
My Phalaenopsis has finished flowering
To get a Phalaenopsis to flower again, it is necessary to cut off the branch above the second ‘eye’. Look at the bulges on the branch and start counting from the bottom. The branch above the second eye can be cut off up to twice, after which it is wise to cut the branch as low as possible. A Phalaenopsis can start flowering again after six months. After cutting, water the plant a little less and put it in a cooler place. If the plant is put back in its old place after about two months, the regular watering can be started again.
With the Cymbidium, you can completely cut off the withered branch after flowering. Then you put it in a cool but light place for 10-12 weeks and water it a little less than usual. The Cymbidium develops a few new shoots that can give one or more branches again in the following year. Unlike the Phalaenopsis, the Cymbidium flowers once a year. The natural flowering occurs between September and April.
Repotting the Cymbidium
Repot the Cymbidium in the spring, when it starts to grow again. Remove the pot, making sure you damage as few roots as possible, so it’s a meticulous job! Rinse the roots well and place the Cymbidium in the new pot. Preferably fill it with orchid soil that is well moist and then add some (orchid) food immediately. After repotting, it is best not to water the Cymbidium for a few days, so that it can recover well.
With the Cattleya there is no need to cut at all. Treat the plant after flowering in the same way as during flowering. The flower dries up on its own and falls off itself when it has finished blooming. After flowering, a new growth shoot will appear at the bottom of the spent shoot. A new flower stem emerges from the sheath, at the beginning of the leaf. The sheath provides protection at this early stage, when it is fully grown, it will flower. This whole process takes about six to nine months.
Repotting the Cattleya
Put the Cattleya in a larger pot every two years. Use fine bark (orchid soil with tree bark). This is an important step in the care of the Cattleya, it must be kept growing vigorously, because only the new shoots give flowers.
Cut off the branch with the faded flowers at the bottom of the flower stem. After flowering, place the Oncidium in a cooler place, but in a place where there is light (no direct sunlight) and you continue to give the spent Oncidium (orchid) nutrition once a month. The spent shoots of the Oncidium will not bloom again, it will produce new shoots. This shoot must thicken (bulb) and from this thickening a new flower stem emerges on the side of the longest leaf. When there are new flowers, the Oncidium can be returned to the living room. Note: the Oncidium forms aerial roots, these must not be removed. The natural bloom occurs in summer and autumn.
Repotting the Oncidium
You can repot an Oncidium if it gets too big. Do this immediately after flowering. You can then split the Oncidium into two or three new plants.
Do it yourself: an impressive plant arrangement with orchids as the radiant centrepiece! How do you make it? You can read about it here or in the video below.
Items needed for your plant arrangement with orchids:
Potting soil
Flowerpot
Trowel
2 mini Tillandsias Cyanea
2 Bromeliads
2 orchids Phalaenopsis
2 smaller orchids Phalaenopsis
1 Medinilla
3 Codiaeums
Branches
Step-by-step:
Step 1: Half-fill a large pot with potting soil. Step 2: Remove the plastic pots from the plants and immerse them in a bowl of water. Step 3: Distribute the plants diagonally across the pot. Step 4: Press them down firmly with some extra potting soil. Step 5: Distribute the plants until the pot is nicely filled, and leave some space in the middle for the orchids. Step 6: Place the orchids in the centre of the pot. Make sure that a little orchid soil remains between the roots. Step 7: Place the mini-orchids on the edge of the pot and drape some of the roots over the edge. Step 8: Water the arrangement if the soil feels dry or the plants start to droop.
Time for winter inspiration with orchids. These plants are perfectly suited to interiors that make you feel at home and are essentially a reflection of your own character. This time we have gone for trendy, warm colours, prints and a personal touch by choosing crazy and distinctive accessories. No obvious styling, just surprising and dynamic combinations time and time again. Because that is where orchids come to the fore! We hope that we will inspire you and that you will soon have a head full of ideas for your home. You’ll start to look at your own interior and orchids through different eyes! We also hope to challenge you to get creative with your plants and your surroundings with our latest festive photos and DIY ideas!
Giving is more fun than receiving. Isn’t that right? To make giving extra special, we have come up with a cool DIY idea for gift wrapping with orchids, using beautiful paper and the prettiest orchid flowers. For this DIY project, we used Vanda, Cambria, Cymbidium Cascade and Oncidium. Have a look to find out how you make such beautiful gifts yourself or check the video below for instructions.
DIY: Gift wrapping with orchids
Items needed:
Different orchids
Pruning shears
Water tubes for flower stems
Wrapping paper
Ribbon, twine and/or gold wire
Adhesive tape or glue
Scissors
Step 1: Wrap the gifts in nice wrapping paper and cut a couple of flower stems from the orchid of your choice. Step 2: Wrap the gifts and wrap a festive ribbon around the gift, secure with a dab of glue. Step 3: Lay the orchid on the gift and fold the ribbon over it. Secure it on the back with glue. Step 4: Insert the orchid’s stem into a flower test tube with water to make it last longer. Step 5: Wrap gold wire around the gift and insert the stem. Step 6: Repeat this with as many gifts as you like! Use different orchid species for variety.
Since ancient times flowers and plants have been used to express feelings to others. During the Middle Ages, and even earlier, there was a great deal of value attached to symbolism. The red rose is a well-known example of a symbol of love. But what does the orchid mean?
The meaning of orchids
What do orchids symbolize?
In ancient Greek society, the orchid was known as a fertility plant and was a sign of masculinity. Later, during the Victorian times in Europe, orchids were prized for their beauty, richness and strength.
Phalaenopsis
There are numerous species of orchids that each have their own meaning. The most famous orchid species is Phalaenopsis (or butterfly orchid). These orchids symbolise elegance, femininity and unity.
Photo: Thejoyofplants.co.uk
Cymbidium
The Cymbidium orchid is unique due to its branches with boat-shaped flowers and grassy leaves and symbolizes morality and virtue. In Asia, giving or receiving a Cymbidium is an honour and a gesture of respect and friendship.
Photo: Cymbidium
Blue Vanda
The blue Vanda means peace in India. Vandas are rare and only sold at high-end florists and garden centres. A jewel to be cherished.
Photo: Vanda
Dendrobium
The Dendrobium orchid gets its name from the Greek ‘dendron’ meaning tree and ‘bios’ meaning ‘life’. Many species of Dendrobium are known for their excellent ability to purify the air of toluene (the key ingredient in thinner) and xylene (a resin and fat solvent). That is why they are seen as natural air fresheners. (source: thejoyofplants.co.uk)
Photo: Dendrobium
Paphiopedilum
The Paphiopedilum, also known as the Venus slipper, was officially described for the first time in 1886. It caused great excitement among Victorians because of its somewhat erotic appearance. For this reason, the Paphiopedilum is still symbolic as an exciting gift for lovers…
Photo: Paphiopedilum
Zygopetalum
Ever since it was introduced in its cultivated form in 1880, the Zygopetalum orchid has symbolized ‘a spiritual connection between people who belong together’ just as the various petals and lips belong together.
The orchid is a much-loved plant because of the many different flower shapes and colours. The special meanings make each plant unique and ideal to give as a truly personal gift.
