What of the orchids?

16 Jun, 2026

Time for an update on the orchids.

I wrote previously here about my modern take on orchid growing and its one of the things I keep wishing to share with the indifferent internet, so here we go.

First off - the big cool cloud forest grow tent. Now pretty much this got a bit neglected and I missed the fact things were suffering for a little while. Its too crowded and things were getting too much light so I've moved things around a bit which has helped. Then we had a week of insane temperatures. I then went on holiday and left them in the care of my plant sitter... I think she watered them, but they need some general tlc in the next few weeks. I need to remove some of the duplicates and throw them in the recycling¹. That will free up some space. Then whatever is left probably needs multiple re-pots and shocking no-one I will then buy more plants.

Next up is the small hot terrarium sitting in my home office. Now this is doing well. Its being slowly taken over by Begonia species but the orchids mounted either on cork bark or on a hardwood stick are looking good. Only one flowered recently - the Haraella retrocalla below, but everything is growing well.

The one other area of success is on a small windowsill where I grow my Neofinetia falcata (Technically Vanda falcata now). These have a rich history in Japan as Fukiran a 400+ year old culture of cultivation originally by the elite but now by lots of people in and out of Japan - including me. There are a myriad of forms based around flower shape, colour or leaf variation and even root tip form. Its one of those things you can get very nerdy about should you wish (what, me, never). In its regular form Vanda falcata have small sweet smelling white/pink flowers from small bushy green fans of leaves.

I have 3 types that have flowered all at the same time. The standard form which I have had the longest and is in its very nice proper fukiran pot from a UK based Japanese potter. The ‘Benikaede’ form that has small pink trending to orange flowers, and a ‘Higashidemiyako’ form that has variated leaves and small pure white flowers.

Standard form Vanda falcata

Benikaede form

Higashidemiyako form

I hopefully will get some more posh pots for these and add to the collection on the windowsill.