Day 6 – Phalaenopsis

I have to admit it has been a lazy day in our household today… up late, cooked brunch, snoozy cuddles with the cats on the sofa (only disturbed by the squeals from my OH watching a rather tense Manchester derby!).

A few strong coffees later and I am back to work…. I say work, but I do enjoy doing this, and I also get chance to catch up with a few of my other favourite blogs.

Today I am sharing one of my favourite plants with you… the Phalaenopsis orchid.  I currently own eight orchid plants, seven of which are Phalaenopsis, varying from hot pink, and spotty yellow to pure white.

Orchids love sunlight, and one thing I have noticed since moving from a sunny second floor flat to a basement apartment is that they now struggle to flower twice a year like they used to.  It is a shame, but when one does burst in to bloom, it makes it even more special.

So with that, I bid you adieu.  And just as a little teaser, one of my bride’s emailed me some photos from her wedding that we did the flowers for last year and I cannot wait to share them with you next week.

It is that time of the week again!

Yep, Monday is when I sit and look through our wedding photos from the weekend and choose which ones to share with you guys.

This week is a little tougher than normal as we were involved in 4, yes 4, weddings on Saturday, and again, each one was so different from the next.

To start with, I am going to share an elegant, white Champagne themed celebration.

 

 

Nikk’s Bouquet was a teardrop shaped design, made using Avalanche & Viviane Roses, Lisianthus and Cymbidium Orchids.  Her Bridesmaid carried a handtied posy of the same flowers.

 

The reception was held in the Colonnade Suite in the Villa Marina, and the thing I love about this venue is that it is so elegant.  The room has cream walls, pale wooden floor and lots of windows to let the natural light in.  The neutral tones of the room would match any colour scheme, but it looks so clean and bright with an all ivory and gold scheme like Nikki’s.

The table plan was set out in a way I hadn’t seen before – Each table was named after a Champagne, with the names hung around the neck of each bottle.  The guests found which bottle they were on and then found their table… I wonder if each table got to drink the Champagne after?  I quite like Veuve Clicquot!

The table centres were handtied posies of Roses, Lisianthus and Freesia, in clear glass cube vases.  This meant that the guests were able to take home the flowers at the end of the night.

 

We also provided Bay trees on hire to decorate the entrance to the room, and each tree had white Avalanche roses wired into the foliage, with gold ribbon around the stem to tie it in with  the theme.

The top table also had an arrangement of Roses and Orchids on…

Another touch I liked about this wedding was the large portrait of the happy couple stood on an easle to the side of the room.  The photograph had a wide mount surrounding it, with the idea being that the guests signed the mount and left messages for Nikki & Stephen to take home with them after the wedding.

This was a wedding full of timeless elegance and I really enjoyed being part of it… Congratulations to Nikki and Stephen from all of us at The Flower Studio!

More photos from the other weddings we were involved with are to follow later this week!

Its all about the Orchids today…

 Hello again, McVitie here!

Did you all have a good weekend?  I got my walk on Ramsey Beach as promised and then slept for most of the day, despite Heidi’s cats pestering me and sleeping in MY bed!

It is a miserable rainy Monday here at Tynwald Mills, but I have a comfy cushion and steady stream of cuddles and attention from The Flower Studio customers (and the Postman, who always has biscuits in his pocket!!).

A lot of people have been buying Phalaenopsis orchids from the shop today, so I thought I would let Heidi share some of the top care tips that we give our customers…  I would tell you myself, but I have a Jumbone to finish…

 Don’t overwater them!  Orchids hate their roots to be standing in water and this is the top killer of these beautiful plants, as people tend to water them the same as they do their other houseplants.  The best way, so I’ve found, to water an orchid is to fill a large bowl with tepid water (and orchid food if you have it) and dunk the plastic pot under the water for a couple of minutes.  Then leave the plant to drain before putting it back in its decorative pot.  Let the roots dry out slightly between watering.

They love Sun… but not directly.  An East or West facing window is perfect.  The orchid leaves should be firm and green… if they become floppy, the plant is getting too little (or too much) sunshine.  I discovered this after moving from a second floor apartment to a basement flat… my orchids were not impressed!

They will re-flower!  And it is so satisfying when they do!   When the current stem has finished flowering, cut it back to just above one of the joints (nodes) in the stem.  With any luck, a new shoot will come from this.  If is doesn’t, don’t worry.. cut the stem right back down to the base of the plant, and it should send up a brand new one.

Cool nights are best.  An orchid will thrive when there is a tempreature difference of  8 – 10 degrees between day time and night time.  Putting the plant in an unheated room, such as a consevatory or bathroom is usually enough, but never subject the plant to a cold draught or warm blasts of air.

To re-pot or not?  Phalaenopsis orchids actually like to be pot bound, and their flowering performance is better if the roots are slightly constricted.  However, if you have had your orchid for a few years, it might benefit from some fresh bark and a spring clean!  Gently remove the orchid from the pot and shake off any bark from the roots.  Check the roots and cut off any that are brown, or have signs of mould.  Never plant orchids into soil… it is too moist… most large garden centres should stock Orchid Bark.  Place the orchid back into a clean pot, and start gently packing the roots with bark until the plant sits firm in the pot and doesn’t wobble.  Leave the orchid somewhere cool and out of the sun for a couple of days and then move back to its usual place.

What to look for when you buy a Phalaenopsis orchid….

• Firm green leaves
• Roots that are silvery/grey, with green tips
• Clean bark, with no sign of mould
• Flower buds that are firm.  If they are soft and wrinkled, they will more than likely have fallen off by the time you get your plant home.

That is all for today from us… we will see you tomorrow!