Adding an instant touch of glamour to your home needn’t cost the earth. A few pounds can buy you a glorious orchid and there’s a huge range of colours, shapes and sizes to choose from. Whether you favour the purity of white blooms or the showiness of purple stripes, you can find one of these exotic lovelies to add depth and colour to any room. Just remember to avoid drafts, direct sunlight and over-watering. A light mist with a water spray will keep them humid. While there are tens of thousands of hybrids, most indoor plants fall into one of the two fabulous categories below.
MOTH ORCHIDS/PHALAENOPSIS
Known in their native Indonesia as the ‘flower of charm’, moth orchids are both beautiful and practical. They produce long-lasting flowers and can bloom all year round. They can even cope brilliantly with central heating! Their flowers grow on a single stalk and are usually round with a pronounced lip. Coming in shades of white, pink and purple, their exotic blooms can cheer up even the dullest of days.
CANE ORCHIDS/DENDROBIUM
As their name suggests, these orchids grow on stalks from thick canes. Their flowers are generally smaller than those of the Moth Orchid and can grow in rows and clusters. A south facing window would be the perfect environment as they need light, though never direct sunlight. During the summer growing phase, these plants can double in size producing spectacular flowers.
