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Just sharing some photos of my orchids and a bit about each, probably won't make for great reading but the pictures are worth a look I reckon

First Orchid, a mini Phal, I loved the colour of the flowers on this one, and went for it for that reason, at this point I didn't think to look for good roots and leaves, I have since learnt how to chose a healthy orchid but in the mean time this guy needs some help, I noticed it starting to wilt and wrinkle and suspected the roots were in trouble, it's roots were mostly rotten when I looked, just as suspected, and it only had 3 leaves and no new leaf growth, although I was surprised by how many good roots were left so it should be fine. I begrudgingly clipped the flower stem off, although I couldn't face just chucking it out so bunged it in some water so I could enjoy those beautiful blooms a little longer! I then tipped the orchid out and trimmed up the roots and re-potted, so this is from start to finish:









Not a lot to say about the next two mini phals, unfortunately the purple one had some damage in transit and lost a lot of flowers, but both plants have great leaves and roots so I wasn't too fussed about the flowers, the pale pink one had beautiful flowers though. With these I made sure to check for good roots and healthy leaves.








This large cream phal is beautiful, and has a new leaf growing, one flower stem had already been cut when purchased with two nodes remaining, it started to brown so I trimmed it right back, it was hook shaped so not sure it would have re-bloomed too fantastically anyway if it had decided to. It has a new leaf growing which seems healthy, so is likely near the end of flowering:





Another big Phal, this one has huge blooms! they are massive! I noticed with this one a leaf had started to brown, I wasn't sure if it was sunburn as the plant was very purple on the leaves and it's new leaf grew in completely purple at first, or whether it was bacterial, but the leaf was mushy, had a yellow halo and was spreading, so I went with my gut on this one and removed the leaf, which pained me quite a bit as it was a very good sized leaf! but as you can see it certainly wasn't healthy:









Yesterday I was on a hunt for african violets, pitcher plants and distilled water, I didn't find any of those, but I did find two very nice fly traps, and plenty of orchids, there was a Miltonia that is still going round my head now, I may have to go back for it.....there was a couple of phals I really liked too, reduced to a fiver each still blooming, the temptation!!! But, I rescued two orchids from the reduced shelf, both had finished blooming, one was incredibly limp. The first had some kind of spotted pinky purpley flowers from what I could tell from the crispy dried remains of flowers in the bark, but it will still be a nice surprise when it reblooms and I can see the flowers properly, it also appears to be missing a leaf but is also in the process of growing what seems to be quite a big leaf. The limp one was put in a pot to soak for a while, but I'm still having a hard time getting the roots to stay wet looking, it was so dehydrated! I am loathe to let it sit in water too long. They were £2 each and had just been left neglected and unwatered, all because they had finished blooming, so sad, but then, they were worth that just for the ceramic pots which are very decorative, though I have removed them from these to re-use the pots for other plants I even bought an outdoor plant which can go in the garden, it looks a bit rough but the weather is still mild so fingers crossed for it, it was just a pound with a nice big ceramic pot

The rescue orchids:


No clue what kind of flowers to expect from this one, if it makes it, the roots are numerous and look good, just dried out, I also trimmed up the flower stalks on both the rescue Phals, may clip these ones right back, I doubt it's in any state to re-flower, such a shame, looks like it was a real big healthy plant before it was neglected:



The bonus pots:




More random orchid photos:




Now the question is.......how many is too many? I have 7 orchids, that's not too many is it? I mean...if a few more phals and a miltonia turned up in my home that wouldn't be terrible would it? WOULD IT?!!?? I love these plants

Wonderful looking plants! Thanks for sharing all of those photos, Azurei

Thank you Matt I do love them, my favorite flowers, when I first started with orchids I said to my other half if people only bought me an orchid for every birthday and christmas I would be a very happy woman lol, maybe throw in some carnivorous plants these days too though

On another note if any of my pictures are useful to anybody for websites or just because they like them, feel free to use them.

Also, I haven't gone back for those phals or the miltonia......yet still mulling that one over, hmmmmmm

There's no such thing as to many plants IMO

Cory wrote:There's no such thing as to many plants IMO

Can I quote you when my other half says I have too many? haha the poor guy is long suffering, he thinks I'm stark raving mad (I can't say he's wrong...), the plants are probably a bit of light relief for him

Sure
I have been told I have to many by people before but that hasn't deterred me at all lol.

Still got a few on the list I think I need. Won't stop until I get them all

I bought the miltonia (actually thinking miltoniopsis, but who knows! anyone? ) and rescued another phal from the £2 bunch. There was one that was just a brown dried up crispy stump with no leaves roots or crown for £2........I'm thinking they should have just binned that, it was clearly long gone