Effects Of Orchid/Plant Addiction

[marcmaubert]

Originally Posted by Optimist

Just recently in a hospital bed explaining on the phone to a total non-plant person how to water each type of orchid. It's madness!

Hope you're ok!

[jkofferdahl]

Originally Posted by Optimist

Just recently in a hospital bed explaining on the phone to a total non-plant person how to water each type of orchid. It's madness!

I hope you're now home and much better!

[Leafmite]

The funny thing about people thinking that flowers are only for women is that it is mostly men who are involved in the orchid business, especially in the past. It was mostly men who searched for orchids, brought them to Europe, named them, sold them, bought them and hybridized them. Nearly every person I have met that hybridizes orchids is a man. One vendor does make crosses of a certain orchid that his wife likes as well as what he likes but he definitely appreciates the orchids more than his wife. We had a vendor speak at our meeting and he described how risky it often was to save orchids from destruction...including climbing up sheer cliffs.

As for the other flowers, in the past, it was mostly men who were involved in the wholesale production and distribution of them. You really need to admire their beauty to be a producer or buyer of flowers for how else can you know what others will appreciate?

It is sad when one is ashamed to appreciate beauty. Beauty definitely restores the soul and makes life much more enjoyable.

---------- Post added at 11:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:56 AM ----------

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

I hope you're now home and much better!

Me, too!

[Dollythehun]

Hope you are on the mend, Optimist.

[greenpassion]

Leaf Mite, you sound so much like me. I have to literally force myself to not enter certain stores and greenhouses because I am unable to not purchase a plant. I am absolutely out of control and I have been for years but it is gaining control over me. I prefer to spend my time puttering with plants than being with people these days. And then I turn around and I'm sad that I don't have company to show off and share my plants with! I walked by an office building and look through the window, see a plant, and know what plant I'm looking at and have to tell whoever I am with about that plant. I'm known where I work as the Orchid Whisperer haha. But that is only because they know so little and don't know that I don't know much either 🙄

---------- Post added at 08:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:34 PM ----------

And about those purple grow lights? No way.! That's why I have the white natural light LED set up in my living room. My living area is beautiful and I never want to leave it. Haven't been in a relationship in a long time. Several years. Still waiting for the guy who doesn't want to do anything other than putter with plants, talk about plants, build me a greenhouse, buy me more orchids, carnivorous plants, tillies, hoyas- (well, the list is too long,) and let's me stay at home with them!

---------- Post added at 08:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:44 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Optimist

Just recently in a hospital bed explaining on the phone to a total non-plant person how to water each type of orchid. It's madness!

Wow. I hope everything's okay. A few years ago I had to go away for a little while and had a co-worker come to my house and tend to my orchids. She knew nothing about them and it took me quite a while before I could trust that she understood the information and the procedures. and while I was away all I could do was worry about them. It is stressful for sure. Hope all is well.

[Wathepleela]

First thing I wake up in the morning is boil water for tea, and while the kettle is humming, look out to the balcony and take in the sight of my ox spot harlequin (I often wonder who in the world came up with this kind of nomenclature that we're now stuck with?) in bloom. It's like listening to Bach. (Sometimes I would put Bach on as well but the result would be like mixing a good wine with another good wine, not recommended!)

There you have it, a few addictions: orchids/plants, wine and music... that at this stage in life I can still afford, and "that's a good thing."

Originally Posted by Optimist

Just recently in a hospital bed explaining on the phone to a total non-plant person how to water each type of orchid. It's madness!

Last Xmas I made an extended trip back to the US. Before leaving I handed over my mokara to my barber, who until then had no idea what an orchid looks like: "What is this, how come it has no trunk?" Nevertheless while I was away, he sent me pics of the mokara blooming. When I got back I "learned" from my barber what do and don't. Now almost a year later I'm still waiting for the thing to bloom...

Hope you're fine now, Optimist.

[Leafmite]

Originally Posted by greenpassion

I walked by an office building and look through the window, see a plant, and know what plant I'm looking at and have to tell whoever I am with about that plant.

Haven't been in a relationship in a long time. Several years. Still waiting for the guy who doesn't want to do anything other than putter with plants, talk about plants, build me a greenhouse, buy me more orchids, carnivorous plants, tillies, hoyas- (well, the list is too long,) and let's me stay at home with them

It is fun to see familiar plants in movies and shows or in buildings and homes. I always feel happy.

So many plants, so little space. If I had more space, I would probably collect all the Jasmines and Passiflora.

My husband doesn't have any interest in plants but he tolerates them. I wish he did share the interest with me but, then, I cannot complain because I do not have any interest in Chess which he loves. A chess tournament would be as painful for me as an orchid show would be for him. I do buy him chess-related stuff now and then and he does buy me the occasional plant.

---------- Post added at 12:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:43 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Wathepleela

Last Xmas I made an extended trip back to the US. Before leaving I handed over my mokara to my barber, who until then had no idea what an orchid looks like: "What is this, how come it has no trunk?" Nevertheless while I was away, he sent me pics of the mokara blooming. When I got back I "learned" from my barber what do and don't. Now almost a year later I'm still waiting for the thing to bloom...

That is so funny! I have given cuttings of plants to people and found they had more success with their plants than I ever had with mine.

[jkofferdahl]

Originally Posted by katrina

Oh my...any man that derives pleasure from shopping for a vacuum cleaner AND wants to use it on a regular basis...would win my heart. If I weren't married and you didn't have that nasty cat-aversion.... it could've been a match made in heaven. LOL!

In reality I love cats. I just take a perverse pleasure in tormenting my dear friend Carol.

[katrina]

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

In reality I love cats. I just take a perverse pleasure in tormenting my dear friend Carol.

Ah Ha! A closet cat lover! And you talk about cats being sneaky? LOL!