What percentage of collection is in flower

[ArronOB]

Hi. I think it would be interesting to know what percentage of our orchid collections are in flower at any one time. Let’s concentrate on the two peak flowering times (I think maybe spring and late autumn).

If you are prepared to answer, can you please indicate what you grow at the alliance level (ie catts, phals, vandas etc) and how (ie inside under lights, outside year round etc).

My interest in this is because I have a collection of mainly about 50 hybrid catts, 40 Oncidium alliance, and a few stragglers from other genera. I grow outside year round. My issue is I am great at growing large healthy green plants, but don’t get many flowers. The only plants that flower reliably are the old-faithful Oncidium types like wildcat, Charles Fitz Izumi and winter wonderland. The main problem I believe is lack of light. Fixing this problem would require some major work - mature trees felled plus excavation of our sloping site, then shadehouses rebuilt. Possible, but I would need to be sure it is worth it. I also wonder if our environment is too cold for the cattleya hybrids.

I need information to decide what to do, so I hope this question is interesting to a wide range of people too.

Cheers
Arron