Hi All,
As I have only been growing orchids for the past 6 years, my initial approach was to purchase mature plants to get that "instant gratification", this approach being motivated because of my then tender age of 57 (only if I had discovered orchids at a much earlier age!).
Currently my approach is to purchase seedlings and flasks from recognised high quality hybridisers, in order to identify these hybridisers I do a great deal of research and go to a number of orchide shows to identify the orchids that in my opinion has the "wow" factor. With some genera, I will purchase mature/near mature plants in order to again get that "instant gratification", but "ouch" this approach does cost, particularly when you fall in love with a Paph. rothschildianum or its hybrids.
For my 60th birthday, my wife purchased a flask of rothchildianum/sanderianum crosses, she asked whether I wanted anything else to which I replied "to see them flower" she was a bit bemused by my response, but, understood when I explained to her that it could take 20 years or more to see them flower: unfortunately they have all gone to heaven, I have a way to go in successfully growing Paph. seedlings from flask.
I've substituted the Paph. seedlings with Dendrobium speciosum grandiflorum flask seedlings (I know I can grow these), a spectacular Australian native orchid, should be able to get them to flower within 8 - 12 years, but, 15- 20 years to reach speciment size. One of the parents is 'William', and I've enclosed a couple of photos taken by a mate of mine.
Regards
George
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