Oh boy you're asking for it! What kind of qualities do you find appealing? Fragrance? Size of flowers? Colours? Flower shape? Number of flowers? There are so many choices, all of them fantastic, and most of them not too difficult to grow! Aren't you lucky to have a greenhouse - what I'd give!

nick wrote, " put the plants in a dedicated corner for old and decrepit and give them a chance."

another tried-and-true strategy is to put 'em under the bench (aka humid & shady). Don't worry about 'em. If there's GOOD life left, they will come back.

--Stitz--

Another question is what is the greenhouse temperature range, particularly the lowest nighttime low temperature.

Cattleyas are always a good choice. They are easy to water and don't mind getting dry between. There are a lot of nice mini-catt hybrids if space is a consideration.

Stitz is right about under-bench as a recovery option. Plants will usually grow well in light levels where they would never bloom. A recovering plant should not be allowed to bloom anyway. The risk in it is forgetting to inspect. Bugs can get a good infestation going under the bench if they are not checked for from time to time.

I got a call from someone who was active in our spociety 20 years ago. Then he withdrewq and became a 'Boat Person' for 10 years. He kept things alive in his greenhouse, mostly cats. Now he gave up the boat and renewed his interest in orchids.

He trimmed and cut to size many of his plants and was ready to throw out a trash can full of cattleya pieces. I brought them home, discarded some of the pieces and grew the others. When they bloomed he gave them an ID from his existing plants. I don't like to throw plants away, they are so willing to grow.

Nick

I am not necessarily looking for growing advice but more for interesting, worthwhile and favorite orchids that everyone has. I am fairly aware how to grow different species and will be able to adjust my environment for the benefit of whichever plants are recommended.

Again, like Richard pointed out, especially temperature is going to be key for recommendations. It's not growing advice, its tailoring recommendations to what you are realistically capable of growing. You say you can adjust the environment, but to what degree? Can you keep telipogons alive (plants that don't want to see more than 65F, but want 90%RH) if you wanted to? Can you also control the light enough to give plants of different light requirements happy?

Some warm growers that come to mind:
Phalaenopsis violacea
BLC George King 'Serendipity' AM/AOS
Angraecum sesquipedale
Paph rothschildianum and its hybrids
Paph Prince Edward of York
Dendrobium Sea Mary 'Snow King'
Most definitely Brassavola nodosa
Brassavola cucullata
Brassavola Little Stars

I see now that telipogons are very interesting and seemingly picky plants. Thanks for instilling an interest in these plants. My conditions are varied. I have a hot side and cool side of the greenhouse 80-90 degrees during the day and 55-65 at night. I am hoping to increase humidity this year but it is ok as it is (not completely desert) the house is on the top floor so gets plenty of sun (even enough for vandas I think). I also dont throw plants away ever. I have grown probably 40 of my collection (which is not very big) from decrepit plants and am still waiting for flowers. I will be excited when they arrive! I am just now purchasing plants and am wondering which plants are most worthwhile to purchase not to replace my old plants :)

If you enjoy shopping, go for the Telipogans, they are the gift that will keep on giving to the addicted shopper as you will continually replace them.

Nick

Lol@nick

You still haven't answered my questions. If your conditions are so ideal, then all it boils down to is what is aesthetically pleasing to you, and going from there.

I never said my conditions are so ideal. I try the best I know how but would never attempt the likes of Telipogons. Andy is the only one I know who has grown them successfully.

I think I work backwards, creating the conditions first and then finding plants that love them. In the new cold greenhouse, temps are kept below 80F, humidity is high,70% and up and I water everything often twice a day with RO water which has a little fertilizer added. Certain plants will love this, others will not. If a plant does not adapt to this I will not change the conditions, rather do without that particular plant.

The main target plants, Draculas, Masdevallias, Pleuros, Stelis, Lepanthes, Odontoglossums etc seem to like this environment and now we sit back for a year and see what they do. After going a complete year adjustments may be made.

I have the following growing areas: Cold greenhouse, warm greenhouse, lath house under 63% shade cloth and lath house under 50% shade cloth. Darker areas and brighter areas. I shuffle plants around until I find the right spot for them, some never do get happy and I learn to live without them. Each area has major groups.

Bulbos and other species warm, Cymbidiums and AU Dendrobiums under 50%, every thing else under 63%. Sarcochilus have a dark corner where they get very little light. The conditions are written in granite, just need to move the plants to the right place.

Which plants are best is a loaded question. Totally personal preference as to which to purchase and knowing that there probably is a spot where the plant will be happy. On Phaelies for example, I have very few, just a few species. Disas, been there, done that, no more, too much trouble. Hardly any Paphs, that's a world of it's own, I choose not to go there. Have a ton of different strains of D speciosums though, most Paph people tend not to go there. In the end it's all personal preference.

Nick

Thanks for that info Nick. My question (and subsequent comment) was directed towards the OP - he describes a very nice greenhouse setting which could probably accommodate quite a few genera, so in the end, all he really should think about are aesthetic qualities, like fragrance, colour, size, growth habit, etc...

The hobby for me, to a degree, is an interest in creating systems for the plants I want to flourish in. The length to which one is willing to go for a particular genera is probably personal preference. For instance, I think Disas and telipogons are pretty, but would I ever go to the extravagant lengths to grow them? Hell no. I really don't care about them enough. On the other hand, I've paid an arm and a leg to develop terrariums with misters and fans, just so I can grow some african species with a measure of success.

Yeah, I could have stuck with things that 'do well in my conditions'...which would basically be phals, and maybe a few slippers. Personally I have absolutely zero interest in anything that has a pouch - it's all about aesthetics, and how far you're willing to go.

How can the OP expect any recommendations if we don't even know what colours he likes!

I know that many Bulbophyllums are kinda ugly, but one that has fantastic futuristic shape is B. Lobbii. The tall dorsal sepal is impressive. It is #1 on my wish list. I am specifically looking for the flava variation - egg yolk yellow with cream coloured lip.

David, how did you find this thread? It is over ten years old. I hope many see it)