Reread the early posts in Cultural information. Forget about all this expert rubbish and never believe anything any vendor tells you. They will tell all sorts of things are easy when in fact they can only be grown by "experts" whatever those things are.

What do you have that has rebloomed? Phals? then try some different colours and perhaps some of the species? Ditto for other Genera.

Try and buy some advanced plants so you do not have wait years and years to see some results.

Having lived in Chicago for over 15 years in a small apartment, the orchids that grew the best were phalies and paphs. Militoniopsis are nice, but require cooler temps and high humidity. Cattleyas were hard because they require a lot of light. But I grew a few in my office window in the BP towers with southern exposure and they bloomed each spring. Hausermann's will have some nice stuff. As well as EFG (if they are there). If you are looking into more species, I'd ask the vendor if the plant tolerates growing in the home. If you have a plant stand that has artificial lights, then most any orchid will grow. Better that it doesn't grow tall. Mini catts are good under lights. As well as phalies, and paphs. Jewel Orchids (Ludisia) have pretty leaves and are easy to grow, but have very tiny flowers. I like the mini phals. like P. equestris. Brassias will do okay, but require cattleya like light. Odonts are like miltoniopsis and that they like cooler, humid conditions with bright indirect light. There are numerous books on growing orchids indoors. One by Rebecca Northen Tyson, a classic. Get this book. It's great.

Hi Jodi,

I agree that shows are always exciting, even to the most jaded of us.

As for what to buy, I'd agree with Arthur and Toyo to a certain extent. You're going to a show, you know you're going to see a plant and fall head over heels for it. It really happens to the best of us and you do sometimes end up with something you're really good at growing, but you more often than not end up with yet another nice green houseplant ;-)

My first recommendation to you is to nail down your growing conditions - "intermediate temps" can mean a LOT of things and it's the kind of expression that has vendors rubbing their hands in glee. What is your average day and night temps, what are the differences between seasons, what is your humidity, etc. As for light, with your current setup, what have you rebloomed on a semi-regular basis? Emphasis on the last part of the sentence. For example, I once bloomed a Brassia, one of the first orchids I ever rebloomed. So I went nuts buying more since I had "so much success". It never rebloomed after that, nor did the other ones I had bought. (I now know it was a light thing. The plant that bloomed likely still had energy stores from its previous greenhouse life.)

And the last thing you need to know, perhaps the most important thing - what do YOU like? If Paphs grow well at your house, but you thing they look gross, what's the use? This is YOUR collection, so ask vendors about the growing conditions, peculiarities, maximum size when mature, etc. of plants that do it for you. Ask them if it's an easy grower. And bring along an orchid encyclopedia type book which features many species. The descriptions there usually hint at problematic bloomers, stinky ones (stay away from certain Bulbophyllums) and those that will eventually take over your house.

Having said that, here are a couple of specific recommendations, based on my experience as a windowsill but mostly underlights grower (no specific order, just as I think of them):
- Encyclia cochleata
- mini Cattleyas with smaller and longer petals (think Blc. Richard Mueller and Blc. Maikai, both vigorous growers and prolific bloomers)
- Phals of all shapes, sizes and colours
- Ludisia discolor other jewel orchids are hard to grow since humidity needs to be very high, but Ludisia discolor is available in several variants including alba which is grass green with neon green stripes
- small "regular" Oncidium  like Onc. Twinkle or ornythorhynchum; stay away from Tolumnias, which really like it hot and very bright

Hope this all helps (conciseness was never my strong suit  I used to spend hours shortening my essays in university). Have fun at the show!

Julie

If you want to try Catts, there are many SLC hybrids that require less light. They tend to be red/orange/yellow and many are quite compact.

"Stay away Tolumnia, which really like it hot and very bright" . That in a nutshell is the problem. What is easy for some growers, can be impossible for others. In fact, i never sell my surplus Tolumnia plants at shows because i know that most people will kill them.

What is worth a try...

Ludisia discolor. I think the flowers are lovely
Neofinetia falcata. Great little orchid with neat foliage. Beautiful perfumed flowers.
Restrepia cuprea. Compact miniature, if i can grow it, anyone can.

Some good suggestions here. Let me add a bunch as well (warning, this is a long one):

Aerangis luteo-alba var rhodostica (aka A. rhodostica)
Schoenorchis fragrans (if you have high enough light)
Phals of all sorts
Paphs of the Maudiae variety (any coloratums, albas, vinicolors...)
a lot of Oncidium species and hybrids (NOT talking the intergenerics here); SHARRY BABY :)
Angraecum didieri
Howeara Mini Lava Burst 'Puanani'
Sophronitis cernua
and everyones favorite around here: Haraella retrocalla (aka H. odorata)

A really good suggestion I've been wanting to follow myself but could never seem to remember: Bring some books with you. A lot of books (at least the ones I have) will list whether or not they are easy plants to grow, or if they are suitable for windowsill culture. This way if you find a plant you like you can look it up and find culture requirements to see if its suitable for you.

Some general rules for impulse buys, assuming you're just growing on a window sill and nothing more:

1. THIS IS A GENERALITY AND DOES NOT APPLY TO EVERY SPECIES IN THESE GENERA!! [had to get that disclaimer out of the way] Stay away from anything Pleurothallid: Draculas, Pleurothallis, Restrepia, Scaphyglottis, Trichosalpinx, etc... They all tend to be cool-intermediate temp/high humidity types. There are a few species in these genera that are warmer growing and easier to grow (like arthurs suggested Restrepia cuprea), but for a neophyte I'd suggest stay away from these all together until you get to know individual tempermants through other growers here

2. Research Oncidium intergenerics before you go, and draw up a chart to bring with you of various/common intergeneric names and their parentage (i.e. Beallara=Miltonia x Odontoglossum x Cochlioda x Brassia). A lot of them are pretty easy, but others lean heavily on cool growing parent (most odontoglossums, miltoniopsis, cochlioda being the biggest culprits), which could make them a little more difficult. This chart will help you weed out the latter hybrids.

3. Complex Paph hybrids tend to be a little more cool growing than their Maudiae/Multifloral counterparts.

4. Find out of the plant you want needs a cool winter dormancy. If you aren't able to provide that kind of dormancy, you want to avoid any plants that require it (like Nobile type dendrobiums. Nobile types derived from Yamamoto Nursery breeding are exempt as they dont require the cool down). Some plants, like cycnoches, need a dormancy but it isn't a cool dormancy so you can just stick the dormant bulbs in a kitchen drawer.

These suggestions are from my own experience as a warm plant grower who grows in a windowsill in the winter and out on a balcony the rest of the year. Being a windowsill grower, I've never had good experience with plants that need more intermediate-cool temps. Over in Chicago, you might be able to handle slightly cooler growers a bit easier. But this is at least one place to start, from one windowsill grower to another. Our conditions are different, so it'd also behoove you to throw out all these suggestions and just experiment, see what works for you :) I have a non orchid-savvy friend who is growing and blooming orchids he really shouldn't be having any luck with, so take all the suggestions you're getting here with a boulder of salt and don't be afraid to try new things.

Most important suggestion of all: Just have FUN! :)

Wow! Thanks so much! You've all given me so much excellent information, and some great suggestions, advice and ideas!

I have until September to research, and that's pretty much how I've been spending my free time... reading and looking, reading some more, making a list, more reading!

As a novice, I haven't re-bloomed anything as of yet! What a thing to admit, but it's the truth! But I do have confidence in my abilities, and confidence that I can match the right plants to the right cultural conditions.

My collection so far, consists of young orchids not old enough to bloom, and a few cuttings and divisions from friends. The only blooming orchid I've had, I killed... a Phal. Since that death, I've learned a lot... and nothing else has died!

I'm a very accomplished outdoor gardener, and a rather good indoor gardener, just not experienced with growing orchids. But that's changing, and I'm determined to grow and bloom, and re-bloom, the orchids I have and will have.

Until recently, I never knew there were so many different orchid types, and I didn't know any of them would grow in a home environment. I really just hadn't been introduced to them in the past.

Since my friend sent me a piece of her Epi radicans, I've been digging into the world of orchids, trying to learn all there is to know... and now, I'm hopelessly addicted!

Learning about orchids is proving to be like researching anything else... you go to as many sources as you can for information, take it all with a grain of salt and a lot of common sense...

Thanks again for sharing your tips and advice! I'm on my way to becoming an orchid grower with a decent collection that I will have flowers from! It'll just take a bit of time... but patience is everything to the passionate gardener!

Its a really difficult addiction to overcome. There are some 12 step programs, but I haven't found one to work...'one day at a time.'

One piece of advice would be to join your local Orchid Society. They are fun and you meet so many people in your area, see the plants they grow and learn a lot. Meeting people growing successfully in your area helps you to know what does well under similar conditions. You get lots of free or low cost plants through their raffles and shows. I rarely buy plants anymore.

Jane

My husband says I need a 12 step program, but I don't think I have a problem... (denial - a sure sign of addiction!)

Anyway... more great advice, thanks! I'm trying to get information on a local chapter of the Orchid Society. I'm hoping there are meetings close by, so I can attend without having to drive too far. I've heard good things about being a member of local societies, regardless of plant type, like the Rose Society, for instance.

Back to the search for list additions... thanks again!

Jodi, Jodi !!! You haven't even seen the TIP of the addiction iceberg !!! The first one that blooms for you will START you on the tip !!! Just wait and see how HOPELESSLY addicted you'll be after that !!! HAHAHA !!

One of my first Phals was the equestris 'Riverbend' AM/AOS that is a sequential bloomer that bloomed for an entire year last season !! I highly recommend it !

P. equestris 'Riverbend' AM/AOS
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Have fun at the show and don't forget to bring a BOULDER of salt !!

Chryss

Hahaha! Thank you, Chryss! I can only imagine how hopelessly lost I'll be when I achieve my first re-blooming, nevermind my first blooming... and I'm already lost in the beauty that orchids are! Just the green plants I have, without blooms, are a constant source of joy and amazement!

I know the show will be fun, and I've got extra batteries ready for the camera. A boulder of salt, I already have! I have successfully survived 3 step-kids, a kennel of dogs, 2 husbands (I kept #2), and 3 grandchildren, so far! A few vendors trying to make a sale are nothing, I tell you!

But seriously, I know it'll be fun, and I know I'll probably spend too much... I've been eying that very Phal in photos, and it's quite lovely! I love species, even though a lot aren't the best choices for beginners. Armed with the info I have, I think I'll do fine choosing plants to bring home!

Thanks for the laugh!