Congrats on your new purchase! Did you know that there's also an Orchid Forum here on GardenWeb? It can be quite informative for a newbie like yourself! Check out the link below. To answer some of your questions: 1) Phalaenopsis or Moth Orchids are probably the easiest to care for and re-flower because they enjoy the same conditions people enjoy with moderate light and moderate temperatures. But don't just stick with Phals, there are other easy to grow ones! 2)Best place to get orchids?? Hmmm, I've found that the local Lowe's or Home Depots and even Walmart carry some affordable orchids. But for the most unique selections and great bargains, the NW Flower and Garden Show hosts a number of vendors that offer tremendous deals on the last days of the show!!!! whooo hooo!! 3)Orchids in general are really low feeders not requiring that much in terms of fertilization. Each type of orchid is different so there's a little homework involved. 4)Again, lighting will vary from orchid to orchid. Since they are flowering plants, they will require some level of lighting, but some are more picky than others. Again, more homework for ya, but it's not too bad. Check out the AOS (American Orchid Society) website to learn more or if you'd like a local group to answer your orchid inquiries, the NW Orchid Society is also here. Hope this helps! Cheers, Riz Here is a link that might be useful: Orchid Forum

today it looks a little better, not all the flowers are wilted but a few still are so if I am lucky many they will not all drop.I have learned some things however through this. Now I know to look at the roots color to know when to water I did not know that before.I think I was not watering enough with my others in the past. I was so worried about over watering. I put one of my older orchid plants out in a shady part of the atrium where it gets filtered sun light and is open to the air and rain etc, it is looking fabulous! With all this rain we have had I thought it would be dead for sure but nope it is doing great. Maybe I will put more outside I just never thought of putting them out there. My cleaning lady is the one that said I needed to put that one out there she thought it needed sunshine LOL guess she was right. I was using the 3 ice cubes but I don't think that was enough for some of them. My African Violet is in full bloom right now looking awesome. I have it in a special container for those with the double pot so the bottom pot always has the water with the food solution in it and the pot with the violet sits down into that one and absorbs the water through the walls. I keep a special gallon jug of water for it, let the water sit out for several days before using it and I add a packet of violet food to the gallon. I had never had much luck with those but one of my neighbors is an African Violet fanatic and knows everything about them, she gave me this one I have now and told me what to do. So far it sure is working LOL.

The only one I know of is on the site of the old, and much missed, Roslyn Nursery in Dix Hills, but I don't know the name or address and it didn't seem to be open to the public last time I was there. Rita Cohen has retired from her nursery, Orchid Art, so perhaps your best option is to call one or two of the regular plant nurseries that you're planning to visit and see if they know of any growers, you never know! Jim

Hi i am a hoya grower and live in south Brisbane i have a big back yard and i grow lots of hoyas .. but can never find the hoya serpen " the Rosary Hoya " & hoya curtisii .. so if any one out there knows where i can find them or would like to swap some cutting i have a large range of hoyas here at home about 65 different ones. . My email is .. colincoughran@hotmail.com.au Love to hear from anyone. . Cheers Colin