a windowsill full of Phals.

[Leo Schordje]

Jean Schordje's windowsill Feb 2010

When I was a kid, my mother always had a number of houseplants on the windowsills of the home. She mostly grew African Violets. When I moved back to the Chicago area after college, I started giving her the occasional Phalaenopsis, she particularly likes Phals. She has become quite a good grower of Phals. She does not care about the breeding or AOS flower quality, if she likes it, she grows it, if not, she gives it away. This is a photo of her east facing bay window off the kitchen. Some of the Phals in the window she has had for more than 20 years. Most she has had for more than 5 years. You might recognize a Phal Baldan's Kaleidoscope, Phal Mini Mark 'Holme', Phal equestris, a (complex pink x schilleriana) hybrid, Phal Brother Rose, an amabilis hybrid and a couple others whose names I have forgotten. In the background is a Dendrochilum glumacea just before it flowers opened. (this photo is a couple weeks old) which I will post close ups of in another thread.

I am really quite impressed with her skill. She has a very practical low tech approach to her growing, and she is good at it. She even does most of her own repotting, so this photo is 100% her efforts, not mine. (I do pick up bark and supplies for her, but she does the repotting).

 

[nikv]

Very nice, Leo. You're mother has quite the green thumb!

 

[Hera]

Wow, nice windowsill. I especially like the deep red. She has the knack for sure. She has chosen some pretty pots too.

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

I especially like the deep red. She has the knack for sure.

Me too! That baby really sticks out of the pack.

Leo, you have to tell your mom we are all duly impressed with her growing skills. Isn't it time a slipper adorned her sill, or does she think they are too odd?

 

[Ernie]

Cool. Yeah, you'll have to find out what the short, dark red one is. You guys might not realize it, but I love Phals. I just don't really get deep into their taxonomy, forums, etc. I grow them for fun.

-Ernie

 

[Yoyo_Jo]

What a gorgeous display. I love the way she grows them in pretty pots too. I started out growing my orchids that way, in nice display pots, but discovered I could have way more plants if I didn't do that.

 

[Clark]

One could almost make out the ghost of Leo within the room.

Nice collection to be blooming all at once!

 

[li'l frog]

Sogo Grape?

 

[Leo Schordje]

Cool. Yeah, you'll have to find out what the short, dark red one is. You guys might not realize it, but I love Phals. I just don't really get deep into their taxonomy, forums, etc. I grow them for fun.

-Ernie

Lois is right, I think it is either a Phal Sogo Grape or else it is a Brother Rose. Its a meristem that I got from Oak Hill. The deep pink with red lip and a fine white margin on the petals is also a meristem from Oak Hill. I will check over the weekend when I head down to the folk's to visit.

..... Isn't it time a slipper adorned her sill, or does she think they are too odd?

Nope! She has always told me she doesn't like Slippers that much. They can visit, but they can't stay. I think what it is, I grow too cool for Phals, Mom grows on the warm side of intermediate. This means Phals are something I don't do particularly well, and she can. By choosing Phals, she has her own 'thing', that is different from my 'thing'. Nobody can say I did these plants for her, because they wouldn't grow this nice at my house. I do help find good examples of color types. And over the 30+ years I have been banging around the hobby she has occasionally been with me and has met many of the hobby's notables. Her copy of Christiansen's the Genus Phalaenopsis has a nice dedication autograph in it from when he stopped there with me on one of his visits to Chicago. When she wanted a white, I took her to Marilyn Ledoux, and she fixed her up with the multifloral x amabilis hybrid. When she wanted a white Phal equestris, H.P Norton took care of her. (it is not in this photo) Bob Wellenstien sent me the pink equestris for her. And at Oak Hill, Herman and Lisa both knock them selves out finding a 'nice ' Phal for her. One of the pinks, that always blooms for her birthday, is from John Moses (there's a name from the past) So the little collection of 18 Phals, and a couple odd & ends, has more than the usual share of 'select' clones from around the country. Its her hobby, she built this collection. It is not an "over-flow" extension of my hobby.

 

[NYEric]

Your mom does well!

 

[smartie2000]

Nice display. I like that purple with a light edge in the front.

 

[John M]

Beautiful display. I've got so many plants to care for now, I don't ever arrange them nicely and "display" them like that anymore. I should make an effort. That looks really nice!

 

[cnycharles]

very nice. it's good to see the results of someone who has 'native' talent with growing plants

 

[SlipperFan]

Leo, you are a "chip off the old block" (meant as a compliment to both you and your Mom).

 

[JeanLux]

Excellent growing of all those lovely phals !!!!
(I am not esp. good at growing phal. hybrids , maybe because I am a he-Jean)

Jean

 

[biothanasis]

Great show!!! What is the plant of the right (of the photo) behind the phals? The red one reminds me of trichoglottis brachiata...! Also there is a mini mark flower in between some pink flowers!??

 

[etex]

Beautiful display of gorgeous blooms! Your mom has great talent at selecting and growing phals!! A green thumb, for sure!!