More Orchids!

   WEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! My closet is finally starting to fill up again! Yesterday (technically Wednesday, I started writing this on Thursday, it's Saturday now) would have been a terrible day had it not started with being woken up by my dad dropping a giant box onto my bed as I was sleeping. Thankfully this was around the time that I usually get up anyways, but I had somehow unbelievably forgot about the fact that the plants I had ordered from Kingfisher Orchids were due to arrive. Usually, however, every time I have orchids on the way, they tend to wait until the last minute or while I'm not home to show up. Needless to say I was soon fully awake and unpacking the wonderful haul. Pictures and the rest of the story after the break!

   So, this order totaled twelve plants, bringing me up to the grand number of sixteen plants in my entire collection (not counting the three flasks I have). Okay, so left to right, top row: amboinensis 'Common', (Kuangfeng's Summer Sun x venosa), and Chienlung Luedgiana (lueddemanniana x corningiana). Middle row: Sue Meyer (Luedde-violacea x Coral Isles), venosa ('East Sea' x self), philippinensis x sib, and (Penang Violacea 'alba' x Corning's Violet). Bottom row: C.T.L. Cornu Queen (cornu-cervi 'Red' x Ld's Bear Queen), (Penang Girl 'Chin Yo' x John Ewing 'KFO'), (Hannover Passion 'Ching Ruey' x Marie's Delight 'Patrick'), Tying Shin Glider (Anna-Larati Soekardi x chibae), and bellina ('Ingrid Ohh' x 'Joy').

   Yes, there are a lot of plants, and no, I don't care if you think I'm crazy (which I will admit to being every once and a while). And to those still silently judging me, I will add that I actually didn't order all the plants you see here. . . a few were gifts from Patrick.
   Okay, now for individual shots of each row and comments on the included plants, starting with the top row.

   For those who may be keeping track, this is either my fourth or fifth amboinensis that I've gone through, and now that I've hopefully ridden myself of mites, this one will stick around for a while. This currently has two mature spikes and what appears to be another two starting. The (Kuangfeng's Summer Sun), of which I took a picture of,

was the only plant that came in flower, one kinda fresh looking, and the other already fading. Once this plant gets re-established, I'm sure I'll get some great blooms, and I'm glad to have something with a little venosa influence in it. I'm hoping to see the red in this flower turn a bit orange. I bought the Chienlung Luedgiana due to this picture of a plant of this grex that Peter Lin of Big Leaf Orchids bloomed out. If I get something even half as good as that, I will be pretty happy.
   Now for the middle row,

the Sue Meyer was literally a last minute choice, as I was going to get a lobbii var. flava, but he said he was sold out, and Patrick sent me this picture of two siblings of this cross in bloom, and I found them to be pretty interesting. (picture copyright belongs to Patrick)

I decided to buy the venosa even though I wasn't able to see what the 'East Sea' cultivar looks like, mostly because I really like the way that venosa may open up as a very red flower, but usually 'fades' (I don't quite like that term, as it makes it sound like it turns into a less desirable colour) into a more orange colour. Because I am getting a little bored of all the solid, dark red hybrids that have been popping up lately, I want to incorporate some venosa into the mix of things so even if I do get a pretty dark and solid colour, it should lighten up a bit. The marbled leaves of the philippinensis makes me love it even when it is out of bloom, and of the three white flowered, 'standard' species (amabilis, aphrodite, philippinensis, sanderiana, schilleriana, and stuartiana are what I've nicknamed the 'standard' phalaenopsis, as pretty much everything else is a novelty species, which is characterized by the star shaped flowers and generally evergreen spikes), I like the form of philippinensis the most. The (Penang Violacea 'alba' x Corning's Violet) was also a last minute add, and I got it because I love anything with micholitzii in the background due to it's ability to suppress colours. (Thus preventing anything overly dark and evenly saturated)
   And the bottom row,

   I think the C.T.L. Cornu Queen is probably one of the hybrids I am the most excited for, simply because I absolutely love cornu-cervi influenced hybrids and its lip shape, but also because I saw a non-solid flower bloomed by Peter Lin of this cross that I absolutely fell in love with! (I think it's obvious by now that most linked pictures I add in here aren't my own, so as a disclaimer, that's not my plant nor picture, full ownership goes to Peter Lin) And here's another posted by Yaphon Orchids on their forum. The next two, (Penang Girl x John Ewing) and (Hannover Passion x Marie's Delight) were both freebies, and both are crosses that Patrick has made himself. I bought the Tying Shin Glider based on the fact that it has three unique species ((pulcherrima x parishii) x chibae) in it, all with large lips and compact plant size, which is a screaming 'yes' in my books. I hope to do something fun with this hybrid whenever it blooms. And finally, the bellina! I had bought one of these from Patrick before, but being mounted, it is no surprise that it succumbed to mites. Given the quality of the parents of this cross, I have no doubts that I will get something great from this one that I plan on keeping potted!

   Whew, I know this one was long, but I just felt it was necessary to elaborate on all the good after what happened, and now that I have a decent amount of plants to look after, I hope to have some new things blooming soon, of which I think my (gigantea x Ld's Bear Queen) will be the first to push out a new flower on its old spike.