Orchids.

You might have spotted that I'm slightly obsessed by the little British native orchids from previous posts ( I found another broad leafed helleborine in a little crevice of soil between the paved path and canal bridge the other day). I have several Phalaenopsis, the supermarket moth orchids, which flower for months before having a brief rest  then starting again. They're brilliant house plants, and thrive on very little, they're so easy to get to flower again: just ignore them, leave dead-looking stems until they're dry and brown, the side buds sprout. They're more compact than the Cymbidiums, the previous top-seller. I also have some success with Plieones, the little tree-dwellers familiar to anyone who's done a spring Himalayan trek. Until this year I've failed with all the others, although one year I nearly had one until Mrs Mop (aka Ghengis Khan) broke off my only ever stalk by dusting it! I was watering the other day and found a flower stalk on a Zygopetalum, and Paphiopedilum. Two at once, it's been an odd summer. The Paphio (Slipper Orchid) has a very soft slightly furry stem, if Clare saw it she would 3BT it as like Bettany's newborn skin!