Displaying Orchid Plants In Your Home

When you’re showing off your prized blooming plants in your home, here a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Be sure to protect your furniture by placing the orchid plant pots on waterproof pads, like cork platters.
2. If you place your plants on saucers, be sure they’re waterproof. Terra cotta platters are porous and moisture will seep through and can cause serious damage to unprotected wood furniture.
3. Place felt or rubber protectors under cachepots, platters, or saucers so your furniture won’t be scratched.
4. Place the blooming plants where they get bright light but not hot, late-afternoon light, so the flowers will last longer.
5. If the growing pot is encrusted or ugly, insert it into a larger ornamental pot or basket. Choose simple green, white, or neutral colors that don’t compete with the orchid flowers.
6. Place a layer of sheet moss or Spanish moss on the surface of the pot. This is a nice touch for covering up the sometimes unattractive potting material.
7. Display the orchid on a pedestal or higher elevation so you can view it at eye level (see Figure 4-3). Few orchids are as attractive when they’re viewed from above.
8. Think about how you will light your orchids to display them best. Many people are only able to view their orchids during the work week in the evening, so artificial lighting plays an important part in viewing them. Track lights work great. Use halogen or other bulbs that produce white light or as close to sunlight as possible so the orchid flowers will be rendered accurately. Regular incandescent light produces a yellow/red light that will make reds glow but that really dulls blues and greens.
9. Group orchids with other tropical foliage plants. These provide an attractive backdrop for the orchid flowers.