just yesterday a colleague and I were discussing how best to look after orchids…
I was sharing the story of my IKEA orchid which I purchased in October… it bloomed until about a month ago and now a new stem is blooming…
I treat orchids like cut flowers… well, basically that’s how I deal with all plants…
I water them sparingly on Saturday… some people use an ice cube weekly to be sure they don’t overwater… my orchids have all liked being in the sun for a good portion of the day…
if they last longer than a bouquet that’s great, if not they get tossed…
way less stress and I am often pleasantly surprised when they last a long time…
I have a bamboo which one of my daughter’s friends brought me when I had surgery in 2010… still going strong…
tonight I was sitting outside while the pond was filling and admiring the daisy explosion in the garden…
they are everywhere…
flowers inside and out… what a treat…
herbiggirlpants 
When Doug’s mom and I were house and kids and dogs and cats sitting in California
we found we were both watering Kathy’s orchid. Then we found out it was fake! A really great imitation! She also has bamboo which started sitting on her kitchen counter and now stands on the floor in her living room, nearly reaching the ceiling! I couldn’t believe it was the same plant last time I saw it. You’ve had really great luck with your orchids. It’s making me consider getting one of my own although my buying a plant is usually a death sentence for it so I’ll have to give it some thought.