About me

Orchids symbolize all that is exotic and bizarre in the world, and has done so pretty much since time began …or at least since we became obsessed with their sensuality and awesome eclectic weirdness. The boundary between stark madness and unbridled devotion in the orchid world is rather blurred, which makes life a bit more interesting. Well, I hope it is not hard to see why I am so intrigued.

Some background on me

I was born 1974 and I have liked orchids as long as I can remember even though I did not find the time to grow them until my final years in college, but I guess I have been a true enthusiast since 1998 or 1999 sometime. Moving back home to Sweden again after 15 years in Southern California I had to rebuild my collection from scratch and the passion quickly escalated to obsession, and once you get in this deep I am afraid there is no turning back. Thankfully I have a very loving and supporting husband who understands this – as much as he cares to.

The big move from the US to Sweden took place in the summer of 2007. Because of the way that the CITES laws are written I was able to import my husband and 11-year-old cat without too much trouble, but I could not bring any of my orchids along. I simply had to start collecting all over again – admittedly much to my delight. It took a little adjusting; going from near constant light levels year-round and evenly warm temperatures to our cold dark climate. But it was nothing a little tenacity and good equipment couldn’t solve, and now I could finally grow some of the cooler growing genera I have been admiring for so long.

In getting to start over the obsession really intensified. Dear husband helped me rig up a fine growing room in what used to be called the guest room, but now we simply call it what it is. We have put up several shelves in the large turn of the century window to maximize the use of natural light in addition to the artificial lights. I also converted an old terrarium to an orchid vivarium for warm growing species and have finally built another huge vivarium one for cool growers.

It was actually a teen infatuation that opened my eyes to the orchids. It is almost a little embarrassing to admit, but apparently (according to some teen magazine back then) Morten Harket, the singer from the 80’s pop band A-ha collected orchids… the rest as they say is history.

A bit more about me… aside from orchids I also enjoy good wine, movies, technology, photography and design and I work as an Art Director in advertising. I also love electronic music, (electro, ebm, industrial, trance, synth) and I have also become totally enchanted by the band Muse… even if the definition “prog-rock” makes my stomach turn… Luckily dear husband is quite the music and movie aficionado so I am always up to speed on the latest and greatest in music as well as movies.

I am also the editor for the Swedish Orchid Society magazine “Orkidéer”. I hope that I will get to know many more great orchid people through my work with the magazine. If you would like to contribute, or if you know of any interesting orchid stories or people – please do not hesitate to send them my way!

My favorite orchids

I have not singled out one specific species to focus on like some do, but my absolute favorites are orchids of the Pleurothallid Alliance. I simply adore Masdevallia and Dracula and I am growing a lot of them successfully right now. I also want to grow more of Lepanthes, Pleurothallis, Porroglossum, Restrepia, Stelis, Trichosalpinx, Trisetella – oh what the heck, all of them! That is exactly why I built a very ambitious cool vivarium to better accommodate these. My dream finally came true… a Peruvian cloud forest for cool growing species – in my apartment in Sweden…

However… I have to admit I am also a bit of a paphio-phile, even though my Pleurothallid-enthusiast friends find this combination rather perplexing. A Paphiopedilum was the first orchid I ever fell in love with so this elegant genus will always remain close to my heart. I also grow quite a few Neofinetia as well as a schizophrenic mix of intermediate/warm species from all corners of the globe, but my focus is turning more and more towards cool growers from South America.

Hope you enjoy my ramblings about orchids. Thanks for stopping by!

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