How to Grow Hardy Orchids in the Ground

Here is a video on how I built my hardy orchid bed outdoors in Ireland, to accommodate cypripedium, calanthe, epipactis and bletilla.
From Douentza Garden in Wexford, Ireland.
Plants mentioned...
Cypripedium Ulla Silkens
Cypripedium Aki 'Pastel'
Cypripedium reginae
Heucherella 'Sweet Tea'
And consider purchasing my new gardening book, Journal of an Irish Garden...
• Easy Hydrangea Pruning...

[@mandyorchids4938]

Thank you for this video Rachel, when I finally own my own house I will plant tons of hardy orchids and remember this video :)

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Arlene Ontiveros Well I hope that is soon. Thank you, Arlene :)

[@bill-hunter]

Hi Rachel, I'm enjoying your videos very much. You probably don't remember me, but you visited once, a long trek for you at the time up to County Meath, unfortunately just as my illness was taking hold and my garden and greenhouses were beginning to fall to bits. Unfortunately, my illness has really taken over. I have no garden and no orchids now. I like to torment myself by watching KZbin videos of orchids nowadays. I moved back to Scotland a few years ago but I miss Ireland ever so much. Anyway, keep growing and keep showing your wonderful plants and I'll keep watching, wityh a little tear in my eye 🙂

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Hello Bill. Of course I remember you and I remember that day I visited you with my friend Liga very well. I'm sorry to hear that your illness has gotten so bad and that you no longer have your wonderful orchid collection. Hobbies are so important to our psychological well-being. Please send my good wishes to your lovely wife and children too. They were very little when I visited but probably all grown up now. Best wishes, Rachel.

[@CockatooG2]

Rachel, absolutely beautiful. Your hard work has really rewarded you!

[@GardeningatDouentza]

MouseLilly Thank you, Pam.

[@mjdsouthsf]

I always look forward to your garden videos, you have beautiful plants.

[@GardeningatDouentza]

mjd Well that is great to know. Thank you.

[@ytucomph]

Thank you for this video. You are doing a great job growing those hardy orchids.

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Roy Plant Dharma Thank you, Roy. It is very encouraging to see them increase.

[@Copolia]

Thank you so much for this video. I am very new to hardy orchids, having mostly had epiphytes and semi-terrestrials. I have just ordered my first Cyp. Reginae and your video has helped enormously with my prep work before she arrives. I'm in England so I can totally relate to the "it rains all the time" comment :) Thank you

[@GardeningatDouentza]

+Marie-Michelle I'm very pleased to hear that my video helped you, Maria-Michelle and I will you all the best with your new cyp. Thanks for watching and best wishes Rachel

[@Copolia]

Thanks Rachel

[@desertplantsofavalon]

The Orchids are so GORGEOUS Rachel :-) You are doing an amazing job of getting these beautiful Orchids happy and healthy in our climate in Ireland :-) we certainly get our fair share of rain here haha! Well done on getting them to survive and thrive :-) Thanks so much for sharing and have an AMAZING weekend ahead XXXXX

[@GardeningatDouentza]

heartfullofhappiness Thank you, Lyn. I love orchids so much I just had to try the hardy ones :)

[@poguemahone1031]

Outstanding information, and astounding orchids. Thank you for schooling myself, and the rest of the KZbin community, on how to ensure these beautiful plants thrive in our gardens. :)

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Pogue Mahone Thank you for watching and I'm glad you liked the video :)

[@poguemahone1031]

Gardening at Douentza You are most welcome, and of course I'm going to watch, because I frickin' LOVE your videos! I really appreciate how, when you're showcasing some of your beautiful plants, you display the scientific and/or cultivar name of the plant on the screen. I'm a stickler for knowing what a plant's proper name is, and you eliminate all of the guesswork in that regard; it's also a little nostalgic for me, because I remember (when I was in high school) watching gardening shows before the school bus would come, and how they would display the names of the plants on the bottom of the screen (I used to diligently write down the plant names in a stack of notebooks and binders I had at the time). Also, the sheer variety of plant types that you cover means there's something for everyone. I fully believe that your channel is one of the absolute best gardening channels that KZbin has to offer, and you're certainly one of the nicest people I've ever conversed with (even if it's only been conversation via text).

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Pogue Mahone My goodness but I am completely overwhelmed by such a nice message. You have rally made my day. Thank you so much. PS I'm very impressed with someone in high school watching gardening programmes!

[@laurieparis2203]

Wise words! They're exquisite. Do hope you will be featuring them this year in your garden.

[@GardeningatDouentza]

They are just poking up now, Laurie :)

[@laurieparis2203]

Gardening at Douentza I just love their round form and wings! I've got one with a similar pouchy form ready to bloom...my first Paphiopedilum, the Lynleigh Koopowitz. So excited, and that's only one bloom, yours is an enter flock of them!😊

[@KrookedOrchids]

!!!!! Love love love that I get to see a group of ulla silkens

[@GardeningatDouentza]

KrookedOrchids Anna, you are very lucky if you have someone local to buy from. There is currently nowhere to get them in Ireland and mail order is generally a gamble. 50 dollars sounds about right - mega expensive plants!

[@CarolinePOviedo]

Nice garden!!🌷👍

[@GardeningatDouentza]

CarolinePOviedo Thank you

[@growingthings6232]

they are beautiful Rachel , love the info on the the way you amended the soil area for these plants. I see your Rabbit is doing a good guarding job of the premises lol

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Growing Things Chris, it is very funny but the rabbits seem to hang out behind the hardy orchid bed - behind the pot tidy. But they don't eat the orchids. Thanks, God! I don't think I'll be relying on them for guarding really :)

[@growingthings6232]

I had a rabbit recently come thru and eat the spiderwort and my weigelia

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Growing Things Weigelia is a big bush. How big are your rabbits?

[@growingthings6232]

they are the size of dogs ...lol no they were starter bushes

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Growing Things Whew, shades of Monty Python all over again! Sorry about your plants though!

[@bretfurgason7615]

Great job. But whoa. Lots of work. I am thinking... mother nature will have to handle those and i will go visit. It has been an amazing spring in Indiana for native orchids. So amazing and beautiful . (0; Those big pouches. Made me think of how i feel after Thanksgiving dinner. Lol.

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Bret Furgason I like that image - after Thanksgiving dinner. Thank you, Bret :)

[@deboraguaira]

I love your videos, I live in Athlone and I would love to have some orchids outside but we might be moving houses next year. I am wondering if I could grow Cypripediums in a vase outside.

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Cypripediums are grown in a greenhouse by some and put outdoors for summer. It is possible. Thank you for watching and happy growing!

[@suzhang1703]

You've done such good work with those ulla silkens! beautiful!!! I planted 3 flowering plants this year in my garden together with reginae, reginae alba, kentuky maxi, and kentuky pink....hoping for the best! How are yours doing this year? Would be great to see an update on these hardy orchids!

[@GardeningatDouentza]

That sounds wonderful and I hope they do very well for you. I made a video just recently on my hardy orchid bed. Here is the link,... kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2qVZa2FnNKAhqs

[@juliethealy8239]

Hi Rachel, great video! I just wanted to ask whether you thought these plants would be happy in an alpine bed? I am in the process of making a raised bed for my large collection of semps and other alpines and wondered whether you thought this would be good for cypripediums too? Lots of drainage and cover in winter is my plan. Thanks and keep the vids coming! Juliet x

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Juliet Healy Juliet, cypripedium need semi shade and alpines need full sun so I think that's where you'd come unstuck! Good luck and thanks for watching.

[@apaixonadopelanatureza2180]

LINDAS! LiKe.

[@lilibethschlicklin-imperia8782]

Hi!!! Your Cyps are looking lovely! How has your Reginae progressed after? I live in Alsace france and the weather here is almost like in Ireland. I wanted to ask you how long did it take for your orchids to grow into that size. Mine seem to stay really small at the moment......

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Hello and thank you for your comment.. The trick to cyp clumps is feeding in early spring, using non-organic fertiliser. PS The C. reginae didn't make it.

[@bigbowlowrong4694]

Bletilla striata likes LOTS of sun in my experience

[@Ellofez]

Love them ! Hi I'm Abel live in Dallas,Texas in United States . Are the purple flowers behind your hardy orchids a a hardy cyclamen? Thank you

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Ellofez Welcome from Texas! The purple flower is another woodlander called dodecatheon but you are right about how similar the flowers look to cyclamon!

[@Ellofez]

Thank you so much beautiful job on the videos .

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Ellofez :)

[@GiovanniOrchidsKiller]

I WANT TO LIVE IN YOUR GARDEN

[@annaisgrowing]

Giovanni Orchids Killer let's both be garden gnomes in that garden

[@GardeningatDouentza]

annaiskicking lol You guys!

[@KrookedOrchids]

It would be wonderful

[@GardeningatDouentza]

KrookedOrchids Lucky it's a big garden if the three of you are going to move in :O

[@GiovanniOrchidsKiller]

HAHAHAHHAHA I REALLY WISH

[@pijlett9781]

what temperature do the cyps need to get dormant

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Andrew Fan Oh gosh, Andrew. That is not a question I can answer. I take it you live in a warm climate!

[@pijlett9781]

Gardening at Douentza Anyways, I don't think I can grow them here. It never snows. Sometimes I envy your colder weather. lol

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Andrew Fan Well I always envy the warmer climate :)

[@bretfurgason7615]

Wow. I went looking on internet. . WHOA 40 to 50 US dollars.. I be needing to find my pot of gold... $0; ROFL

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Bret Furgason Yes, they are very expensive so you need to do the work beforehand and make sure you don't waste your money!

[@bretfurgason7615]

Gardening at Douentza I was thinking. That was a lot of work.. Really shows your Passion for beautiful plants and orchids. Most of the best things in life. Require hard work and really putting our most into a project. So cool and the enjoyment will last for years. (o;

[@GardeningatDouentza]

Bret Furgason You are right, Bret. We get very little without effort :)