Hi, wouldn't you like to grow Pleiones like this prize winning bowl of Pleione Tongariro ? 

     Then look no further - my Pleiones will do that for you, given a little care and attention.

     Close-up of flowers. By the way, Tongariro is my great favourite, tall, elegant and long lasting, flowering mid April to mid May. There are 70 pseudobulbs in this bowl and it took four years from a starter of five bulbs to get to this size.

Cypripedium reginae growing in a wild garden.

These are easy 'Beginner's Garden Orchids', fully hardy to -20°C. Given semi-shade and well draining soil, they soon form handsome clumps.

State of Play:   30th May 2010

• Pleiones    The later flowering pleiones are still glorious. these include species like P chunii and P hookeriana and hybrids such as Jorullo, Tongariro and Volcanello. All others are making strong leaf growth to produce replacement bulbs for next year. Water and feed generously now. If growing under glass, apply shading and keep temperatures from rising beyond 25°C. Fresh air is also appreciated, but make sure you adjust for cold nights, which can happen 'til early June.

   (Look under Cultivation for detailed instructions).

• Cypripediums have been flowering in succession for two months. Soon the C. reginae, kentuckiense and their hybrids will flower to complete the season.

• Dactylorhizas are a late like but beginning to show colour.

• Epipactis are very slow this spring. Just be patient.

• Spiranthes odorata are growing nicely. They need protection from slugs and snails at any time of the year.

Welcome to Heritage Orchids, my virtual Pleione, Cypripedium and Hardy Orchid Nursery, where you will find a selection of easy to grow near hardy (pleiones) and hardy (everything else) orchids. 

Pleiones are available as flowering size bulbs (FS) and smaller bulbs (FS-1). 
FS:        The flowering size bulbs will have one or two buds when dispatched. 
FS-1:     The smaller bulbs will need to grow one more year before flowering. 
If you are new to Pleiones, you may not want to take that risk - go for flowering size. 

I use 'pseudobulbs' and 'bulbs' interchangeably; 'bulbs' is shorter and I trust you know what I mean.

What happens after the bulb gets to you is entirely up to your skill, i.e. correct compost, adequate watering, appropriate temperature etc. Full instructions are given, (see Cultivation). So don't worry, just follow them and you should be rewarded with the most delicate and appealing flowers.

My hardy orchids and cypripediums have been grown from seedlings for several years. They are dispatched “bare root”, i.e. stripped of compost, and need to be planted upon receipt. 

Potted plants are brought to the various shows I attend. You may wish to pre-order to avoid disappointment.

1. Look at the Price Lists to see what's on offer. If you fancy anything:
2. Print an Order Form.
3. Complete the Order Form and work out total cost, including Postage & Packing as appropriate. If you live outside the UK, ask (by email) how much that will be before you send any money.
4. Write a UK sterling cheque for the total amount (or send me a bank transfer. Email me and I'll give you my bank details.)
5. Send the cheque to the address on the form.

Something to think about

All our plants are from 'cultivated' stock, acquired as young bulbs or seedlings from reputable growers, mainly in the UK and some from Continental Europe. We do not sell plants taken from the wild.

Depending on the species or hybrid, orchids may take anything between 4 and 8 years to flower from seed. This explains why they aren’t cheap, as they need to be looked after for a long time, during which losses occur from adverse weather conditions, predation by slugs and snails etc. However, it all seems worthwhile as they are such a joy to behold, and they convey a great sense of achievement when they flower and grow into large clumps.

And let us not ignore the conservation benefits, which arise from growing seed-raised orchids. The more there are and the easier they are to obtain, the less pressure there will be on wild populations of these delightful plants. In nature, they suffer from habitat destruction by the advances of loggers and property developers as well as the indiscriminate pilferage of commercial collectors. So let's grow lots of them to ensure their conservation.