Planning to Propose to My Girlfriend: Need Your Help!

[wiley81]

I just wanted to thank all of you for your support.

The "Asian Ghost Orchid" might be another decision -- we are both Asians, so I guess I could go racist and opt out of the plain ol' "white" Ghost Orchid. However, I technically did promise her a Ghost Orchid, not some cheaper made-in-China one. Heh.

I'm just a poor NYC writer so the jewelry may be out of my budget range. Besides, I'm gonna have to get her a ring and that's enough kneeling and jewelry-giving on its own.

So it looks like Oak Hills (actually, I contacted 'em a year ago), do not have any in bloom. However, my man Claude pulled through and just noted to me that he saw some in bloom presently at the Ft Lauderdale O/S show today; it's a place called Gold Country Orchids in California.

Another question (because I'm so needy): Is there any way to, say, embalm or plasticize a flower. I know you can dry it and put it in a nice frame. I know that it's mostly roots, but I was just thinking of nipping off the flower (the head part?) and not present to her a handful of roots. I know it's going to be small.

Once again, forgive my orchid-stupidity and I truly appreciate your time -- even if you don't respond.

j

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I don't know how you're going to get the flowers to begin with.

They most likely don't last long on the plant. If they're plucked off the plant, they may shrivel up within a day unless they're sent to you preserved.

I'm not sure Gold Country Orchids would allow you to just ask for flowers alone. I'm thinking that you'd be stuck having to buy the living plant anyways. Then you'd have to go through the trouble of figuring out how to grow a very difficult plant to cultivate and deal with the flowers.

Is this really worth that much trouble?

There's an old botany technique called flower pressing where you take a sample plant and you put it between two pieces of paper or cardboard, then you place some heavy objects on top to press the water out of the plant. I'm not sure if this is one of the things you're asking about. I don't know how well this would work for you considering how the flower of the Ghost Orchid is shaped. I also don't recommend doing this for a plant that could potentially cost you anywhere from $16 on up to $25, especially when it's also rare.

I'm not aware of any techniques regarding plasticizing the flower, but I'm aware of a technique where roses are dipped in gold. I'm not sure if this is what you're asking about either, and I don't know how you'd get a hold of the materials to do this.

Maybe you can be creative and make a Ghost Orchid flower out of origami paper. That way you can make it as big as you want. It won't have the same problems associated with dealing with a living plant. And you don't have to worry about what to do with a wilting flower. Origami paper is inexpensive and easy to find, just go to Chinatown (if you're not in Chinatown already).