Good orchids for window gardeners?

[ccrow]

I'm really getting ahead of myself a bit here; I have a paph 'Fairy Queen' and den 'Burana Jade' that I have vowed to resuscitate before I try any new genera. I'm not giving up on them unless they die in spite of my efforts But having said that, I've been wondering about some of the other orchids. I currently have phals and some den/phals(I had 3, then divided and repotted and now have 8! They were pretty crowded). I saw a Bllra. Marfitch 'Howard's Dream' at a local greenhouse that I really liked the looks of but I have the idea that maybe it gets pretty big? I am planning to get some shelves going but still, size is a critical consideration for me. I don't want something that is going to outgrow my available space, even if it's gorgeous. Or would it be possible to control size by dividing?
I like the oncidiums, but again, how big do they get? and would they be happy in a house?

[DweamGoiL]

I don' know what Paph is crossed with but fairrieanums are not really beginner paphs. I grow about 20 different types of paphs successfully in my house but the only one I could not keep alive was a fairrianum. I ordered another recently and am apprehensive the same thing will happen. They like more moisture than regular paphs but not soggy roots. They are just relatively delicate so if the conditions are not just right, they just keep going downhill.

I would recommend maudiae types to start out with.

[Leafmite]

What are your growing conditions and what sort of orchids do you like? Which direction does your window face?

[Subrosa]

My Gongora galeata does well over the winter in a NW facing window. When night time temps are reliably over 60 it's outside under the trees. It's a small member of the genus, leaves on mine are less than 18" tall, and spikes have been about the same length. It's in a 6" basket. It flowered twice last year, once in July and again in November and is currently growing 3 spikes.
I just keep it moist and fertilize it occasionally.

[LovePhals]

You can grow any orchid in windows. Just depends on light you have. I grow Cattleya, Dendrobiums, Phals, Oncidiums, Vandas all in windows and all kinds bloom but are in different light within my window space.

[ccrow]

I have my orchids in south and west facing windows. We have enough trees that the sun isn't too strong; anyway, the phals seem quite happy. Growing conditions- well, it's a house, so dry in the winter, and the windows get pretty cool in the winter. And I tend to be a bit forgetful with the watering can. But again, both the phals and the den/phals are reblooming for me. I definitely like phals, but I like other types too... I just don't want to buy something that isn't going to thrive.
The paph- I found this on ladyslipper.com- 'Paph druryi (pollen) X Paph curtisii = Paph Fairy Queen 1896.' So I don't know, that's not the same as fairrieanum, is it?

[DweamGoiL]

Nope you're right that isn't the same

[ShadePlant]

I have my phals and paphs( Olivia toogoodoo, paph delenatti, paph Henrietta's charm, a Dracula bellax cordobae, and a Brassavola nodoso growing in north and east windows. I have the Dracula sheltered with a curtain sheer.

[ThePinkCucumber]

I also grow just inside, and we have it all - from paphs to zygos and oncs to maxillarias and prostecheas. It's all about what windows you have (position) - it's really not a limitation at all!

[ccrow]

"it's really not a limitation at all! "

Nooo... don't tell me that!!lol