{{gwi:201591}}I would be tempted to try Sobralia hybrids. They are very bamboo like and you will get flowers from time to time.

They come in various sizes, they are not all this big.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sobralias

Hi
Take it you want epiphytes rather than terrestrials??
I grow Vandas outdoors on my palm trees where they do
very well but then I'm in 10 florida. Where it rains everyday during the heat but seldom goes over 90 with constant humidity. Except now got the heat no rain lol.
What would be your winter plan?? I use a portable GH but then I only have to use it for a couple of days week tops.
Have you thought of any of the Texas natives?? Okay not as spectaular the epi tropicals and all are terrestrial .
But would certainly be easy??? gary

I bought my partners mother a Cattleya intermedia for her garden in South Padre. It's doing great and does not seem to mind the hot temps in the summer and cooler winters.

THANK YOU! I am so tired of hostas and ferns in that area above the waterfall, Richard the link you gave me is great, I just need to find out how do you aquire some of these plants, believe me they won`t be at the local big box stores.
garyfla I plan on building a greenhouse but funds are holding me back for right now, maybe taxreturn time I can swing it, for this winter I can have a few in the house. I do like the big colorful flowers so alot of the native orchids don`t appeal to me. Maybe I should move to florida.
Ok smwboxer I have 2 cattleyas I am going to put one out there and test it, I am kinda scared though the last time I took all my 22 babies outside I got leaf burn and they were very unhappy with me for about 3 weeks, by the way never take a phal outside and put in partial shade, I kicked myself for being so stupid, I thought that with the temp being a wonderful 75 degrees and breezy they would be ok. NOT! Ok I feel like I can give it a go, I needed the cheerleaders Thanks, Deanna ~:o)

Hi
good luck with whatever you decide!! That's a nice water garden you have. What's the matter with Hosta?? Sure wish I could grow them!! gary

Hi Deanna -
Texas covers a lot of ground, as does z8b!
I am in south LA (9a), and I grow a hundred or more orchids almost strictly outdoors. I shelter when it is cold, and have labels on them indicating how low a temp they can take (60, 50, 40, 30), so gather them up in groups.
Look for hot-growing or heat-tolerant orchids - there are many, many from which to choose, whether you like them big or small, species or hybrids. I grow a number of cymbidium hybrids, which are strictly outdoor plants here.
Vandas, in particular, like heat, light and water (in no particular order). I grow mine on a fence in nearly full blazing south Louisiana sun. They cannot bloom more enthusiastically! A good choice for bright, long lasting flowers. Do some research, and you will find plenty of choices.
Regards - Nancy

Do you want orchids that will grow outside year round? Hosta need dormancy which means freezing temps and six weeks of cold temps to keep them under ground. Or do you want orchids out in the good weather and inside for a period of time in the winter.

Brooke

Thanks for the interest and suggestions, I live north of Austin texas. The weather is fickle, we have a saying here if you don`t like the weather wait a minute. We will get to 28 degrees maybe 2 days and 5 or 6 days stay 32 degrees then in a few days we will have highs in the 80`s so I don`t feel like any orchid I could buy will stay outside, I will want to bring them in around nov 1st then they can go back outside late march or first part of April. That is when temps don`t get below 50.
Richard suggested sobralias, I liked the voodoo Priestess sobralia, but my chance of getting one is nil.
I think I will go to the big box store buy a vanda stick it inbetween the rocks just where it gets moist but not soaking, it will get the water from the fishys poo and maybe care free that would be cool.
Thanks gary for your comment on my pond, I built it 2007 just me and my shovel, it has alot of flaws, but I keep telling myself it gives it that organic look lol.
Nancy if you can grow your vandas outside in full sun then I will be ok with my choice, Thanks
Brooke my orchid growing hero, I read a thread of yours when you brought back to life a rootless orchid, shesh are you the orchid whisperer? Hey can you come over and lay your green thumb on a couple of my tempermental phals?lol
I have a phal bellina that the spike dried up and fell off 2 years ago the leaves are healthy but no new spike do they only have the one spike and if it gone to bad so sad?
Thanks guys Deanna

Deanna if grown in the right conditions a bellina will spike yearly and sometimes if they are really happy they have multiple spikes a year.

How long have you been growing hosta?

Brooke

Hello Brooke, well I really can`t say what I am doing wrong with my pretty bellina, the 4 leaves are medium green not to dark one is ten inches the others are 6 and 7 inches, I take a peek at the roots every so often without really disturbing them they look light green and plump, I guess one factor is that when I repotted after I got it I put it in a large orchid pot, you know the ones at the big box stores, when I first started growing orchids I had only a small understanding of their needs everything I potted was in big pots. But I used large bark and a top collar of sphag. Fertilizers are another story, I have tried better gro 20-14-13 Gubler 19-8-16 with bad results I did use 1/2 the amount recommened, all my orchids seem to do better when I flush them everytime I water, no fertilizer at all. Then I happened on this website and have been trying (one drop superthrive, one drop african violet and one drop liquid seaweed,) per 22 oz of water, so far there has been no negitive results, but then again the amount maybe to small to make a difference. Finding the right formula is difficult.
Brooke, I have been growing hostas since I built the waterfall, pond, 2007, they do very well here no special care at all. It is just so shady I needed low light plants and they fit the bill. My favorite plants outside is the hibiscus, I LOVE big colorful flowers.
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The lipstick pink hibiscus is my all time favorite plant I have had it for one year and I ALWAYS have at least one flower every single day even in the winter, I have taken cuttings from it that are doing well so I won`t lose this strain of plant, its even bug resistant. Thanks for letting me ramble, its just no one in my family cares and my friends don`t share my hobby, I like this forum for that reason I felt isolated, now I have new friends. Thanks. Deanna
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Your Phal. bellina sounds very healthy. When an orchid doesn't bloom but appears happy increasing the light level should help.

I'm surprised in your area a hosta will get the required dormancy needed for them to flourish. Hosta are my second favorite perennial and have a couple hundred of them spread around :>)

Very pretty hibiscus!

Brooke

Brooke; I will move the bellina and increase light abit the light requirements are 800, maybe I was shading them to much, I need a light meter the cheap one I bought doesn`t register anything but full sun, What method do you use to get an Idea about your light levels?
We get about 500 to 700 chill hours here a year, so I guess the hostas they sale here are ok, I have about 8, I did lose one I think it was getting to much sun. They have very delicate purple flowers and my fav has white with dark green leaves, the flowers last about a month or so.
I ran out yesterday and bought 2 vandas one is a mokara/vanda which is light orange the other is Red Dawn.
The grower is Sun bulb in arcadia fl. I know these guys are mass producers, but until I get the tricks down I don`t want lose a lot of money. I happened on one website from England where the orchidist put the vanda in a hard plastic clear drinking glass filled with water for 20 or 30 minutes a day then drained the water out. I am not sure if this is an accepted practice but I am going to give it a try. I think I am rambling again, sorry.:) Deanna