While we generally think of orchids as tender plants that are kept indoors in glasshouses, there are several varieties that can be grown successfully outside in open ground. Some varieties are even frost hardy although most will require protection from frost. These eight hardy orchids are described in an article by Andy McIndoe which I found on the Learning With Experts website.

When I say hardy orchids, I mean those that are likely to grow outside in milder areas of temperate regions. Some are very frost hardy, others will need winter protection, but these are not the warm blooded tropical characters that need cossetting in a glasshouse throughout the year. So they should be easier to grow for anyone that cherishes their plants and likes the idea of growing a botanical treasure. The good news is that in recent years modern propagation techniques have made many of these orchids more available.

Pleione formosana, a lovely little terrestrial orchid from the foothills of Asian mountains is an orchid often mentioned, but too rarely seen. A few years ago it was widely promoted as an easy hardy orchid and was sold in pots of peat with a picture on the top promising eternal beauty.

Go to the next page to learn more about these hardy exotic orchids.
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