Our experiences make me wonder why so many people have the misconception
that orchids are hard to grow. I keep encountering that notion, whenever I
tell strangers that I grow orchids, they usually say something to the
effect
that they couldn't possibly manage it. Does anyone out here know or care
to
speculate how this misconception took hold? Why do orchids have the bad
rep
of being high maintenance, fragile, and difficult?

See Janet's post of an article in the NY Times.