Hi Erin,

Can anyone suggest a good orchid for Pacific Northwest-type climates that
a
beginner can grow fairly easily? Per the above story we're looking for
fairly inexpensive, as well :-) Our one orchid cost about $25 and I don't
want to go too far beyond that, if that's possible.

I must say that I don't know the Pacific Northwest climate, anyway I live in
Italy (middle-north) and I had beautiful results with Phalaenopsis !
Some time ago I bought one and just put it in the sitting room : it did a
lot of flowers, roots and leaves and I...did nothing but taking care in a
very simple way (water once a week). I was so proud that I bought others to
put near and now I'm trying to learn more about !

Here a Phalaenopsis medium sized costs about 15 Euro (which should
correspond to nearly 15$).

I'd like to add that here we call a person good with plants a "green thumb"
and...before the Phal. I used to define myself a "black thumb", so you can
imagine...it must be a very "easy" plant :-)
Now I have also other species but I think Phal. is the most adaptable.

Cheers

Elena