Today, early pm, rain and a heavy overcast, so temp in the conservatory is
about 19 C. Flowers have been out for about a week. And we have scent!
You have to put your nose really close, but it is there.

My thanks to everyone who responded.

Kate

"Savor" wrote in message
...
Kate,
A mystery! Actually I hope the subsequent blooms have given up the
scent for your enjoyment. Case solved?
Fragrance is the number one consideration when I'm choosing a Catt or
any orchid. I would feel cheated if the catt did not 'perform' when I
got it home! or at the next blooming. With no ID it would have to be
'pretty special' to avoid making its next apperarance on the raffle
table. Sight unseen, if it has smaller blooms, smaller growth... it
may have been bred to be compact. May be a complex hybrid. I usually
don't expect much fragrance from them because it is a recessive
quality that often falls out. You probably have an indelible memory of
its fragrance. I have been at a grower's greenhouse and experienced a
fragrance only to find out later it was a neighboring orchid. Could it
have been something sprayed on the plant 'for medicinal reasons'?
Surely the retailer would not stoop to putting 'smell good' on the
bloom! ;~) Generally speaking a bloom is most fragrant between 24
and 48 hours after opening. As noted above, its just attracting a
pollenator. A warmer day (not so hot) and a brighter day (not overcast/
rainy) also in general brings out fragrance. But there are those that
attract moths and 'creatures of the night'. Nice that they are
fragrant during the evening. Mornings are usally better than
afternoons to stop and smell the orchids. But you probably knew all
that. I can identify with being denied my fragrance fix.
Lee (in SC)
www classicorchidtours com