Diary of My Country Life-January 31st, 2026

The original source of this blog: https://www.lotusandmichael.com/blogs/diary-of-my-country-life

01/31/2026 Saturday 5-23F Sunny

Since the snowstorm last Sunday, the outside has been snowy and icy and bitter cold, while the indoor is springy—both my noble orchid and daphne are in bloom. 

Three days ago, when I walked into the living room, a sweet scent penetrated my nose. “Are you wearing a perfume?” I asked my husband.

“No.”

But right after I got his answer, I figured that the scent must be from my daphne, the flower buds of which had been swelling day after day. So I checked the plant, indeed several buds cracked open in the sun. 

Due to the warm temperature in the house, every day the daphne blooms more; and every morning when I opened the bedroom door, I could smell its fragrance from downstairs right away. Sitting by it reading or drinking coffee, I felt joyful. However, soon two problems arose: Its scent was so profound in a closed environment that it made me feel a bit dizzy, the same experience I had once before when my epiphyllum bloomed in my bedroom; and recently my husband’s allergy to pollen suddenly appeared and got worsened which very likely could be triggered by this little fragrant guy.

Though my daphne was innocent, I had to “exile” it to our sunroom, where wasn’t as cozy and warm as the living room on snowy days.

Last spring my noble orchid failed to give me any flowers. After analyzing all the possible reasons, I believed that It’s not the plant’s fault, but mine—people regard it as a “shady” plant so I naively kept it all year long at a spot where it couldn’t get that much sun. The correction was made immediately: I left it outdoors near my porch, where it could receive intense morning sun but not the harsh afternoon rays. Randomly I gave it some rice water to drink, and it loved the rainwater. Finally last September I found three little flower buds! I was thrilled. 

I checked my orchid plant almost every day. Last week the biggest bud started to crack open a tiny bit. When I stuck my nose close to it, I could smell its unique fragrance. But there was one problem: This bud seemed to be too shy so its flowerhead faced backward instead of forward, like a lady who turned her back to us. I started to gently bend the stem, several times a day. As the flower opens more by day, now it has been straightened up much more.  

Among all the flowers I have planted so far, this noble orchid (Cymbidium Goeringii) is my favorite, and the only plant I have painted four times. I like its fragrance, of which a single flower can last more than thirty days (I tested in 2024). Different from daphne’s, its scent is more subtle, more pleasant to be with for a long period of time. Just like the difference between two ladies: One is a knockout; no matter where she goes, she is always surrounded by people and by others’ flatteries; the other one is plain and humble, standing away from the crowd; you barely can notice her until her merits outshine. 

The pities are: Such a lady is uncommon to find; and the sharp eyes which can see a diamond in rough are also unusual.

I consider my orchid this lady. Green supple leaves, green flower petals. It can be overshadowed by any other flowers at first glance since it really doesn’t have any other color but green, and both the size and the number of its flowers are relatively small compared to its cousins (like boat orchid). But this flower has a lovely soul-sometimes when I just enter my attic, its aroma hits my nose right away; but if I stop and try to smell it attentively, I can’t perceive it anymore. It’s like hide-and-seek, mysterious and playful. But I know it’s there, standing right on my cabinet, smiling at me.

Why do I put it in the attic rather than in the living room? Because in a colder environment its flower will last longer.

In tradition, Chinese people regard the noble orchid as one of the “Four Gentlemen” among all the plants (Alongside prunus mume, bamboo, and chrysanthemum). When I was younger, I didn’t appreciate it that much perhaps because people had sung too many praises of it. Then I became a home gardener, one day when I browsed online, a picture of the noble orchid caught my attention, and I suddenly had a crush on it. But this species was so hard to find in the USA, after a lot of research finally I got one—its cultivar is Song Mei, famous for its fragrance and is ranked the highest. There was a flower bud when I purchased the plant. Then the flower bloomed, an ancient Chinese poem which I read in my English textbook when I was fourteen appeared in my mind:

“春兰如美人,

不采羞自献.

时闻风露香，

蓬艾深不见.”

Here is my translation:

“This orchid is like a discreet lady,

Too proud to present its rare beauty.

Hiding among all the weeds,

But given away by its fragrance.”

I fully agree with this poem. Like now, in the deep winter where everything is covered with snow, a little flower blooms in my attic, humble yet powerful. It demands nothing but just a little right soil, a little water, and a little sun. It even doesn’t like too much fertilizer. It lives a simple lifestyle; no pest or fungus ever bothers it. 

I plan to paint my fifth painting about it. And once the first flower fully blooms, I will DIY my first perfume with it so hopefully I can preserve its fragrance. When spring comes, I will repot it and divide it into two plants (like a typical lady--it doesn’t like to be too crowded).

May all the beauties last long.