A little or a lot, every person has an inherent admiration for flowers, whether they are garden flowers or humble wildflowers that evoke some sense of pleasure in humans. The colors, shapes, pleasant or intoxicating scents of blossoms and their variety have naturally captured human attention since ancient times.

Various flowers serve as symbols of inspiration in poetry, painting, and sculpture, as well as symbols of joy and sorrow. In the Mycenaean and Minoan periods, flowers were featured in decorative arts. In the famous dinners of the ancient Greeks, homes were adorned with various flowers, primarily lilies. In the market of Athens, wreaths made of violets were sold, referred to by Pindar as "io wreaths." During the Renaissance, flowers became the subject of valuable paintings.

Over time, the art of floriculture (the physiology, anatomy, biology, and pathology of plants) developed, which had to be based on science and scientific art. Since the end of the last century, interest in flowers has increased, and with the advancement of science, new varieties are continuously being produced. Small businesses specializing in certain types of flowers are being established.

In Greece, immediately after its liberation, roses, carnations, etc., began to be cultivated, and flower bouquets started to be made. The trade in flowers began in earnest around 1900, in popular markets and florists. Of course, floriculture did not limit itself to the local and known flower varieties but also took a step further to other overseas regions and tropical forests. Wildflowers from tropical forests are imported, where they grow as epiphytes on trees, such as orchids, which we will discuss in this book.

In those countries, there is real theft from local inhabitants who remove the plants from the trees and sell them to merchants to be exported to Europe, North America, and elsewhere around the world. Fortunately, in the last decade, fellow floriculturists from European countries have managed to produce rare and valuable flowers by utilizing the scientific and technical knowledge of floriculture.

What the Greek florist needs, therefore, is better equipment with modern greenhouses, financial support and care from the state, and specialized knowledge of cultivation that florists will acquire from schools with specialized teaching staff in floriculture. Only in this way will the import of foreign flowers become unnecessary, and not only that, but our country, with its suitable climate and sunlight, will be able to export flowers and thus contribute to the increase of national wealth.

With this book, I will attempt to provide some practical information and recipes regarding the propagation, care, and protection of tropical orchids. Many florists and private hobbyists want to engage in the cultivation of these flowers but have not dared, and if they dared, they have not succeeded. Indeed, it is a difficult hobby. It requires great patience, extensive care, cleanliness, and some technical knowledge. The need for suitable equipment necessitates some financial means, which complicates the engagement with the cultivation of this type of plant.