Who’s Behind the Journal?

Who Am I?

I’m a French-born molecular biologist and long-time orchid collector based in Westminster, Colorado. I’ve been cultivating orchids across two countries and two U.S. states since my teenage years, with a focus on miniature and rare species.

Scientific Background

By training, I hold expertise in molecular biology — a discipline that shapes how I approach orchid cultivation: methodically, with genuine curiosity about what makes tiny organisms thrive. That scientific lens is exactly why I’m drawn to the smallest, most intricate orchids in existence.

A Collector Since the Beginning

My orchid journey began in the north and the south of France, where I started with classic species like Phalaenopsis and Miltonia. Living near Paris introduced me to the world of miniature orchids — and there was no going back.

After relocating to San Francisco in 2007, I rebuilt my collection from scratch. A viral outbreak forced me to discard most of it and pause for two years. Collection #3 officially began in August 2016, and has grown ever since — now thriving indoors under artificial lights in Colorado, housed in purpose-built orchidaria designed to replicate the intermediate, humid conditions these plants demand.

What I Grow

I specialize in miniature and micro-miniature orchids, with deep hands-on experience growing:

  • Lepanthes (my favorite genus)
  • Dracula and Masdevallia
  • Bulbophyllum
  • Scaphosepalum and Porroglossum
  • Oberonia and Polystachia

These genera are notoriously difficult to cultivate — especially in a dry, high-altitude climate like Colorado.

Why This Blog Exists

My Orchid Journal is my personal, primary-source record of my collection: acquisition dates, growing conditions, and a few pictures. With an additional 200+ plants — ranging from succulents and ferns to ficus and tropical foliage — and a household that includes two cats and a dog, this is a living document of my orchids.

No sponsors, no commercial agenda. Just a record from a scientist who happens to be obsessed with very small orchids.