ORCHID enthusiast Ridhwan Ibrahim still fondly remembers the first orchid he bought when he was 12 years old. It was a Dendrobium Red Bull, a purple bloom with a white centre, for sale at a night market.

Today, the 32-year-old online picker at a supermarket chain has over 70 orchid plants in his collection, and grows cross-hybrid orchids.

He says he finds orchids intriguing and spends at least two hours each week tending to them. "You need to be patient when growing orchids. Remember to give the plants enough rest after they flower as they tend to lose their leaves during the flowering period," he advises.