Sultry. Intriguing. Hypnotic.

Orchids. Who doesn't love them? The fascinating shapes and colors are surpassed only by their exotic scent. Walk into a room that has merely one or two in bloom and your reaction is likely to utter, "Mmmmm..."

I've got a new magenta phalaenopsis in bloom right now, supposedly 'Wedding Promenade', but I don't think that's what it is, because mine is spotted. 'Wedding Promenade' is not. In any case, it's an orchid, it's blooming, and that's good enough for me.

Orchid blooms last a pretty long time as flowers go, with most of them holding onto their flowers for several months at a time. My phalaenopsis will then go without flowers for a year or more and while I wish they bloomed more often, they're worth the wait.

I recently found a new way to enjoy the exotic fragrance of orchids year 'round. Bath & Body Works has a new scent in their Signature Collection called 'Enchanted Orchid.' It's not too strong and not too sweet, just like the real thing. I wore just the lotion to work on Wednesday and one of my co-workers complimented me on it as she passed by me.


It's available in anti-bacterial hand soaps, body lotion, body cream, body butter, shower gel, hand cream, body splash, and eau de toilette. You can scent a room with its orchidy goodness, too, because it's available for their Wallflowers plug-in room deodorizer, scented candles, and home fragrance oil for use in their tea light oil warmers.

Bath & Body Works describes the scent as "Calypso orchids enhanced by elusive violets and delicate white irises."

Mmmmm...