Orchid Care: For the Beginner "demystifies orchid care for a wide audience in this slim, instructive volume. The book can function as a reference guide, but it's best read cover to cover, as the information is well chosen to keep from frightening off beginning enthusiasts." This quote came from a July 18, 2016 review in Publishers Weekly. The philosophy behind this book is that if you understand how orchids grow in their native environments, you can learn to mimic these conditions in your home. Most orchids are actually very easy to grow once you recognize their needs.
The book contains 14 chapters which are essentially broken down into four main topics: the history of orchids, care for orchids, growth patterns of orchids, and miscellaneous topics such as picking your first orchid, pest control, and repotting. There are also color photos in the book and two tables which can serve as reference guides: Orchid Characteristics and Troubleshooting Guide.
The author is an instructor for horticultural societies, botanical gardens and universities, such as the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society, Cornell University, the New York Botanical Garden, the U.S. Botanic Garden and the Smithsonian Institution. She has a secondary science teaching degree and has been raising and showing orchids for over 15 years. Her orchids have won a variety of awards, including first place ribbons at the Philadelphia Flower Show. This combination makes her uniquely qualified to author this book.