Susan Orlean Archives

John Laroche: The Orchid Thief and the Ghosts of Fakahatchee

John Laroche, an American horticulturist known for his obsession with orchids. He is the central figure in Susan Orlean's non-fiction book The Orchid Thief, which details his scheme to collect rare ghost orchids from the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve in Florida.

The Orchid Thief February 19, 1962 Today is the birthday of the American horticulturist John Laroche (“La Rōsh”). Before John was arrested for poaching wild ghost orchids, he was a typical horticulturist. In the late 1980s, John was active in the Bromeliad (“brow·mee·lee·ad) Society of Broward County, and he was giving lectures on topics like…

The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean

As Heard on The Daily Gardener Podcast: The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean This book came out in 1998, and the subtitle is A True Story of Beauty and Obsession. Imagine, darling reader, a tale spun with the luminescence of orchids and the madness of explorers! Susan Orlean, a writer of keen wit, invites us…

May 1, 2019 Lily of the Valley, Aimee Camus, Chicago Worlds Fair 1893, Arthur Galston, Wolcott Andrews, Phoebe Hinsdale Brown, The Orchard Thief, Susan Orlean, Bare Root Roses, Chris Van Cleve, and the State Flowers

The Daily Gardener Podcast Album Cover with a pot of rosemary - the herb for remembrance - beckoning gardeners to remember to listen to the show. Updated September 2025.

Happy May Day! Today, the tradition in France is to give a sprig of Lily of the Valley to loved ones. Originally from Japan, Lily of the Valley has long been considered lucky. It’s a sweet scent, belies its high toxicity. Other names for Lily of the Valley include May Bells, Our Lady’s Tears, and…