[her_purple_pixieness]

I have a beautiful pale purple orchid from one of the children in my class as a Christmas present. There's no label on it or anything to give me a clue as to what sort of orchid it is.

The only trouble is... I am a total novice when it comes to keeping flowers and plants. I know you're supposed to water them but that's about it! At the moment I've got it on my bedroom window-sill, which is above a radiatior... but one of its flowers has dropped off. The others aren't looking too perky either.

I don't know if that's because it's MEANT to wilt in winter, or if it's because it's too cold, or too hot, or if I haven't watered it enough - it's got special compost stuff, which the label says you're to keep damp but not wet, and I've been managing that all right.

It's a lovely thing and I'm desperate to take good care of it and learn how to care for plants... but I don't know what to do or where to start! Help me out!