I am an orchid superhero.

I discovered that my local supermarket is an excellent place to pick up beautiful bargain orchids.

The new arrivals are truly spectacular and I am especially partial to the purple and yellow mini orchids. However supermarkets do not have a good track record for looking after their plants.

Since I became a fanatic a few months ago I have spotted several desperate specimens on the point of death. I hate to see orchids suffer so I feel compelled to buy them and try my best to restore them to health.

It was a couple of months ago when I spotted three orchids on the point of death. I went to customer services and bartered them down to one pound each. As I put the orchids in my trolley the jeering started from the staff. “I wouldn’t buy those love. They look like they’re not long for this world.” As I went through the checkout with my miserable looking plants the assistant commented that they looked like they were dead. “How will you bring them back to life?” she asked. I left the store to chuckles from male staff standing near the door.

Now all three orchids have shiny green leaves and stalks with prominent buds about to burst forth in the coming weeks. I have a dream of waiting until they are in their full glory and then taking them in to the supermarket to show all the doubters.

Today I was at the supermarket again and against my best judgment could not resist checking out the orchids. They had them outside in full sun – an instant killer for orchids. However as they were still in their plastic packaging it had shielded them partially from the rays.

There were some that were still lovely but once again my eye caught two dead looking plants that had been marked down for 35p. This time the assistants made no comment as I left the store also clutching two beautiful mini orchids in yellow and purple.

You may remember the film Death Becomes Her where two aging Hollywood divas become immortal. They look good in a weird sort of way but when anything touches them bits start falling off them. It was the same with the purple orchid. When I took it away from the store it had flowers and leaves. After I watered it all of the leaves but one fell off leaving a bare stalk. But I have faith it will survive. Watch this space.