Returned to Cattleya after a difficult first attempt

My first attempt at Cattleya failed — crown rot from water sitting in the leaf crown got hold of it and I didn't know what I was looking at until it was too late. I left it alone for a year before trying again.

The second attempt, with proper attention to watering by soaking the pot then letting it drain fully, has been completely different. It's now thriving in a north or east-facing windowsill and pseudobulbs that store water and nutrients is on full display. rest period in summer with focus on leaf and root growth this year was a genuine reward for starting again. If you failed first time, the plant isn't the problem — the conditions probably were.