The Orchid Society of Great Britain

Transcription

Orchid
Journal
VOLUME 63 No 2 May – June – July 2014
Society of Great Britain
The Orchid Society of Great Britain
Registered Charity No. 261273
Officers of the Society
www.osgb.org.uk
Committee Members
#President: Mr Peter White
61 Stanwell Lea, Middleton Cheney, Banbury,
Oxfordshire, OX17 2RF
Tel: 01295 712159
e-mail: [email protected]
Mrs Betty Barber
8 Dean Close, Deeds Grove, High Wycombe,
Buckinghamshire, HP12 3NS
Tel: 01494 529604
Vice Presidents: Mrs B Arnold, Mrs J Kelleher,
Mr T Lewis, Dr E Watson
Mr Marc Harris
7 Bandon Rise, Wallington, Surrey, SM6 8PT
Tel: 020 8647 7434
#Chairman: Mr Roy White
30 Acorn Grove, Ruislip Gardens, Middlesex, HA4 6LP
Tel: 01895 632689 Mobile: 07873 716496
#Secretary: Mrs Val Micklewright
103 North Road, Three Bridges, Crawley,
West Sussex, RH10 1SQ
Tel: 01293 528615
#Treasurer: Mrs Sally Mill
82 Hazelwick Road, Three Bridges,
West Sussex, RH10 1NH
Tel: 01293 547896
Vice Chairman:
Mr Robert Mundell
5 Elm Grove, Wivenhoe, Essex, CO7 9AY
Tel: 01206 823777
Mrs Diana Neophytou
Tel: 01903 416823
#Trustee of the Society
*Delegate to the British Orchid Council
#Membership Secretary: Mrs Sue Johnson
Le Touquet, Station Road, Elsenham,
Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, CM22 6LG
Tel: 01279 812704
#Displays Manager: Miss Jeanette Beaney
50 Court Road, Orpington, Kent, BR6 0QA
Tel: 01689 826631 Mobile: 07517 006387
Advertising Secretary: Mrs Kim Solomon
31 Burghley House, Somerset Road, Wimbledon,
London, SW19 5JB
Tel: 020 8946 4410 Mobile: 07717 222403
Chair of Judging: Mrs Dusha Hayes
62 Link Lane, Wallington, Surrey, SM6 9DZ
Tel: 020 8647 8496
*Programme Secretary:
Mr Francis J Quesada-Pallarés
50 Fir Tree Gardens, Shirley, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 8JQ
Mobile: 07951 070637
Sponsorship Secretary: Miss Mary-Jane Hawkins
Mobile: 07713 474489
86 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
The Journal (ISSN 0306-2996)
*Editor and Librarian: Lady Samantha Hurley
17 Veronica Road, London, SW17 8QL
Tel: 020 8673 7751 Mobile: 07900 250247
Layout and typesetting: Smallfish Designs Ltd
Printed by: Impress Print Services Ltd
The Journal is printed on paper
with a certified Chain of Custody
for wood fibre. At least 70% of
the fibre originates from certified
sustainably managed forests.
Editor’s notes
Contents
It was a pleasure to
see so many
members at the
Society’s Spring
Show at RHS Garden
Wisley on 29 March.
This is always a great
start to the show
season and many
Photo by Robbies
thanks to Sir Michael
Photographics
and Lady Colman for
attending and presenting the trophies.
Oﬃcers of the Society ...................................................... 86
Congratulations to André Roux and his team for
their Silver-Gilt medal at the RHS London Orchid
Show in April. Next year the show will include
the 17th European Orchid Conference.
This issue includes a report by Liz Johnson on
the RHS Award of Garden Merit and what it
means when applied to orchids; news from the
British Orchid Council; and a step-by-step
photographic guide to repotting the easy-togrow species Stenoglottis longifolia. Our former
editor, Eileen Watson, writes about her reliable
Cymbidium La Belle ‘Annabelle’ and Douglas
Simms suggests that we try growing Galeandra
baueri. I have written a detailed report on the
RBG Kew’s orchid festival which celebrated
plant hunting, past and present. The Society is
hoping to interest members in a trip to Borneo
in 2015 so they can experience orchid hunting
for themselves; full details of the trip are
included in this issue.
Please will members consider lending their
plants to support the Society’s display at
Chelsea, 20–24 May. It will be our 54th Chelsea
and we hope to repeat last year’s Gold medal
success.
The copy deadline for the next issue is 10 June
2014.
Editor’s notes ........................................................................ 87
News:
RHS Chelsea Flower Show .......................................... 88
17th EOC – April 2015 .................................................. 88
Joyce Stewart Trophy ................................................... 89
Beginners’ seminar on 2 August .............................. 90
2014 Art Competition – classes reinstated .......... 90
Increased postage charges ........................................ 90
Electronic version of the Journal .............................. 90
Letter to the Editor by Lydia Cobb ............................... 91
Obituaries
Linda Seal by Sam Hurley ........................................... 92
Peter Hunt by Ian Parsons and Brent Elliott ......... 93
Members’ plants by Eileen Watson and
Douglas Sims .................................................................. 94
Award of Garden Merit by Liz Johnson ...................... 98
British Orchid Council news by Sam Hurley ........... 106
Book Reviews
Genera Orchidacearum Volume 6 by
Alec M Pridgeon, Phillip J Cribb,
Mark W Chase and Finn N Rasmussen ................. 109
Compendium of Miniature Orchids by
Ron Parsons and Mary E Gerritsen ........................ 110
Barbara Everard Trust for Orchid Conservation...... 111
Plant hunting at Kew by Sam Hurley ........................ 112
Repotting Stenoglottis longifolia by Sam Hurley .. 124
Borneo orchid expedition 2015 .................................. 128
Napier Hall meetings
Table Show report by André Roux......................... 133
Lecture report by Mary-Jane Hawkins ................ 139
RHS Orchid Committee awards .................................. 155
Advertisements ................................................................ 158
Services to members:
Meetings, cultural advice, website,
library, displays ............................................................ 166
Show Diary ......................................................................... 167
Photos by Henry Oakeley unless otherwise stated
Front cover: Jo Kelleher’s Oncidium Jo Kelleher
‘The President’ (Keighleyensis x Solar Heat)
Back cover: Stuart Meeson’s Maxillariella
variabilis, a species from Mexico to Venezuela
Both plants exhibited at Napier Hall in March 2014
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 87
News
Sam Hurley
RHS Chelsea Flower Show
The BBC is planning to cover the Society’s
preparations for Chelsea this year as part of
their programme Countdown to Chelsea. They
have already filmed Val Micklewright’s
greenhouse and Sam Hurley’s windowsills. We
would like to demonstrate the excellence
which can be achieved by a group of
enthusiastic amateurs amidst the
professionals at Chelsea so please lend us your
plants – they might well appear on television!
This year’s Chelsea exhibit, designed by Val
Micklewright, Sam Hurley and André Roux, is
titled The cosmopolitan world of orchids.
Orchids are the most cosmopolitan
flowering plant family and grow everywhere
on Earth except areas which are
permanently frozen or desert. The exhibit
will include information panels to introduce
visitors to the wonderful world of orchids
and explain where, why and how these
fascinating plants grow. We have designed a
display which will show a wide variety of
exotic and tropical species from around the
world within a naturalistic setting.
The BBC’s Simon Pass and Laura Fairbanks filming OSGB
orchids as part of their Chelsea 2014 coverage (photo by
Sam Hurley)
88 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
If you would like to lend your plants for
Chelsea please contact the Displays
Manager; Jeanette Beaney, tel: 01689 826631,
Some of the plants used in the Chelsea
display will be for sale. A full list will be
available from 26 May but will include
striking Renanthera and ‘antelope’
Dendrobium. They can be collected from
Napier Hall or the Malvern show in June.
Please contact Val Micklewright to check
availability and price, tel: 01293 528615,
17th EOC – April 2015
The RHS London Orchid Show is delighted to
welcome the prestigious 17th European
Orchid Show and Conference (EOC) to the
heart of London in April 2015. The show will
run for four days from 9 to 12 April, with a
preview evening on 8 April and conference
dinner on 11 April.
As one of the RHS’s main partners for the
conference, the OSGB is proud to be
organising the conference’s gala dinner at
The EOC 2015 gala dinner will be held in the Osler Room
(photo courtesy of the Royal College of Physicians)
News
The Royal College of Physicians is an award-winning
event venue
the Royal College of Physicians by Regent’s
Park. This offers a wonderful opportunity to
visit the award-winning, Grade I listed
building which has become one of London’s
most successful event venues. The college’s
modern building, designed by Sir Denys
Lasdun, is home to its splendid collection of
period portraits and antiquarian books.
Guided tours of the College and of its
medicinal garden (the latter by OSGB pastPresident, Henry Oakeley) will be available.
On arrival guests will be welcomed to an
elegant drinks reception in the Dorchester
Library before enjoying a superb gala dinner
in the Osler Room. Dinner tickets will cost
£70.00 per person.
A science conference will run at the Jodrell
Sue Lane’s Dimorphorchis rossii ‘Sue’ BC/RHS was
awarded the Joyce Stewart Trophy by the RHS in 2013
(photo by David Ridgeway)
Laboratory, RBG Kew on 8–9 April, and
horticultural and travel lectures will take
place at the RHS halls on 10–11 April. An
exciting programme of speakers is being
arranged and a number of international
orchid nurseries will be attending.
Registration will open when the conference
website goes live this spring,
www.eoclondon2015.org.uk
Joyce Stewart Trophy
This RHS trophy is dedicated to the memory
of the late Joyce Stewart and is awarded to
the exhibitor of the best orchid species
shown to the RHS Orchid Committee during
the year. In 2013 it was awarded to Sue Lane
for Dimorphorchis rossii ‘Sue’ which received
a Botanical Certificate in September.
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 89
News
2014 Art Competition – classes
reinstated
It proved almost impossible to judge the
single ‘art’ class at the Photographic and Art
Competition last year due to the diversity of
entries. Consequently Class 6 has been
returned to its previous format to include
one class specifically for orchid paintings and
one for other orchid art.
Class 6a Orchid paintings – any size or type
of painting done by a member.
Class 6b Any other non-photographic
orchid-related art, eg drawing without
painting, needlework, pottery, computer art,
cake decoration, flower arranging.
Increased postage charges
Members learning about repotting from Henry Oakeley
at our free beginners’ seminar (photo by Sam Hurley)
Beginners’ seminar on 2
August
Our free beginners’ seminar will be held on 2
August 2014, before the main meeting that
afternoon, and will include talks,
demonstrations, hands-on repotting and a
light lunch. All new members, including
those who were unable to attend last year,
are welcome but places must be booked in
advance. New members may bring guests at
a charge of £10.00 per guest.
Doors open at 9:30 and the seminar begins
promptly at 10:00. Please contact Sam
Hurley to book your place, tel: 07900 250247,
90 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
Please note that postage charges increased
again in April and the cost of posting society
goods has to reflect this. Full details of the
new charges are given in the Annual
Supplement. Members wishing to buy
society goods are advised to consider
arranging to collect them from Napier Hall
or from shows around the country.
Electronic version of the
Journal
Overseas members’ postage charges may
have to increase very soon. The
Management Committee is considering
producing an electronic version of the
Journal which will be emailed to overseas
members in order to minimise these
costs. The Editor would welcome opinions
from overseas members about this
option.
Letter to the Editor
Dendrochilum cobbianum was first flowered by Walter Cobb in 1852 (photo by Ron Parsons)
Dear Editor,
I just have to let you know how much
pleasure I had reading the comprehensive
article by Jim Cootes about Dendrochilum
cobbianum in OSGBJ 63(1): 40.
Walter Cobb, for whom the species is named,
was a relation of my husband, Derek. When
we started growing and researching orchids
in the 1970s we discovered that Walter Cobb,
of Sydenham, had his own orchid collectors
in the Philippines. He flowered this
Dendrochilum for the first time in 1852 and
Professor Reichenbach named it after him in
1880. Unfortunately Walter Cobb never
enjoyed this honour as he had already
passed away.
It was of great interest to have the pictures
of the many colour variations, which we
knew existed but have never found in
England. I would be very pleased to have a
plant with one of these different colour
variations, if only I could find it.
Yours sincerely
Lydia Cobb
Ed: Lydia Cobb was founder and chair of the
Chiltern Orchid Society until it closed in 2012.
Please contact the Editor if you might be
able to supply Lydia with an unusuallycoloured variety of Dendrochilum cobbianum.
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 91
Obituaries
She raised large amounts of money for
various cancer charities following her
diagnosis in 2007. Her wide range of hobbies
and activities included walking, singing,
theatre-going, travelling, gardening and, of
course, growing orchids.
Linda joined the Society with her husband,
Allan, in 2009 and attended meetings at
Napier Hall and Croydon regularly, where they
quickly became popular members. She was a
windowsill grower of orchids, concentrating
mainly on Phalaenopsis, but also tried her
hand at Dendrobium and Coelogyne.
Linda Seal hunting for endemic Bosnian Dactylorhiza in
2013 (photo by Sam Hurley)
Linda Seal
Sam Hurley (photo by Sam Hurley)
Linda Seal died on 15 January 2014 aged 61. She
was elected to the OSGB Committee in June
2013 but sadly only attended one meeting
before being diagnosed again with cancer.
Linda began her working life as an
administration manager for Croydon and
Lewisham councils while continuing her
professional qualifications and taking an
Open University degree. She then decided to
pursue a teaching career and became a
senior school lecturer in business and
management, also lecturing adult evening
classes. She later worked in education
welfare before training as an advisor for the
Citizens Advice Bureau.
Linda was immensely sociable and made
many friends throughout her life including
those at the South East Cancer Help Centre
in Purley who helped her through her illness.
92 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
I met Linda soon after we both joined the
society and within a year we found ourselves
in at the deep end, manning the Society’s
Chelsea stand in 2010. We did this together
for the next three years and enjoyed ourselves
enormously. It was always a pleasure to watch
Linda’s friendly manner as she talked to
visitors and shared the knowledge she had
acquired through being a member of the
Society. After that first year, she vowed to
have a plant on the display and several of her
beautifully-flowered Phalaenopsis featured
over the following years.
Linda adored travelling and she and Allan
made two orchid trips with members of the
OSGB, to Ecuador and Peru in 2012 and to
Bosnia in 2013. She developed an eagle-eye
for spotting whichever orchid the group was
hunting for and constantly surprised herself
by scaling steep slopes to see them in situ.
She was equally delighted to discover that
she could find British native orchids near her
home in Caterham.
Linda Seal epitomised the kind, generous and
friendly nature of the OSGB. She was always
Obituaries
happy to help and had a wonderful sense of
humour. It was no surprise to see many
orchid friends at her funeral, offering
support to Allan and their children. I shall
miss her enormously and am grateful to
have been her friend.
Peter Hunt
Ian Parsons and Brent Elliott
Ian Parsons writes:
It is with great sadness that I report the
death of Peter Hunt. Peter passed away on
New Year’s Eve 2013 aged 77.
Peter was probably best known worldwide as
the Orchid Hybrid Registrar, a post that he
held jointly with his wife Doreen until his
retirement in 2001.
I met Peter many years ago when he was
about to join the RHS, having been a lecturer
in botany, and then administrator, and
having published many papers about
orchids, their classification, and taxonomy. It
was shortly after this that the post of Orchid
Hybrid Registrar became vacant, and he and
Doreen shared one full-time and one parttime post. Although Doreen was appointed
as his assistant she was Peter’s equal in a
practical and professional sense.
Peter served the British Orchid Council (BOC)
for many years first as Minutes Secretary, and
then as Honorary Secretary. When Peter
started producing the minutes, he used a
mechanical typewriter, and it was not until
the mid-1990s that he was able to use a word
processor (provided by the RHS as part of the
job as Orchid Hybrid Registrar). Peter was also
instrumental in helping to establish the
period of tenure of BOC officers, and this has
carried through to this day. He remained
actively involved with the BOC as delegate for
Peter Hunt served the orchid community for many years
in a wide variety of roles (photo courtesy of RHS/The
Orchid Review)
the Somerset society, and later, when that
society joined, with Wiltshire and Dorset.
So it with sadness that we say thanks, and
goodbye to Peter, a gentle man.
Brent Elliott writes:
Peter was a member of the Orchid
Committee from 1960 to 1982, and of ORAC
(now the Orchid Registration Advisory Panel)
from 1992 to2012, acting as Secretary of that
Committee from 1997 to 2000. He and his
wife Doreen were largely responsible for the
production of three instalments of Sander’s
List of Orchid Hybrids from 1986-90 to 199698. With the late Jack Greatwood, he helped
to revise the Society’s Handbook on Orchid
Nomenclature and Registration for its second
and third editions. Peter was also the author
of Discovering Botany (1979), Orchidaceae
(1973), The Country Life Book of Orchids (1978),
The International Book of Orchids (1979) and
The Orchid (1987).
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 93
Members’ plants
Cymbidium La Belle ‘Annabelle’ was awarded an AM/RHS in 1958 (photo by Eileen Watson)
Cymbidium La Belle ‘Annabelle’
Whereas some orchids mysteriously reject all
offers of tender loving care and ‘pass on’,
others settle in and continue to reveal their
beauty year after year. One such orchid in my
greenhouse is Cymbidium La Belle ‘Annabelle’.
This orchid was bought for me by my father
on a visit to McBean’s nursery way back in
1991 and it still brings a lot of pleasure.
succession and this season have provided
flowers from late November to late February,
so giving a display for up to three months.
The plant grows in a greenhouse at 10°C
minimum, being moved to an unheated
greenhouse from May to September where it
receives quite bright light. I add a few pellets
of Miracle-Gro Slow Release All Purpose Plant
Fertilizer to the top of the pot every three
months or so from early spring to autumn.
This is gradually watered in with rainwater.
It is a standard Cymbidium which produces
several spikes up to one metre in height,
bearing 10 to 15 flowers which measure 10cm
across. The spikes usually appear in
Cymbidium La Belle was registered by H W B
Schroeder of Dell Park, Surrey in January 1955
(and Cym. La Belle ‘Annabelle’ gained an
Award of Merit from the RHS Orchid
Eileen Watson
94 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
Members’ plants
Cymbidium insigne
Cymbidium Alexanderi features in both sides of
Cymbidium La Belle’s parentage – this painting is of
Cymbidium Alexanderi ‘Westonbirt’ FCC/RHS (painting
courtesy of the RHS Lindley Library)
Committee when exhibited by H W B
Schroeder in 1958). It is a cross between Cym.
Flare and Cym. Babylon; these in turn are
descended from other hybrids, but the
famous, awarded Cym. Alexanderi features in
the pedigree of both.
An analysis of the species composition of
Cym. La Belle shows Cym. insigne to be the
most common at 39% and Cym. lowianum at
24%. There is less than 10% each of Cym.
eburneum, Cym. hookerianum, Cym.
lowianum var. kalawense (previously
iansonii), and Cym. tracyanum.
Cymbidium lowianum
Unfortunately, the origin and significance of
the cultivar name ‘Annabelle’ remains a
mystery. Please would members contact the
Editor if they can offer any insight.
Ed: Eileen Watson has been growing orchids
for many years and previously held the
National Collection of Dracula. She edited
the Journal for ten years from 2000 to 2010.
Cymbidium traceyanum
Some of the species used in the breeding of Cymbidium
La Belle ‘Annabelle’
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 95
Members’ plants
Surinam, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and
northern Brazil. Needless to say, advice from
websites and books regarding its culture
varies enormously.
This orchid has attractive flowers with light
brown petals and sepals and a creamy-white
lip with a pale pink margin. It flowers
between one and four times each year,
starting in summer, with up to six flowers
per spike, and each flush of flowers lasts in
total about four weeks. Sometimes the new
spike appears alongside the older one before
that has finished flowering. With each
passing year my plant has grown one new
pseudobulb and these have increased in size
year on year. The leaves are usually shed
around December to January although one
year they were gone by mid-August but the
plant carried on flowering. Galeandra baueri
is fragrant to some noses but sadly not mine.
Galeandra baueri is a repeat-flowering orchid from
South America
Galeandra baueri
Douglas Sims (photos by Douglas Sims)
This smallish, repeat-flowering orchid is
tolerant of windowsill culture and is a useful
addition to any collection.
I have a mixed collection of orchids, grown
mostly indoors on windowsills, and from
time-to-time I add an orchid of a genus that I
have never heard of and try it out. One such
plant was Galeandra baueri, seen for sale in a
plant list from Ray Creek Orchids in 2008.
Galeandra baueri is a deciduous epiphyte
found in South America: French Guiana,
96 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
I grow this plant on a southeast facing
windowsill, alongside other orchids, behind a
net curtain in a room where the main
curtains are never shut. On sunny days the
plant gets very bright light. During the
winter months of December to February the
daily temperature range is 13–24°C. During
the summer months of June to August the
daily range is 16–35°C with occasional nights
of 14°C and daytime highs of 39°C. An
oscillating electric fan is used when daytime
temperatures are high.
When the plant is resting, during December
to January, tap water at 80–140µS (microsiemens) is sprayed onto the compost weekly
or even on alternate weeks (Ed: this is very
soft tap water, and members in hard water
areas should use rainwater). Weekly
Members’ plants
watering is commenced when the new
growth appears; as it progresses, spraying of
the compost surface is increased to daily.
Watering and spraying are gradually reduced
as growth slows in autumn. No special
measures are taken to increase humidity
(which is between 55–80% in summer and
60–70% in winter).
Various types of orchid feed have been tried
over the years without obvious advantage or
disadvantage. During the past two years I
have used either an orchid ‘grow’ feed from
March followed by ‘tomato’ feed from
August, or ‘tomato’ feed all the way through
the growing season at concentrations of
400–500µS (microsiemens) on alternate
weeks.
Ed: Douglas Sims has been growing his
mixed collection of orchids since the mid1990s and joined the OSGB in 2002.
Galeandra baueri will grow well on a windowsill
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 97
Award of Garden Merit
Liz Johnson
The RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM) was
originally conceived to identify outstanding
plants that could be recommended to
gardeners ‘for ordinary garden or
greenhouse use’. At the beginning of the
1990s the RHS decided that an up-to-date
list of recommended plants would be of
benefit to gardeners and work began to
draw up such a list with the help of the plant
trials and plant committees. The purpose of
the award was to promote the best available
for the amateur grower. This practical guide
was to include only plants that were thought
to be: excellent for ordinary use in
appropriate conditions; available; of good
constitution; essentially stable in form and
colour; and reasonably resistant to pests and
diseases. ‘Appropriate conditions’ included
both the garden (outdoors) and a cold or
heated domestic greenhouse, and so orchids
were to be included.
Oncidopsis Nelly Isler AGM/RHS is an old favourite which
meets all the criteria of the AGM (photo by Sam Hurley)
Many plants were selected through the trials
system at Wisley but this was neither
appropriate for tropical orchids nor did
Wisley have the space and the manpower to
evaluate the wide range of orchids grown by
hobbyists. It was decided that the Orchid
Committee, through personal experience,
consultation with experts and round-table
discussion, should submit a list for inclusion.
However, after a few years and much debate
all orchids other than hardy or alpine house
plants were removed from the AGM list. The
Orchid Committee believed that the word
‘Garden’ in the award’s name was liable to
mislead and the recent upsurge of interest in
orchids as house plants, mainly Phalaenopsis,
Paphiopedilum insigne AGM/RHS is a strong grower
which does not require much extra heat
Prosthechea cochleata AGM/RHS has an intriguinglyshaped flower and is sometimes sold as ‘Octopussy’
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 99
brought its own problems. The market was
being flooded with easy-to-grow mericlones.
Orchid cultivars were arriving in
supermarkets unnamed, incorrectly named
and sometimes under several different,
unregistered names. Some of these tissuecultured plants appeared for sale for as short
a time as six months. Including them in any
annual list was thought to be impossible.
In 2010/11 the RHS reviewed the
effectiveness of the AGM and concluded that
the concept was still valuable and that
revision in both content and presentation
would give it a boost. Nurseries, garden
centres and supermarkets would be
encouraged to ‘come on board’ and a new,
more modern logo adopted. All RHS plant
committees were encouraged to review and
Oncidium Sharry Baby AGM/RHS has an extra appeal – a
tempting ‘chocolate’ fragrance (photo by Sam Hurley)
100 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
revise. It was with some trepidation that the
current Orchid Committee embarked on the
task but with strong encouragement and
reassurance they took up the challenge.
Hardy and alpine house orchids were to be
collectively assessed by the Joint Rock
Garden Plant and Orchid Committees with
the former taking the lead.
A manageable list was slowly gathered
through discussion and expert referral. The
problem of unnamed and wrongly named
cultivars is still with us but it is hoped that
publicity which follows the awarding of an
AGM will encourage more nurseries to name
and register plants in the future. It is also
hoped that UK nurseries will be encouraged
to grow AGM plants and thus make them
more available to the general public.
Dendrobium kingianum AGM/RHS is easy to grow,
tolerant of a wide range of temperatures
Phalaenopsis Ariadne AGM/RHS was registered by the
OSGB’s President, Peter White, in 2012 (photo by Chris
Barker)
The word ‘Garden’ in the award’s title still
gives rise to concern. Plants awarded an
AGM need not be fully hardy throughout the
British Isles but could be cultivated under
glass, with or without heat. Each AGM plant
is assigned a hardiness rating. There is no
grading system within the scheme. Plants
must reach a standard considered to be
consistently ‘good’. The Orchid Committee
concentrated on cultivars that grow well
when given the correct conditions and which
the home grower would be able to reflower
with a degree of success.
No hybrid was considered unless it had a
registered name (to be found in the RHS
International Orchid Hybrid Register) or had
a consistent trade name that could be
recognised, the latter being well-known
plants that are readily available but whose
parentage is unregistered. This condition
unfortunately ruled out many of the most
popular pot plants – supermarket
Phalaenopsis rarely have names.
Availability was another problem. Plants
appealing to hobbyists are difficult to source
Ludisia discolor AGM/RHS needs very little attention and
is easy to root from broken stems which produce new
plants
from local garden centres; the number of
specialist nurseries in Britain is diminishing
and even fewer operate a laboratory for tissue
culture. Buyers are heavily reliant on
mericlones from Taiwan and the Netherlands.
Slowly suggestions were put forward,
discussed (some several times), sorted and
sifted until a list of recommendations
emerged which includes some hardy orchids.
The Orchid Committee is tasked to add to
the list and this can be done at any time
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 101
throughout the year. Plants will be reviewed
regularly and recommendations made to
remove cultivars from the list if they fail in
any of the criteria. It is not unknown for
mass production of inferior mericlones of
mericlones to reach the market.
The very first nomination to the new list of
AGM orchids was Spiranthes cernua ‘Chadds
Ford’. This was brought to an Orchid
Committee meeting in November 2010 by Mrs
Chai Butler of Chippenham. It was a wellgrown plant but not quite to the size and
standard to merit it being considered for a
cultural certificate. The suggestion was made
that as the ‘powers that be’ of the RHS were
keen for us to start appraising plants for the
AGM, this might be a suitable start. After
discussion it was agreed that this particular
clone was vigorous, had large fragrant flowers
and was readily available since it had been
widely tissue-cultured and, although slow to
spread, was easy to propagate by division.
Commonly known as Ladies Tresses,
Spiranthes prefer moist, free-draining soils
and naturalise readily. A sheltered spot out of
midday sun is ideal. They can also be grown
as a pot plant on a cool windowsill, if you
have one, in which case control of watering is
essential. Never let the compost dry out
when the plant is in growth. After flowering,
the leaves die down for winter; allow a cold
rest period but water very occasionally to
prevent the plant from shriveling.
The choice of Cymbidium varieties to
recommend was a difficult one. Most modern
hybrids and several of the species are
relatively easy-to-grow if a few basic rules are
Mrs Chai Butler’s Spiranthes cernua ‘Chadds Ford’ received its AGM in 2010
102 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
adhered to. The current list includes plants
with a range of different habits and sizes
from the diminutive Cymbidium Tiger Tail, to
the statuesque Cymbidium Icho Tower.
The majority, however, are what are
commonly known as ‘miniature’
cymbidiums. Two of these produce
pendulous spikes including one of the most
commercially successful cymbidiums ever
produced, Cymbidium Sarah Jean ‘Ice
Cascade’. Its parent Cymbidium floribundum
is found from South China to North Vietnam
and Taiwan and not only contributes an
extremely high flower count and pendulous
racemes to the cross but also makes it a little
more tolerant of warmer temperatures, all of
which is a plus for the beginner.
Cymbidium Sarah Jean ‘Ice Cascade’ reaches
Cymbidium Sarah Jean ‘Ice Cascade’ AGM/RHS owes its
high flower count and pendulous spikes to its parent
Cymbidium floribundum
flowering maturity relatively early and is
extremely floriferous, producing pendulous
spikes bearing masses of white flowers. It
grows successfully in well-aerated, freedraining compost under good light levels and
in a buoyant atmosphere. During late
September to the end of May maintain a
night temperature around 12°C, with days not
more than 21°C. From June to late September
it should be placed outside in dappled shade
where a good temperature differential will
help produce flower spikes for the following
season. Ideally temperatures should not rise
above 27°C. While the flower buds are
developing, night temperatures should fall
below 15°C otherwise buds may drop off
prematurely. It should be watered thoroughly
throughout the year, preferably with
rainwater, when the bulk of the compost is
The cascading spikes of Cymbidium Sarah Jean ‘Ice
Cascade’ AGM/RHS do not require staking
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 103
dry, and fed regularly.
This clone usually comes into bloom before
Christmas with flowers lasting six to eight
weeks but the flowering period can be three
months or more on a mature plant. The
cascading spikes do not need support but
require the plant to be grown either in a
hanging basket or in a pot which will need
raising up to give full effect. This can be
easily achieved by placing the growing pot
on top of another, upturned flower pot.
Either way it produces a stunning sight of
cascading white flowers for weeks on end.
Suggestions for consideration for an AGM
are always welcome; please give the matter
some thought. Which plant do you grow that
you find the easiest to look after and
rebloom? Is it available to buy online, at a
nursery or in a shop? A few lines to say why
the nomination is being made would be
useful to the Orchid Committee. Sharing the
experience of orchid growing with others is
very rewarding. Nominations please!
Ed: Liz Johnson, owner of McBean’s Orchids,
is Vice Chair of the RHS Orchid Committee
and writes regularly for The Orchid Review.
RHS Award of Garden Merit
The following orchids have been awarded
an AGM by the RHS Orchid Committee
Aliceara Peggy Ruth Carpenter
Bletilla striata
Brassia Eternal Wind
Coelogyne cristata
Cymbidium Castle of Mey ‘Pinkie’ AM/RHS
Cymbidium Dorothy Stockstill
Cymbidium Golden Elf
Cymbidium Icho Tower
Cymbidium lowianum
Cymbidium Sarah Jean ‘Ice Cascade’
Cymbidium Sleeping Nymph
Cymbidium Strathbraan ‘Cooksbridge Pearl’
Cymbidium Tiger Tail
Cypripedium Gabriela
Dendrobium Berry
Dendrobium kingianum
Ludisia discolor
Oncidesa Sweet Sugar
Oncidium Sharry Baby
Oncidium Twinkle
Oncidopsis Nelly Isler
104 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
Oncostele Midnight Miracles ‘Masai Red’
Oncostele Midnight Miracles ‘Masai Splash’
Oncostele Wildcat
Paphiopedilum Clair de Lune
Paphiopedilum insigne
Paphiopedilum Leeanum
Paphiopedilum Pinocchio
Phalaenopsis amabilis
Phalaenopsis Ariadne ‘Stanwell’
Phalaenopsis Be Tris
Phalaenopsis Brother Little Amaglad
Phalaenopsis Brother Pico Sweetheart
Phalaenopsis Chingruey’s Goldstaff
Phalaenopsis Sogo Kawai
Phalaenopsis Taida Sweet ‘Stripe Beauty’
Phalaenopsis Tiny Tim
Phalaenopsis Yellow Lightning
Phalaenopsis Golden Beauty
Prosthechea cochleata
Pterostylis curta
Spiranthes cernua ‘Chadds Ford’
Stenoglottis longifolia
Zygopetalum James Strauss ‘Scentsation’
Pterostylis curta AGM/RHS (Nodding Greenhood)
can be grown on a cool windowsill
British Orchid Council news
Sam Hurley
BOC Photographic
Competition 2013
Congratulations to Tony Hughes, a member
of the Hardy Orchid Society, who won first
place with a superb portrait of Orchis
purpurea. OSGB members Nigel Johnson and
Robert Simmons won second and third
places. The standard of this competition is
improving each year but sadly only 11 orchid
societies entered in 2013. Any member
society of the BOC is eligible – why not try
your luck in 2014?
Tony Hughes writes:
The picture was taken mid-morning on 17
April 2013, on the outskirts of Rodi - a small
town on the northern coast of the Gargano
peninsula, southeast Italy. The site was an
ancient olive grove, with a vast number of
magnificent old olives, and lots of Lady
Orchids (Orchis purpurea) in full flower
dotted around. It was only when I was
processing the picture for the competition
that I noticed the brilliant green lizard
basking on the trunk of the olive tree (Ed:
lower right of tree trunk)!
My camera is a Pentax K-30 digital SLR, and
the photo was taken using the 18-55mm zoom
lens provided with the camera. It was set at
the extreme wide-angle (18mm) end, and
manually focused just beyond the orchid. The
lens was stopped down to f/20 (its smallest
aperture) to get maximum depth of field. The
aperture priority auto-exposure system chose
1/50s exposure at ISO-200. Using the built-in
anti-shake facility, these settings were fine for
a sharp, hand-held shot. Very little subsequent
digital processing of the image was needed,
Tony Hughes’s portrait of Orchis purpurea won first
place in the 2013 BOC Photographic Competition
but I did make small adjustments to sharpness
and saturation, and a couple of small
distracting yellow flowers were removed using
the clone-stamp tool!
The winners of Classes 1 to 5 in the OSGB’s
Photographic Competition, held in June, are
submitted at the end of each year to the BOC
Photographic Competition. Please get you
entries ready for this year’s OSGB competition
– full details of the classes and rules can be
found in the Annual Supplement.
BOC Photographic
Competition winners
Orchis purpurea by Tony Hughes
(HOS)
2nd Ophrys insectifera by Nigel Johnson
(OSGB)
3rd Paphiopedilum haynaldianum by
Robert Simmons (OSGB)
1st
New Chairman
Chris Barker was elected as Chairman of the
British Orchid Council (BOC) in March 2014.
Chris was previously Vice Chairman of the
BOC and is editor of its newly created
Yearbook. He is a corresponding member of
the RHS Orchid Committee, has helped to
organize many successful international
orchid shows and, along with his wife Jean, is
a driving force within Darlington and District
Orchid Society. Chris takes over from Ian
Parsons who served as Chairman for the
previous three years.
Chris writes:
My hope is to raise the profile of the BOC in
the UK in the coming years. I viewed the BOC
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 107
British Orchid Council news
Yearbook as the starting point for this process.
Lecture tours by quality speakers are another
way of providing something special for
members. I was pleased to hear this comment
from one society member following a recent
talk by Bill Thoms ‘The best speaker we have
ever heard! His talk was interesting,
informative and very funny.’
We have identified a number of elements in
the EOC 2015 for BOC involvement. We plan to
finance a BOC stand; a chance for members to
display their specimen plants at one of the
most important orchid shows in the world. It
is inconceivable to contemplate having this
prestigious event taking place here without
BOC involvement. David Ridgeway, Chairman
of our Working Group for Judging, is putting
together the judging scheme for the EOC and
we hope that BOC judges will want to play
their part. The BOC has agreed to compile the
Show and Conference Programme for
registrants and the public. In appreciation, we
can ask EOC speakers if they would like to
extend their visit to include a BOC lecture tour.
BOC trophies awarded
The BOC Rose Bowl was awarded to Richard
Baxter for his work on the BOC constitution
and congresses, and the Lionel Dunning
Salver was awarded to John Spires for his
work on the BOC constitution and
conservation.
PowerPoint presentation
available
Chris Barker has created a PowerPoint
presentation about the life and works of
Charles Darwin, including a short film of the
pollination of Angraecum sesquipedale. This
is now in the BOC library and will be
available to member societies wishing to use
it at their meetings instead of having a
visiting speaker (or as an emergency backup). It is hoped that more presentations can
be created and held in the library. Please
contact the BOC librarian, Max Hopkinson, if
you would like to borrow a copy, tel: 0115 912
3095, e-mail: [email protected]
BOC Yearbook online
Chris Barker, newly-elected Chairman of the British
Orchid Council (photo by Sam Hurley)
108 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
This essential guide for orchid enthusiasts in
the UK includes cultural information for
popular genera and invaluable lists of
suppliers, National Collection holders,
societies around the country and their show
dates during the year. It is available from
BOC member societies or online, in a version
which is updated throughout the year, at
www.british-orchid-council.info
Book Reviews
Genera Orchidacearum Volume
6 Epidendroideae (Part Three)
edited by Alec M Pridgeon, Phillip J Cribb,
Mark W Chase and Finn N Rasmussen
A4 hardback, 576pp, line drawings, maps and
23 pages of colour illustrations, ISBN 978-019-964651-7, published by Oxford University
Press, £130.00 plus p&p. Exclusive 30%
discount offered by OUP to OSGB members;
to claim visit www.oup.com/uk, add the book
to shopping basket and use promo
code AAFLY6 at the checkout; or
tel: +44 (0) 1536 452640, or e-mail
[email protected] (offer expires 31
March 2015).
This is the sixth and final volume in a series
which aims to ‘represent a robust and
natural classification of the orchids’. The
series has taken 15 years to complete with
contributions from 98 orchid experts.
The Epidendroideae is the largest subfamily
of orchids and this book covers 140 genera in
the tribes Dendrobieae (Bulbophyllum and
Dendrobium) and Vandeae (Adrorhizinae,
Aeridinae, Agrostophyllinae, Angraecinae
and Polystachyinae). This subfamily
underwent some dramatic revisions last year
which included moving Doritis and Sedirea to
Phalaenopsis, and Vanda being expanded to
include Ascocentrum, Euanthe, Neofinetia
and Trudelia, among others. It is to be hoped
that as these reclassifications have been
based on DNA studies they will stand us in
good stead for some time to come.
Each genus is covered in extensive detail
including information on: derivation of name,
description, distribution, anatomy, ecology,
pollination and uses. Illustrations include
distribution maps and detailed botanical line
drawings for all genera, and almost 200 colour
photographs. There are helpful, if general,
cultivation notes for the more popular genera
grown by hobbyists. An Addendum of
additional and revised genera from previous
volumes is included, along with complete lists
of references, generic synonyms, and two
indexes (scientific names and subjects).
The book offers a wealth of information; at
first glance, far more than the amateur
orchid grower would know what to do with
(cytogenetics, phytochemistry, phylogenetics
etc). However, the information is
comprehensive and fascinating although I
suspect that growers will be most interested
in the volumes covering the orchids in which
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 109
Book Reviews
they specialise. It must be remembered that
this is a book on taxonomy (classification)
and not a reference book of all the species
within each genus.
As a complete series this contemporary work
is hard to beat; it has certainly achieved its
aim and should prove indispensable for
those studying or growing orchids.
Sam Hurley
A Compendium of Miniature
Orchids Volumes 1 and 2
by Ron Parsons and Mary E Gerritsen
Hardback, 31 x 24.5 cm, 1161 pages (Volume 1 –
502 pages, Volume 2 – 659 pages), colour
photographs throughout. Published by
Redfern Natural History Productions, price
£34.99 per volume or £39.99 with authors’
signatures, available from
www.redfernnaturalhistory.com/books/ or
specialist orchid nurseries and book suppliers.
These two volumes, focusing on over 500
miniatures species where individual growths
are no taller than 15cm (excluding
inflorescences), is written for experienced
growers and those growers willing to
venture beyond the usual hybrids available
at many garden centres but who have
limited growing space.
Volume 1 includes a very solid introduction to
the orchid family illustrated with superb
photographs of different blooms showing
the usual features of orchid flowers, the
natural habitats where a range of miniature
orchids are found and general cultural tips. It
then delves into the specific details of
different genera, before expanding onto
110 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
Book Reviews
individual species, from Acianthera to
Grandiphyllum. Volume 2 picks up species
from the genera Haraella through to
Zygostates. It is followed by four different
appendices: a glossary, a bibliography, a plant
index and a general index.
For each given genus, a brief profile
description includes general plant
morphology and cultural notes, before
describing some selected species of that
genus with at least one illustration, along
with their morphology, range, elevation and
habitat description, cultural
recommendations from growers and some
comments on confusing or similar species.
These two volumes provide a great insight
into the world of the more unusual
miniature orchids, with some stunning
photography showing very intricate details
of plants seldom seen in cultivation. The
useful information will hopefully entice
more of us to grow these minute beauties, so
that we might see more of them gracing the
displays of our orchid societies all over the
country.
Francis Quesada-Pallarés
Barbara Everard Trust for Orchid
Conservation
The Barbara Everard Trust for Orchid
Conservation (BETOC) is a charitable trust
within the OSGB. It was set up to conserve
orchids in cultivation, both species and
hybrids and with particular emphasis on old
hybrids.
you might need this, let your relatives and
executors know to contact the BETOC
Secretary, Val Micklewright, tel: 01293 528615,
Nowadays the Trustees also use the funds
for educational purposes, where the end
result will improve the knowledge required
to conserve orchids in cultivation. It had been
hoped when the Trust was set up that it
could fund a conservation greenhouse, but
the endowment to do this has never been
remotely adequate.
The Trustees will rehome orchids and orchid
collections when the owner can no longer
care for them, either by placing them with
specialist growers or distributing them
among amateurs. If you are of an age when
The enchanting BETOC logo was painted by artist
Barbara Everard
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 111
Plant hunting at Kew
Sam Hurley (photos by Sam Hurley)
The sights, sounds and smells of RBG Kew’s
spring orchid festival (8 February–9 March
2014) transported visitors to the world of a
tropical rainforest seen through the eyes of a
Victorian plant hunter. Vibrant blooms set
against a backdrop of multiple shades of
green delighted the eye, jungle calls of birds
and insects mingled with the sound of
flowing water, and the scents of the rainforest
hung in the humid air. The paraphernalia of a
plant hunter’s expedition was assembled on a
jetty: baggage, maps, collecting baskets and
Wardian cases. Just beyond was a dug-out
canoe, ready to transport hunters and supplies
deeper into the rainforest, and by a pond, in
the shade of a fallen tree covered in plants,
was a tented camp, the plant hunter’s homefrom-home, complete with everything needed
for collecting, preserving and studying plants
in the field. And all around were orchids.
I visited Kew during the build-up of this year’s
display (and again after its completion) and
spent several fascinating hours with Phil
Griffiths, Curator of the Orchid Festival and
Glasshouse Displays Co-ordinator, finding out
what it takes to create this extravaganza. Kew’s
popular orchid festival began 18 years ago as a
small display staged by the orchid team in one
end of the Princess of Wales Conservatory
(POWC). However, it has grown in success and
stature since then to fill the entire POWC, which
was named in honour of Augusta, Princess of
Wales, who founded Kew Gardens 250 years
ago, and was opened by Diana, Princess of
Wales in 1987. It is Kew’s last remaining event
devoted to a single plant family, all the others
having been incorporated over the years into
the summer festival.
Recurring visual themes are used each year, such as a
centrepiece in the pond
Victorian plant hunting expeditions required vast
amounts of paraphernalia (and none of it lightweight)
Phil Griffiths, Curator of the Orchid Festival and
Glasshouse Displays Co-ordinator at Kew
RBG Kew’s Princess of Wales Conservatory was named
after Augusta, Princess of Wales, who founded Kew
Gardens 250 years ago
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 113
Kew’s collections have always been designed
to educate, and an effective way is through
the use of striking displays which engage
visitors and encourage them to find out
more. These ‘shock and awe’ tactics are
powerful: flowers create the ‘wow’ factor but
A fresh, clean tent indicates the start of the expedition
the message behind them is just as
important. Kew uses recurring visual
elements, such as arches of vandas and
pillars of Phalaenopsis, which are
reinvigorated each year with varying themes
– some conceptual, some figurative. This
year’s theme was Plant hunters, past and
present.
Plant hunters have always been considered a
dynamic breed, including professional
botanists as well as commercial and
amateur collectors who all risked life and
limb to secure their prizes, travelling months
at a time, sometimes years, in harsh
conditions. They were often rivals, not
beyond sabotaging each other’s collections if
the opportunity presented itself, or offering
disinformation about the location of their
latest discoveries. The display captured the
nostalgic romance of a Victorian plant
hunter’s expedition with astonishing detail,
complete with period luggage and a
perfectly-appointed camp.
An avenue of orchid ‘torches’, reminiscent of
an Indiana Jones film, added a feeling of
daring adventure at the entrance and there
Finishing touches to the plant hunter’s camp included
maps, specimen jars, botanical drawings and a
herbarium press
114 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
An avenue of ‘flaming’ torches led visitors into the
display
was a triumphant display of ‘collected’ plants
including orchids, bromeliads, Nepenthes and
Medinilla magnifica.
Modern-day plant ‘hunters’ function in a very
different way. For example, Kew’s Millennium
Seed Bank Partnership has stored seeds from
around 300 orchid species to date and
information collected for the DNA Bank
enables scientists to study relationships
within the orchid family. Staff from Kew now
work in partnership with local communities
and institutions around the world to
conserve orchids, sharing the techniques
they have learned and developed. Their
efforts are aimed at ensuring long-term
protection for native plants and creating
sustainable benefits for local economies,
through education and promotion of
projects such as eco-tourism.
Plant collecting today is restricted by
measures such as CITES and a greater
understanding of the damage caused by
wholesale stripping of orchids from their
native environments. Two very rare species
were on display during the festival: the
lithophytic Angraecum protensum which is
considered vulnerable to extinction, and
Epidendrum montserratense which is already
critically endangered as it is restricted to the
small, volcanic island of Montserrat. Thanks
to their cultivation within Kew’s collection
these plants may be saved from extinction
and hopefully returned to the wild.
Collected plants waiting to be packed and shipped home
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 115
Angraecum protensum is considered vulnerable to
extinction in its native Madagascar (photo by Kaz
Yokoya, Conservation Biotechnology, RBG Kew)
Kew is working to protect the critically-endangered
Epidendrum montserratense, found only on the volcanic
island of Montserrat (photo courtesy of RBG Kew)
The display team use a bucket on a rope to hoist plants
skywards when decorating pillars
Bold groupings of vandas have proved the most striking
116 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
The POWC is prepared months in advance. It
takes a year of planning and then four weeks
to build the orchid display, which amounts to
over 3,000 working hours. A high quality
backdrop within the glasshouse is essential
to showcase the orchids properly, so some
plants are removed in advance to create
enough space for bold groupings of the
colourful new arrivals. Work is carried out by
a team of 20 which includes the display
team, trainees, apprentices and volunteers.
Many of the pillars are covered with foliage
plants throughout the year but their
Cinderella moment of being transformed
with orchids and bromeliads is an annual
highlight. Vandas have been staged in
various ways over the past few years but this
year they featured once more on arches and
as a wall cascade on the upper level.
Preparing pots for pillar
displays
Pots are drilled and fitted
with wire hooks
Elastic bands are
wrapped around each
pot
Sphagnum moss is
tucked under the bands
to camouflage the pot
The numbers involved in this display are
staggering – particularly when compared to
the OSGB’s 8 x 3 metre display at Chelsea
which uses around 300 plants. Over 6,500
orchid hybrids are used, comprising 5,500
Phalaenopsis, 650 vandas and 600 others
such as miltasias and oncidiums, along with
1,000 bromeliads. Cattleyas, dendrobiums
and miltonias are no longer used because
they did not last well enough during the
festival.
Preparation of the plants for the pillar
displays is immensely time-consuming. Each
pot is drilled and fitted with two wire hooks.
Five elastic bands are wrapped around the
pot and then Sphagnum moss is tucked into
and under these bands to camouflage the
pot; over 125 bags of Sphagnum moss are
used, obtained from a sustainable source in
Pots are hooked and cable tied to mesh wrapped
around the pillars
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 117
Vanda hybrid
Oncidium hybrid
Phalaenopsis ‘Kimono’
Phalaenopsis ‘Bee Sting’
Phalaenopsis ‘Pirate Picotee’
Phalaenopsis ‘Fata Morgana’
Beautiful orchid hybrids are used to create Kew’s display
118 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
the Pennines. The pots are then hooked into
mesh wrapped around the pillars and
attached with cable ties for added security.
Staff members, often working at great
heights, are also secured to the pillars to
ensure their safety while installing plants!
Plants were ordered last October from
GreenBalanZ, a Dutch commercial nursery.
The team at Kew has been working with
them for many years and plants are tailorgrown to order, with much consideration
given to colour, spike height and quantity.
Orchids need to be delivered 50:50 in flower
and bud to ensure they last during the buildup and festival period, although over the
years improved aftercare has led to greater
longevity. Plants are watered regularly and
enjoy the high humidity in the POWC.
However, the unpredictable weather at this
time of year causes some anxiety for the
display team; bright sunlight, plus the
increased heat it creates, can make the buds
open too quickly and the flowers go over.
The vandas also used to be delivered partly
in bud but it was noticed that the buds
produced rather pale and insipid flowers on
opening. It took the supplying nursery to
help Kew stage them correctly. Vandas need
high light and heat to ensure their buds
open with full intensity so they are now
delivered as late as possible, preferably only
four days before the festival’s opening, and
staged last in the display, grouped together.
Interestingly, most of the vandas grown in
Holland are sold as cut flowers to Russia and
Eastern Europe.
On arrival at Kew, all plants are quarantined
and checked for unwelcome pests before
Before and after photographs of the Vanda arches
being taken to the POWC. Transport within
Kew itself can be tricky – late January/early
February is not the ideal time to be moving
orchids around outside in winter weather.
Stress from cold or wind can cause the buds
to shrivel and drop. Plants need to be
handled with great care while preparing
them for the display because their spikes
seem to weave themselves together as soon
as they are unwrapped and it is easy to strip
buds from their spikes when trying to
separate them.
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 119
The POWC display team have to think big
when creating such large-scale displays. This
year Phil commissioned two life-sized dugout canoes, made from Warwickshiresourced Sequoia, each of which took eight
men to carry. They looked immense when
they first arrived at Kew but once in situ
within the POWC they looked perfectly
proportioned (they have proved a little leaky
and are supported from underneath to
prevent sinking).
Careful handling is needed to avoid stripping buds and
flowers from the spikes when preparing pots for pillar
displays
The display team took inspiration from an ‘auricula
theatre’ to display clearly the name of each hybrid
120 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
A natural-looking tree for the pond’s
centrepiece was built at Kew and can be
dismantled into smaller sections for ease of
installation. Its metal frame was welded by
the estates team and the POWC display
team covered it in modelling foam and a
coating of cement which was textured to
look like bark. As with all displays there is a
need to be creative to solve design problems
as they arrive, such as experimenting with
sand, glued onto a membrane, in the search
for a satisfactory finish for the margin
between camp and pond. An annual
challenge is to find a non-leaking pair of
waders for use in the pond and staff must be
careful to avoid not only the fish but also the
drains on the floor of the pond which have
proved effective trip hazards in the past.
Clear and effective labelling of all the
different plants used in such a vast display is
always tricky and it is a hard balance to make
it useful yet discreet. The display team took
inspiration from a traditional ‘auricula
theatre’ and chose to create a separate
display using a single specimen of each of
the hybrids, clearly-labelled and elegantly
Before and after photographs of the pond show the display coming to life, including the new tree in the pond
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 121
displayed in terracotta pots on a black,
stepped stage. Great care had to be taken
tropical, one temperate) in which orchids are
displayed year-round. Some are planted out
during set-up because the black paint clearly,
and frustratingly, showed up every footprint
set upon it.
in beds while others are growing as
established epiphytes on more metal and
cement ‘trees’. The original ‘trees’ in these
zones were made from ash trees but only
lasted about four years before rotting in the
humid climate. Each week flowering plants
from Kew’s orchid collection are brought to
the POWC to augment the display, either in
the beds or in glass display cases.
This year’s display was the debut for one of
GreenBalanZ’s new hybrids, Phalaenopsis
‘Diamond Sky’, which featured in the POWC
and was available to purchase in the Kew
shop. Other curiosities were on display, such
as a spirally-trained white Phalaenopsis.
There are two zones within the POWC (one
Kew has one of the oldest collections of
living tropical orchids, dating back to 1770, as
well as the largest orchid herbarium in the
world which holds over 400,000 preserved
specimens. These collections, both living and
preserved, continue to be an invaluable
resource to the scientific community. This
annual festival is a wonderful celebration of
Kew’s orchid history and its future.
Acknowledgements
I am extremely grateful to Phil Griffiths,
Caroline Craig, Christopher Ryan and Bala
Kompali at Kew for their time and help with
researching this article; and to the RBG Kew,
and Kaz Yokoya for their kind permission to
use their photographs.
The OSGB hopes to organise a visit to Kew’s
Orchid Festival in Februray/March 2015,
hopefully with some behind-the-scenes
tours as well – please keep an eye out in the
Journal and on the website for details.
For full details of Kew’s attractions and to
find out what events are on this summer
please visit www.kew.org
Phalaenopsis with spiral stems would be interesting to
try growing at home
122 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
Phalaenopsis ‘Diamond Sky’, a new hybrid from GreenBalanZ, made its debut during the festival
Orchids are on show throughout the year at Kew in the tropical and temperate zones of the Princess of Wales
Conservatory
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 123
Repotting Stenoglottis longifolia
Sam Hurley (photos by Sam Hurley)
This attractive terrestrial orchid is easy-togrow and will do well on a windowsill. It is
native to South Africa’s Eastern Cape and
KwaZulu-Natal provinces and grows on rocks
or logs rather than directly in the ground.
Rosettes of leaves appear every spring and
grow steadily through the summer, helped by
regular watering. Tall spikes of pink/purplespotted flowers appear in the autumn. The
plant dies down after flowering, shedding its
leaves, and should be kept dry until new
growth appears in the spring. This species
can be grown to specimen size and was
recently given an Award of Garden Merit by
the RHS Orchid Committee.
I won a young plant of this species at the
Devon Orchid Society’s weekend at Dawlish
in 2011. It had only one rosette of leaves but
did produce a single flower spike that year. It
has increased steadily in size since then and
last year produced five flower spikes, one of
which grew to a height of one metre. I have
found that, in reality, there is very little time
between the old growth dying down and the
new growth emerging – perhaps only a few
weeks on occasion.
I grow it on a warm windowsill which receives
bright but indirect sunlight, in a pot which
sits in a saucer. Water and feed is given once a
week during its growth period, so that the
water drains into the saucer and provides
continuous moisture and humidity. I use a
potting medium of Sphagnum moss, perlite
and small bark pieces and repot each year to
avoid excess acidity as the moss breaks down.
The new roots are extremely brittle and great
care must be taken not to snap or damage
them during repotting. Repot once the new
growth begins to show in the spring.
Sam Hurley’s Stenoglottis longifolia AGM/RHS is easy to
grow on a windowsill (photo by Robert Simmons)
The attractively spotted flowers of this species bear
closer examination (photo by Robert Simmons)
Rosettes of new leaves begin to appear in the spring
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 125
1. Prepare the new potting medium. A
mixture of Sphagnum moss, perlite and
small bark pieces seems to suit this species.
2. Carefully remove the plant from its pot.
It is easy to see the progress its roots have
made over several years from their
different sizes.
3. The larger leaves are a repeat of last
year’s growth; the small green shoots in
front are additional this year showing
that the plant is making progress.
4. Gently tease away the old potting
medium from around the extremely
brittle, finger-like roots.
126 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
5. Check for dead or rotten roots and
remove if necessary. Rinse to remove any
remains of old, decomposing moss.
6. Loosely pack some new potting
medium amongst the exposed roots to
give them some stability. Gently wrap
some potting medium around the roots.
7. Place the plant into either the same pot
or a larger pot if necessary. Fill in around
the edges of the plant with potting
medium and gently firm.
8. The newly potted plant should make
good progress over the summer and
produce a display of flowers in the
autumn.
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 127
Borneo orchid expedition 2015
The island of Borneo is one of the world’s great
centres for orchid diversity and home to at
least 1,700 orchid species, many of which are
found nowhere else on Earth. The OSGB hopes
to interest members in joining an expedition
to Borneo in 2015 with Redfern Expeditions, led
by experienced field naturalist and Borneo
expert Stewart McPherson. Redfern specialises
in carefully planned, nature-orientated
expeditions which explore the beauty of the
natural world.
This expedition focuses on visiting four
locations to explore Borneo’s amazing
diversity of orchids:
Bako National Park for lowland heath forest
orchids
Mount Kinabalu for highland orchids
Gunung Mulu National Park and Mount Api
for lowland rainforest orchids and highland
orchids
Mount Trusmadi for spectacular mossy cloud
forest dripping with highland orchids
Although orchids are central to this
expedition, the itinerary is balanced with
many of Borneo’s other wildlife highlights,
including a plethora of carnivorous pitcher
plants, proboscis monkeys, vast caves, canoe
trips through lowland rainforest, and (with
luck) open Rafflesia and Amorphophallus
blooms.
Optional pre- or post-expedition add-ons
which can be arranged include visits to
remote islands to observe turtle hatching
(four days extra) or an intrepid rainforest
Mount Kinabalu, in the north of Borneo, is home to a multitude of highland orchids (photo by Stewart McPherson)
Paphiopedilum rothschildianum growing on Mount
Kinabalu in Borneo (photo by Stewart McPherson)
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 129
expedition to climb Mount Murud (five days
extra) in the highlands of central Borneo to
see a wide diversity of highland orchids,
pitcher plants, birdlife, and remote villages.
Members will need to book and pay for this
expedition directly through Redfern, and
arrange their flights to and from Borneo,
although OSGB Programme Secretary Francis
Quesada-Pallarés will act as a liaison for the
group. This expedition will be reasonably
challenging and participants need to be
capable of walking for several hours each day
over rough or steep terrain; if you have any
queries please contact Redfern and discuss
the expedition to help you decide if this trip
is right for you.
Itinerary
Day 1: We meet in Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo.
At 10:00 we travel by small boat into the
South China Sea, landing at the Bako
National Park to explore trails through
lowland heath forest (home to Bulbophyllum
Dates: 12 July – 27 July 2015
30 July – 14 August 2015
Price: £2,000.00 per person for 16 days/15
nights, all inclusive from start point to end
point but excluding international flights.
We recommend that you fly to Singapore
(the cheapest international hub in
Southeast Asia) then get a low-fare
AirAsia flight from Singapore to Kuching
arriving early morning (by 8:00) of Day 1
or the previous day.
Deposit: 50% payable by 1 September 2014
130 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
and Dendrobium), ant plants (Dischidia) and
the carnivorous pitcher plants (Nepenthes
albomarginata, N. gracilis and N. rafflesiana).
Along mangrove boardwalks, we look for
proboscis monkeys. We sleep in a hotel and
dine in a local restaurant.
Day 2: We catch an early morning flight to
Kota Kinabalu and visit the De Villa Orchid
Farm at Kundasang, and then the beautiful
Kinabalu Park botanic gardens (home to
hundreds of orchids, including
Paphiopedilum rothschildianum and P. lowii,
often in bloom). We sleep in a hotel and dine
in a local restaurant.
Day 3: We climb up Mount Kinabalu
ascending through pristine cloud forest,
filled with countless orchids (Bulbophyllum,
Calanthe, Coelogyne, Cryptostylis, Cymbidium,
Dendrobium, Habenaria, Liparis, Phaius and
Stigmatodactylus), tree ferns, mossy, stunted
bonsai trees, as well as the carnivorous
plants Nepenthes villosa and N. tentaculata.
We stay overnight near the tree-line in a
to secure booking (balance due 60 days
before departure).
Start point: Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysian
Borneo
End point: Kota Kinabalu, Sabah,
Malaysian Borneo
Contact: Francis Quesada-Pallarés, tel:
07951 070637, e-mail:
[email protected]
or Redfern Expeditions, e-mail:
[email protected],
website: www.redfernnaturalhistory.com
wooden chalet called Lamban Rata with
heating, beds and hot meals.
Day 4: We ascend to the summit of Mount
Kinabalu (4,095 metres) exploring the
incredible, exposed, granite plateau summit
area, looking for ultra-highland orchids
species and taking in the spectacular views
across the Bornean rainforests. We sleep
again at Lamban Rata with heating and hot
meals.
Day 5: We descend Mount Kinabalu
following the seldom-visited Mesilau trail,
passing through lush, riverine cloud forest,
home to highland orchids and carnivorous
pitcher plants. We sleep in beautiful alpine
chalets at Mesilau and dine in a local
restaurant.
Day 6: We walk the rajah trail at Mesilau to
explore the highland orchid gardens (looking
for Paphiopedilum hookerae), and the biggest
carnivorous plant of all, Nepenthes rajah,
which has been known to trap prey as large
as rats. We then transfer into vehicles and
visit the Mamut Mine and/or Marai Parai
spur to explore ultramafic (Ed: where the
rocks are volcanic) orchid habitats, and visit a
Many other plants will feature on the expedition
including a plethora of carnivorous pitcher plants, such
as Nepenthes lowii (photo by Stewart McPherson)
Rafflesia reserve at Poring Hot Springs to see
a giant Rafflesia in flower. We travel back to
Kota Kinabalu and sleep in a hotel and dine
in a local restaurant.
Day 7: We fly to Gunung Mulu National Park
and on arrival, explore the rainforest trails for
lowland rainforest orchids. We explore the
vast caves of Mulu by following an extensive
boardwalk into the Deer Cave to explore
grottos and watch tens of thousands of birds
emerge from the cave like smoke at sunset.
We sleep in single-sex dorms and have
dinner in a restaurant (optional upgrade to
resort accommodation possible).
Day 8: We undertake a day trek to see the
rare Paphiopedilum sanderianum growing on
a spectacular mossy cliff. We sleep in singlesex dorms and have dinner in a restaurant
(optional upgrade to resort accommodation
possible).
Day 9: We transfer into canoes to journey
upstream to Mount Api camp, stopping at a
traditional village half way upstream to
experience Sarawak culture and buy
traditional craftwork. The canoes stop at a
riverside trail, and we trek for one and a half
Paphiopedilum lowii was discovered by Hugh Low on
Mount Kinabalu in 1846
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 131
Day 11: After a relaxed start, we return to the
canoes and travel back downstream to the
Mulu Park headquarters, looking again for
giant Amorphophallus flowers along the way.
We sleep in dorms and have a restaurant
dinner, relaxing in tropical gardens (optional
upgrade to resort accommodation possible).
Day 12: We fly from Gunung Mulu National
Park back to Kota Kinabalu, and have a rest
day, exploring the charming waterfront
markets of the old town. We sleep in a hotel
and dine in a local restaurant.
Day 13: We transfer into mini-vans and travel
to Tambunan, to begin the ascent up Mount
Trusmadi. We sleep in tents, and have hot,
cooked food.
Paphiopedilum sanderianum is endemic to the Gunung
Mulu region of Northwest Borneo
hours through the rainforest to reach camp,
looking out for gigantic Amorphophallus
flowers and lowland orchids. We sleep at the
camp in stretcher hammocks and have hot
food.
Day 10: After an early start, we trek up
Mount Api (a steep climb of 1.8km) to reach
the summit of the mountain and enjoy
spectacular views of the towering, blade-like,
limestone pinnacles. On the trail up Mount
Api we find extensive populations of orchids
(especially Bulbophyllum and other
epiphytes) and the carnivorous pitcher plant
Nepenthes faizaliana. Back at camp, there is
the option of visiting a nearby population of
the fanged pitcher plant, N. bicalcarata; its
habitat is also home to heath forest orchids.
We sleep at the camp in stretcher hammocks
and have hot food.
132 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
Day 14: We spend a day on the summit of
Mount Trusmadi (2,642 metres), exploring
some of Borneo’s most beautiful mossy
cloud forest, totally festooned with orchids
(particularly miniature epiphytes of the
genera Dendrobium, Dendrochilum and
Bulbophyllum, but also terrestrials of the
genus Corybas), and home to the carnivorous
pitcher plants Nepenthes lowii, N. tentaculata
and N. macrophylla. We sleep in tents, and
have hot, cooked food.
Day 15: We descend down Mount Trusmadi,
returning to the lowlands. We visit a reserve
to see the diminutive, but beautiful, whitespotted Rafflesia, sleeping for a final night in
Borneo in tree houses in the rainforest.
Day 16: We transfer into mini-vans and
return to Kota Kinabalu in time for departure
on evening flights.
Jo Kelleher’s Cattleya coccinea
Table show report
André Roux
February and March 2014
Late winter and the palpable promise of
early spring is an especially exciting time of
the orchid year and, after last year’s splendid
summer, our expectations were surely for a
flush of bloom. An absurdly wet and mild
winter has somewhat dampened the bounty,
I feel, but a sizzling Cattleya coccinea and a
pristine Dendrobium Lovely Virgin have been
but two floriferous highlights among many
beautiful orchids seen at recent monthly
meetings.
Paphiopedilum fairrieanum is a delightful
gem native to northern India and Bhutan at
Neville Dunn’s Dendrobium Lovely Virgin
Two of the floriferous highlights on the table show this
spring
elevations averaging 1,800 metres. The
compact plants generally grow in shade and
over limestone rock and produce
comparatively tall inflorescences bearing
intricately patterned small flowers, of which
the elegantly down-swept and recurved
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 133
petals resemble the horns of a water buffalo.
This species was first flowered in 1857 by a Mr
Fairrie of Liverpool but, by 1905, apparently
only five plants existed in Europe. Intense
demand prompted the firm of Sander’s of St
Albans to offer an eye-watering £1,000
reward for plants and exclusive locality
details, fulfilled within a year by a Mr
Searight. At the same time plants were
arriving at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
and other horticultural organisations.
In contrast, Paphiopedilum venustum had
been discovered almost a century earlier. It
was one of the first paphs I encountered as a
young orchid enthusiast, and one that seared
a shuddering impression into my memory
courtesy of its richly coloured, varnished and
veined pouch, which seemed to me like a
brain or some other bodily organ laid bare, a
slimy alien being. That aside, it is named for
the Roman goddess Venus and is an
unmistakeably striking species with possibly
the most beautiful and uniquely patterned
leaves of all slipper orchids.
Paphiopedilum venustum is found in the
region spanning northeastern Bangladesh,
eastern Nepal and southern Tibet, growing
terrestrially in lush humus and enjoying a
prolonged warm, very wet summer and short,
cool drier winter. Dave Trendell treated us to
both the typical and green forms in February,
the latter correctly named Paphiopedilum
venustum forma measuresianum (his plant
being the seed-raised progeny of two green
clones, ‘Tassara’ x ‘Jade’).
The aforementioned species are both
classified in subgenus Paphiopedilum section
Paphiopedilum; the next belongs to
Paphiopedilum venustum (green form shown) has
beautifully-patterned leaves (photo by Sam Hurley)
subgenus Parvisepalum, a group of distinct
and sought-after paphs with inflated lips.
Paphiopedilum delenatii was the first to be
discovered, initially in northern Vietnam in
1913 and subsequently in the granite Bi Dup
mountains of southern Vietnam in 1922.
Plants from the latter collection were only
harvested as herbarium material, but it was
those found in the north of the country that
became a beacon for conservation. A few of
these plants were acquired by Vacherot et
Lecoufle, the renowned French nursery, who
set to growing plants from seed. This
artificially propagated material was the
source of all plants for several decades until
Paphiopedilum delenatii was rediscovered in
David Trendell’s Paphiopedilum fairrieanum was first flowered
in 1857 by Mr Fairrie but was almost lost to cultivation by 1905
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 135
southern Vietnam in 1990, where it is now
critically rare. The species has since been
found in the limestone mountain ranges
which span the border between northern
Vietnam and southern China.
David Trendell’s Paphiopedilum venustum is named for
the Roman goddess Venus
David Trendell’s Paphiopedilum venustum forma
measuresianum is the green form of this species
136 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
This narrow region also includes the habitat
for a long-disputed species, Paphiopedilum
jackii, a close relative of Paphiopedilum
malipoense. One conspicuous difference is
the glossy maroon blotch at the apex of the
staminode of Paphiopedilum malipoense,
whereas in Paphiopedilum jackii the apex is
finely striped red over a green ground; other
defining features include the leaf patterning,
shape and size of flower parts, fragrance and
ecological distribution. As a result, Sally Mill’s
charming hybrid Paphiopedilum Christiana
Richards (labelled as Conco-bellatulum x
malipoense var. jackii) should be called
Paphiopedilum Palace Green Diamond (jackii
x Conco-bellatulum), assuming a legitimate
Paphiopedilum jackii was used. Some truly
complex Paphiopedilum hybrids retain their
appeal in an arena where many are
characterless and have been nicknamed
‘cabbage’ or ‘bulldog’ paphs.
Sam Hurley’s Paphiopedilum delenatii is now critically
rare in southern Vietnam (photo by Sam Hurley)
Paphiopedilum Pontiletant (Polpier x
Paternoster), from the Eric Young Orchid
Foundation stable, bore an attractive flower
in hues of lustrous blood-mulberry, and
Paphiopedilum Sorcerer’s Stone (Pacific
Shamrock ‘Green Dynasty’ x Stone Lady
‘Green Gold’) presented a handsome, shapely
bloom in (apologies) gin-and-tonic tones.
Concentrated breeding programmes
invariably throw up curiosities along the way,
such as Phalaenopsis Arctic Threshold. This
clone is the result of a genetic mutation in
which the expected shape of the lip has
become that of a petal. The result is an
unusual but not unattractive flower termed
by some as reverse peloric and others as
bearing a petaloid lip. It must surely be
preferable to many peloric flowers,
notwithstanding the artificial horrors that
are blighting the world of moth orchids.
The parentage of Sally Mill’s Paphiopedilum Palace
Green Diamond is controversial
David Trendell’s Paphiopedilum Pontiletant was bred by
the Eric Young Orchid Foundation
Henry Oakeley’s Phalaenopsis Arctic Threshold has a
flattened, petal-like lip
David Trendell’s Paphiopedilum Sorcerer’s Stone is a
handsomely-shaped slipper orchid
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 137
Jo Kelleher’s Stelis janetiae is a native of low elevation,
Costa Rican cloud forests
Nature has also amused herself creating
strange-looking orchids and in
pleurothallids, well-known for their
intriguing variety of peculiar blossoms, she
clearly cast aside any rules. Jo Kelleher’s Stelis
(previously Pleurothallis) janetiae, a
miniature species described in 1979, is a
native of Costa Rica where it grows in cloud
forest at fairly low elevations. Straggly
inflorescences dangle from the tuft of leaves
and successively bear the oddest, helmeted
semi-translucent blooms.
Of course, ‘curious’ is equally pertinent to
orchids that are uncommon. Grown only by
connoisseurs, Chysis aurea, with its waxy,
long-lived blooms, is seldom seen and
resonant of an era almost lost, revealing in
138 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
Neville Dunn’s Kefersteinia graminea must never be
allowed to dry out completely
detail the calibre of its grower. Described in
1837, this lovely epiphytic species grows high
up on the trunks and larger branches of trees
in thick, damp forests of northern Venezuela,
Colombia and Panama. The thin and plicate
leaves, often pendent, indicate a need for
good shade, while its habit illustrates Chysis
aurea’s preference for brisk air movement
and excellent drainage. Warm temperatures
and copious watering in summer should be
counterbalanced with only slightly cooler
conditions in winter, the plant never
remaining dry for long.
Another unusual genus is Kefersteinia,
related to zygopetalums (although the latter
have pseudobulbs) and sharing close affinity
with Chondroryhncha and Warczewiczella.
Jo Kelleher’s Chysis aurea requires brisk air movement and excellent drainage
The genus, numbering approximately 60
species, was named by H G Reichenbach for
his compatriot Mr Keferstein, an orchid
enthusiast who maintained a superb
collection in Kröllwitz, now part of Halle.
They are infrequently cultivated so Neville
Dunn’s well-grown specimen of Kefersteinia
graminea, with its seven rather crazy, scruffy
flowers that reminded me of Animal from
The Muppets, was most deserving of the
attention it drew. The species inhabits
similar forests in Colombia and northnorthwestern Venezuela to Chysis aurea,
although it grows closer to the ground. The
fan-like growths have thick and fleshy roots
and care should be taken to ensure they do
not dry completely.
Lecture report
Mary-Jane Hawkins
January 2014
Auction
The New Year got off to a flying start with
the annual auction which was held on 4
January and, as always, was well attended.
There were a wide variety of plants on offer
including Bulbophyllum, Cattleya, Coelogyne,
Cymbidium, Disa, Oncidium, Phragmipedium
and the very popular mixed boxes of
Paphiopedilum.
As the auction progressed there were
numerous bargains to be had including an
enormous Laelia gouldiana which sold for
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 139
Phragmipedium Memoria Dick Clements made one of the record prices in the auction (photo by Sam Hurley)
£5.00; a nice hybrid Oncidium for £5.00;
The number of lots was down on last year
Dendrobium Northmead for £7.00;
(68 compared to 115) although slightly more
Phragmipedium Memoria Dick Clements for
money changed hands. This was an average
£30.00; Stanhopea tigrina var. nigroviolacea
of £13.00 per lot (compared to £8.00 last
for £7.00; and an attractive Phalaenopsis
year), and the total income for the Society
hybrid for only £1.00.
from the auction was £150.50.
Non-plant items included a book written by
Our thanks to Henry Oakeley for acting as
Henry Oakeley, Lycaste, Ida and Anguloa The
auctioneer again this year. We look forward
Essential Guide, for which there were two
to seeing some of the plants purchased at
very keen bidders, so Henry kindly donated a
the auction appearing in the monthly table
second book to the auction. Both books sold
shows in a year’s time and hopefully lent to
for £20.00 each which was a bargain
the Society for exhibition in their displays.
considering their retail price is £50.00.
An enormous Laelia gouldiana was bought for the
bargain price of £5.00
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 141
Chatsworth House in Derbyshire has featured widely in the history of orchid cultivation (photo by Chris Barker)
February 2014
Ted Croot – The story of orchids at Chatsworth
Chatsworth House, home to the Dukes of
Devonshire, features prominently in the
history of orchid cultivation. It is worth
noting that orchids also feature in the
architecture of the house as the 6th Duke’s
passion for orchids was such that he asked
his architect, Sir Jeffry Wyattville (1766–
1840), to represent them in some of the gilt
picture frames in the house.
The 6th Duke of Devonshire was an avid collector of
many things, including orchids
142 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
The 6th Duke of Devonshire, William George
Spencer Cavendish (1790-1858) inherited the
title in 1811 when he was only 21 years old.
With the title came an incredibly wealthy
inheritance which included Chatsworth
House, Chiswick House, Devonshire House,
Burlington House, Hardwick Hall, Lismore
Dendrobium devonianum was named for the 6th Duke
of Devonshire by Joseph Paxton
Psychopsis papilio is said to have inspired the 6th Duke
of Devonshire’s passion for orchids
Castle and more. At this time, orchid growing
and cultivation was still in its infancy.
In 1830 John Lindley noted that Vanilla was the
first orchid to become established in the
hothouses of England. Between 1790 and 1800
there were approximately 23 species at Kew
and this number increased very slowly. By the
time of the establishment of Chiswick
Gardens in 1821, on 33 acres of land which had
been leased from the Duke, there were an
additional 12 to 14 species. Britain led the way
and private estates could boast better
collections and better management than
gardens on the continent; by 1830 there were
approximately 200 species being grown in
Britain. However, the collection at Chatsworth
was well under way and Joseph Paxton
estimated that it featured over 240 species,
which highlights its prominence at the time.
Joseph Paxton became head gardener at Chatsworth
House when he was only 23 years old
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 143
The newly-restored conservatory at Chiswick House, commissioned by the 6th Duke of Devonshire, is home to a
collection of rare camellias (photo by Sam Hurley)
When he was at Chiswick House, the Duke
often walked through the gardens and
greenhouses of the Horticultural Society of
London which adjoined his land, where he
was particularly impressed by plants of
Oncidium papilio (now Psychopsis papilio).
The plants were said to be so large that you
would have difficulty putting your arms
around them, and their many flowers,
waving on long stems in the slightest
draught, would have looked spectacular. As a
keen collector of many things, the Duke soon
resolved to have some of these orchids at
Chatsworth.
John Gibson was sent to India to collect orchids for the
6th Duke of Devonshire
144 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
It was also in the Chiswick gardens that the
Duke met Joseph Paxton (1803–1865) whom
he appointed head gardener of Chatsworth
in 1826 when Paxton was just 23 years old.
This was a very high profile job for a young
Coelogyne cristata ‘Chatsworth’ is said to have been collected by John Gibson
man and Paxton was paid 25 shillings a week
(£70 per year), which was well above the
going rate for that type of position. Under
Paxton, construction of the famous
glasshouse at Chatsworth, the Great
Conservatory (or Stove), began in 1836 and
was completed in 1841. It was heated by
eight boilers and was immense in size,
measuring 84 metres long, 37 metres wide
and 18 metres high, and was the largest
glasshouse in the world at the time. The
design was completely original which
allowed for improved rainwater collection so
the orchids could always be watered with
fresh rainwater.
In 1831, the Duke and Paxton employed John
Gibson (1815–1875) to look after the orchid
collection. He proved extremely able so
Paxton sent him away for a year to work for
Joseph Cooper, head gardener to Earl
Fitzwilliam at Wentworth Woodhouse.
Cooper was also a successful orchid grower
and championed the use of lower
temperatures for growing orchids. Gibson
came away from this experience with a
reputation for being an intelligent and
talented gardener.
The Duke and Paxton had resolved to send
their own orchid collector to India and they
selected John Gibson for this. At the end of
September 1835 Gibson set sail from
Woolwich, reaching Spithead in ten days
where he was joined by Lord Auckland (who
was to be the new Governor General of
India) and his party. They then set sail for
Madeira where Gibson was awestruck by the
native plants. From Madeira they sailed to
Rio but due to inclement weather they did
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 145
not stay there for long. From Rio they sailed
for Cape Town which they reached in
December. Upon arrival in Cape Town, Gibson
contacted Baron Ludwig who was well
known for his collections of plants and to
whom he delivered plants from the
Chatsworth collection. Gibson spent two
weeks there and went on to reach Calcutta
at the end of March 1836.
Cymbidium devonianum
Dendrobium lindleyi
Orchids collected by John Gibson during his expedition
to India
146 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
Gibson was due to meet Dr Nathaniel
Wallich, the Curator of the Botanical Gardens
in Calcutta, who was to offer him advice
about collecting orchids. However, Wallich
was away so Gibson was received by his
deputy, Mr Masters. The expedition was
proving to be an incredible adventure for
Gibson who was just 20 years old –
everything he was experiencing was
completely new to him. The orchids in the
Botanical Gardens were not thriving when
Gibson arrived so he taught Cooper’s
methods to the gardeners and wrote to tell
Paxton that the orchids were faring much
better than they had been.
Once Wallich returned, he prepared Gibson
to go up country, but this was delayed for
several months until the weather improved.
Gibson set off in early July 1836 to the Khasi
Hills and arrived in Cherrapunji, reputedly
the wettest place in the world, at the end of
July. Gibson began collecting orchids for
Chatsworth, and for Kew, including material
for the herbarium, and collecting in the Khasi
Hills proved to be extremely successful.
Cases of plants were taken to Calcutta to be
shipped back to Chatsworth; the live plants
were shipped back in sealed glass cases
(recommended to the Duke by Lindley) and
Varieties of Calanthe vestita are still grown at
Chatsworth today
Vanda cristata
very few plants were lost on the return
journey. It was a most successful collecting
expedition which brought back many new
and rare plants including: Cymbidium
devonianum, Dendrobium devonianum,
Dendrobium gibsonii, Dendrobium lindleyi
and Vanda cristata.
Not much was heard about the orchids of
Chatsworth after Paxton’s time as
subsequent Dukes were not particularly
involved with them, but the Great
Conservatory was maintained until the end
of the First World War when a combination
of the high fuel costs, the cost of repairing
the glass panes and the loss of many plants
148 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
during the war took its toll and the 9th Duke
decided it should be demolished.
There are still some orchids maintained at
Chatsworth, in a commercial-sized
glasshouse, including Calanthe and in
particular varieties of Calanthe vestita, of
which they used to have 500 plants. At
Christmas time, Calanthe are used to
decorate the dining room of the house. The
present Duke has exhibited orchids and
gained some awards for them, but the estate
now tends to concentrate on camellias and
grapes, regularly gaining awards for their
exhibits.
Trey Sanders
March 2014
Trey Sanders – Australian orchids
Trey Sanders returned to Napier Hall in
March to talk about Australian native
orchids. The talk got off to an entertaining
and unusual start with a fun quiz which
earned prizes of chocolate eggs for those
who guessed the correct answer first.
Trey first became interested in orchids from
the early age of ten years old when he went
Mount Barker, part of the Mount Lofty
Ranges east of Adelaide in South Australia.
There he saw orchids while out snake
hunting, and his passion even extended to
swapping his BMX bike for a pot of
Pterostylis nana at school!
These Pterostylis nana started off Trey’s passion for
Australian terrestrial orchids
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 149
There are approximately 1,200 orchid species
in Australia. Epiphyte distribution differs
Dendrobium bigibbum forma album
Dendrobium discolor
Phalaenopsis amabilis
Tropical, epiphytic orchid species from Queensland
150 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
widely from north to south with the
percentage of terrestrials lessening north of
Sydney. Of the orchids found in and around
Sydney, 87% are terrestrial; Melbourne is
home to only one epiphytic species,
Sarcochilus australis; whereas Adelaide’s
orchid population is 100% terrestrial. Tropical
Queensland is very different in terms of
climate, having a long dry season followed
by torrential rain, and so Phalaenopsis
amabilis, Dendrobium discolor and Den.
bigibbum (the floral emblem of Queensland)
are found there.
One of the most important national parks
within Queensland is the Iron Range
National Park. It is home to 80% of
Australia’s butterflies. Here we find
Dendrobium wassellii, Den. adae and Den.
johannis. The Casuarina tree is an important
host tree for orchids; epiphytes grow happily
on it, while terrestrials, such as Pterostylis
pedunculata (Maroonhood) and Pterostylis
sanguinea (Maroon-banded Greenhood),
enjoy the shelter provided beneath it.
Orchids often thrive in Australia on the sides
of roads; September to October is their peak
flowering time. One of the orchids
commonly found is Diuris sulphurea, which is
much easier to grow in cultivation than
some other Australian orchids. It enjoys high
light levels (only 25% shade) and grows 50–
70cm tall. Glossodia major, a pretty orchid
related to Caladenia, can also be found en
masse by roadsides but this is really difficult
to grow in cultivation.
Dendrobium wassellii is one of the epiphytes found in
the Iron Range National Park, Queensland
Wilsons Promontory National Park (Wilsons
Prom) in Victoria includes Mount Oberon
which is an orchid hunter’s paradise. This
park also contains a mammal, the New
Holland mouse (Pseudomys novaehollandiae),
which is not found anywhere else in Australia
and there is a tidal river where platypus
(Ornithorhynchus anatinus) live, although
some sources suggest they may now be
extinct in Wilsons Prom. There are lots of
orchids to be found in Victoria, including
many Corybas species, one of which also
grows as an epiphyte (Corybas diemenicus).
Theylymitra benthamiana can also be found
here and is one of the few terrestrials which
are found in both western and eastern
Australia. Its flowers will only open at a
temperature of 25°C or above but will stay
Diuris magnifica
Many Diuris, such as this Diuris magnifica, grow
prolifically on roadside verges
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 151
When the bush has been burnt off by fire, Caladenia flava and other orchids flower magnificently in the ashes
Caladenia flava
open at night-time, whereas many
Thelymitra only open in sunshine.
Besides water, an important part of the
Australian temperate ecosystem, and the
biodiversity within it, is fire. The ecosystem
needs fire (or rather the ethylene gas which
it produces) as part of the cycle of growth,
regeneration and flowering. After fires,
Eucalyptus trees sprout new growth from
their trunks; bandicoots and kangaroos
152 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
Caladenia reptans
breed prolifically; and orchids which were
once rarely seen become common – the
ethylene gas released by burning vegetation
is the stimulus for dormant meristems of the
tubers of terrestrial orchids to produce
flower spikes.
A major bushfire around Wilsons Prom burnt
out of control for ten days in February 2009.
Caladenia cardiochila and Caladenia clavigera
(both terrestrial orchids) were rare before the
fire but afterwards they were abundant for a
couple of years. Burnettia cuneata (Lizard
Orchid) has flowers which also only emerge
from its underground tubers after a fire; the
tubers can stay underground for 20–30 years
waiting for the right conditions. It is possible
to imitate this process for cultivated
Australian and New Zealand’s terrestrial
orchids by sealing the orchid (in its pot) in a
plastic bag, along with a green banana
which will give off ethylene gas as it ripens.
In the Stirling Ranges National Park in
Western Australia there are many unusual
and bizarre orchids. The peaks rise to 1,100
metres high, offering cooler conditions at the
top for the 1,200 species of plants growing
there, 60 of which are endemic. These
Thelymitra crinita
Cyanicula gemmata
Elythranthera brunonis
These blue and purple orchids are all native to southwest Australia
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 153
include 123 orchids such as Thelymitra
variegata and the ‘blue’ orchids Epiblema
kingianum (Pink Rock Orchid) grows long canes
in the north but shorter ones in the south
grandiflorum and Cyanicula gemmata.
showing that location as well as culture can
affect orchids’ growth habits.
Australia is home to a wide variety of
Dendrobium such as Den. teretifolium (Bridal
Veil Orchid), which grows on the banks of rivers
and lakes, and in mangrove swamps, and Den.
speciosum (Rock Orchid) which ranges from
Queensland to Victoria. In the north this
species tends to be epiphytic whilst in the
south it is more likely to be lithophytic and can
survive bush fires, even if only a small part of
the cane survives. It is also a common garden
plant (in Australia) but it needs a hot summer
with daytime temperatures around 35°C for it
to flower profusely. The ever-popular Den.
Culture
When attempting to cultivate Australian
orchids it is important, as always, to research
their growing conditions in the wild. These
can then be adapted in the best way to suit
the plants.
Good drainage is essential for terrestrial
culture and a suitable pH range is generally
4.0–6.0 but can rise to 7.0 for some species.
Trey recommends repotting annually; he
puts a layer of fine netting shade cloth at the
bottom of the pot to prevent the compost
from coming out; and places the tubers 3cm
below the surface of the potting mix. Some
species only produce one tuber a year, whilst
others produce three. Take care when
handling as new shoots from the tuber may
die if there is any damage to them. The
plants are dormant in the summer (January–
February in Australia) and grow during
autumn and winter to flower in the spring.
Trey suggests a potting medium comprised of:
2 parts coarse sand or gravel
1 part top soil
1 part fine bark
1 part leaf mould (Casuarina or Eucalyptus)
1 part dolomite
1 part organic potting compost
Dendrobium speciosum, the spectacular Rock Orchid
found from Queensland to Victoria
154 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
Fertilizer: phosphate-rich fertilizers have a
detrimental effect on Australian terrestrial
orchids; do not fertilize terrestrials, and only
fertilize epiphytes sparingly.
The Royal Horticultural Society
Orchid Committee
January photos by David Ridgeway
Full descriptions and illustrations of the
plants awarded by the Committee are
published in The Orchid Review. Subscription
details are available from the RHS, tel: 020
7821 3401, e-mail: [email protected] or
website: www.rhs.org.uk/orchidreview
The Committee met on 14 January 2014 at
the Jodrell Laboratory, RBG Kew and agreed
the following award:
Award of Merit
Cymbidium Diane Arnold (registration
pending) ‘Keppel Tower’ (Desormes x
Memoria Patsy Bauman) raised, registered
and exhibited by the Eric Young Orchid
Foundation, Jersey
Cymbidium Diane Arnold (registration pending) ‘Keppel Tower’ AM/RHS
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 155
The Royal Horticultural Society Orchid Committee
The Committee met on 21 February 2014 at
the RHS London Plant and Design Show and
agreed the following awards:
Award of Merit
Angulocaste Vicard Point ‘Bel Royal Tower’
(Anguloa Victoire x Angulocaste Noirmont)
raised, registered and exhibited by the Eric
Young Orchid Foundation, Jersey
Lycaste Abou First Spring ‘Fauvic Tower’
(Shonan Harmony x Shoalhaven) raised and
registered by M Abou, Japan, exhibited by
the Eric Young Orchid Foundation
Certificate of Cultural Commendation
Lycaste Abou First Spring ‘Fauvic Tower’ AM/RHS
Angulocaste Vicard Point ‘Bel Royal Tower’ AM/RHS
156 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
To the Director of Horticulture at RHS
Garden Wisley for Dendrobium Warrambool
‘Wisley Snow’ (Ellen x falcorostrum)
Dendrobium Warrambool ‘Wisley Snow’ CCC/RHS
Angulocaste Vicard Point ‘Bel Royal Tower’ AM/RHS
Advertisements
158 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
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Ecuagenera
Where beauty merges with life in the exquisiteness of orchids
Expert guided tours to Andean and Amazonian orchid Eldorados
Visit us at the RHS LOS on the 11th & 12th April.
email: [email protected]
Mr Roy Barrow is our UK agent, email: [email protected]
Laurence Hobbs Orchids Ltd
Bailiffs Cottage Nursery, Hophurst Lane,
Crawley Down, West Sussex RH10 4LN
website: www.laurencehobbsorchids.co.uk
email:[email protected]
Tel: 01342 715142 or Mobile: 07961 350053
Near M25/M23/Gatwick Airport
• For quality Cattleyas, Paphiopedilums, Phalaenopsis, Dendrobiums, Cymbidiums
• Also a range of nursery raised and imported species and hybrids
• Many Cattleya hybrids, seedlings and mericlones from Carter & Holmes Inc. (USA) for
whom we are the sole UK Agents
Extensive choice, no order too small.
Plants supplied by mail order. Please send sae for black/white stock lists and,
when available, Carter & Holmes colour brochures.
Visitors, Societies/Groups welcome by appointment only. Please ring or email in advance.
For regular open weekends, please check the website or email us to join the mailing list.
Open weekends: Sat 10th/Sun 11th May and Sat 28th/Sun 29th June
Special Plant Sales on 26th July (to be confirmed)
160 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
Advertisements
162 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
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alphabet orchids
Sellers of Hardy, Terrestrial, Unusual
Species and Primary Hybrids
Based at:
9 Oak Farm Gardens,
Headcorn, Kent,
TN27 9TZ
Tel: 01622 891894
For our Shows attendances, please visit our website at
www.alphabetorchids.com
[email protected]
Rosemann
Greenhouses
British made greenhouses built to a
standard not a price.
Our Bernhard range is 8’6” high and
8’3” wide.
Available from 6’ to 12’ long.
Including 6’ high doors, 2 roof vents, a
full width rear shelf and downpipes.
Easy access - opening 4’ wide.
If you need a more compact
greenhouse then our Sprite 6’ wide
range is built to the same high
standards
19, Eastern Green Road
Coventry. CV5 7LG
Tel: 024 7647 1228
Email: [email protected]
164 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
Ray Creek (Orchids)
7 Jacklin Lane : Luddington :
Scunthorpe : DN17 4RB
Exciting list of species
& hybrids available.
2 X 1st class stamps appreciated.
Gift orchids from£20,
incl. p & p
Quality washed and heat-treated
coconut husk chips & top
specifications orchid feed in
stock. Try them, they work !!
Telephone: 01724 798445
www.raycreekorchids.com
Advertisements
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 165
Services to members
The Journal
Cultural Advice
Published quarterly
Members are encouraged to bring problem plants to
monthly meetings if they would like cultural advice
and guidance. Cultural advice is also available by
post from Val Micklewright, 103 North Road, Three
Bridges, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 1SQ (please
enclose an SAE for reply) or e-mail:
[email protected]
Meetings
Meetings are held on the first Saturday of most
months at Napier Hall, 1 Hide Place (off Vincent
Street), Westminster, London, SW1P 4NJ. Doors open
at 13:30, guest speaker’s lecture at 14:30–15:30
followed by refreshments, a raffle draw and a talk on
the table show plants.
A competitive table show takes place at all meetings,
except at the plant auction. Plants for judging must
be in place by 14:00. Non-competitive plants are
always welcome.
Parking is currently free on Saturdays on single
yellow lines (do not park with wheels on the
pavement/kerb or alongside dropped kerbs) and in
Pay & Display bays, but DO NOT PARK in Residents’
Parking bays.
Meetings at which members may bring plants to sell
(with 10% to the Society, please) are marked with an
asterisk (*) in the meetings diary on the Services to
members page of the Journal, or online at
www.osgb.org.uk
2014
3 May* 13:30 Doors open
14:30 Bill Haldane – Hunting orchids in
eastern Caribbean
7 Jun* 12:30 Doors open for Photographic and
Art Competition registration
14:30 Annual General Meeting
5 Jul
2 Aug
13:30 Doors open
14:30 Chris Bulpitt – Orchids of the
Australian Orchid Show and tour
09:30 Beginners’ seminar – new members
only, book in advance
13:30 Doors open
14:30 Malcolm Perry – Coelogynes
6 Sep* 13:30 Doors open
14:30 Saul Walker – Tropical terrestrials
4 Oct* 3:30 Doors open
14:30 Johan Hermans – Recent travels
around the orchid world
166 • OSGBJ 2014, 63(2)
Website www.osgb.org.uk
The website has been designed by Marcel Kral of
Smallfish Designs. The Society’s website manager,
Sam Hurley, will be pleased to receive material for
the website, e-mail: [email protected]
Library
Books are available by post from the Librarian, Sam
Hurley, or can be collected at the monthly meetings,
or from OSGB shows if requested in advance. They
may be borrowed for up to four weeks. The borrower
is asked to pay the outward and return postage. A
full list of books may be found on our website or
obtained from the Librarian, e-mail:
[email protected]
Displays
Members are invited to bring their plants to
contribute to official displays by the Society at those
shows shown in bold in the Show Diary, but please
liaise beforehand with Displays Manager, Jeanette
Beaney, e-mail: [email protected]
All articles and photographs in the Journal are the
copyright of the OSGB and the authors, and may not be
reproduced in any form without written permission.
Opinions expressed in the Journal are those of the authors
and they, together with services and products offered by
advertisers, are not necessarily endorsed by the Society.
The Journal is produced quarterly and is available to
members by subscription only. The annual subscription is
£16.00 with £4.00 extra for each additional family member at
the same address. There is an overseas members’ postage
supplement of £5.00 for Europe and Russia, and £6.00 for the
rest of the world. Young person membership (under 21), UK
only, is £12.00. Back copies of the Journal are available (four
issues per year): £5.00 + p&p UK £5.65, Europe £7.00,
overseas £11.00.
All subscriptions are due on 1 January unless new members
have a special arrangement to cover 18 months.
Membership application forms, standing order forms, Gift
Aid forms and back issues of the Journal may be obtained
from the Membership Secretary,
OSGB Show Diary
including Affiliated Societies and International Shows
2014
May
3–5
Darlington & District OS Raby Castle Orchid
Show, Raby Castle, Staindrop,
Darlington, DL2 3AH, 11:00–17:00
Contact: Maurice Local, tel: 01642 566761,
4
Fenland OS Show, Terrington St Clement
Village Hall, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, PE34 4LZ,
10:00–16:00
Contact: David Morgan, tel: 01553 767032,
17
Devon OS 39th Annual Show, Mackarness Hall,
High Street, Honiton, Devon, EX14 1PG,
10:30–16:00
Contact: Nicola Wakley, tel: 01404 850354,
18
Cambridge OS Orchid Show and Craft Fair,
Harston Village Hall, High Street, Harston,
Cambridge, CB22 7PX, 10:30–16:30
Contact: Margaret Serdean, tel: 01763 848895,
20–24
RHS Chelsea Flower Show, website:
www.rhs.org.uk
June
8
13–15
North of England OS Annual Show, Tatton Park
Mansion, Knutsford, Cheshire, 10:30–15:30
Malvern International Orchid Show, Royal
Three Counties Showground, Malvern,
Worcestershire, WR13 6NW.
Website: www.malvern-ios.org
September
6–7
Orchid Study Group 7th Orchid Festival,
National Botanic Garden of Wales,
Carmarthenshire SA32 8HG, Saturday 10:00–
18:00 and Sunday 10:00–16:00
Contact: Lynne Harrendence, tel: 01269 269847,
7
10–14
Durham Orchid Show, Josephine Butler
College, Durham University, Durham,
10:30–16:00
Contact: Chris Barker, tel: 01642 654748,
21st World Orchid Conference, Sandton
Convention Centre, Johannesburg,
South Africa
Website: www.woc21.org
27
Bournemouth OS Autumn Show, Allendale
Community Centre, Hanham Road, Wimborne,
Dorset, BH21 1AS, admission £3.00, 12:00–16:30
Contact: Chris Broomfield, tel: 07712 479056,
e-mail: [email protected],
website: www.erythos.com/BOS/
October
12
Orchid Society of East Anglia Autumn Show,
Eaton Parish Hall, Colman Road, Norwich, NR4
7AW, admission £2, 10:00–16:00
Contact: Jack Butcher, tel: 01603 466535,
17–19
Devon OS Orchid Weekend, Langstone Cliff
Hotel, Dawlish Warren, Devon, EX7 0NA
Contact: Sue Lane, tel: 01884 32430,
or Nicola Wakley, tel: 01404 850354,
website: www.devon.ukos.com
26
South East OS Autumn Open Show,
Ashford Rail Staff Hall, Beaver Road, Ashford,
Kent, TN23 7RR, 13:00–16:00
Contact: Karina Sellers, tel: 01233 720238,
website: www.seos.care4free.net/
November
1
OSGB Open Autumn Show, Wraysbury
Village Hall, The Green, Wraysbury,
Staines, TW19 5NA in conjunction with the
Wraysbury Orchid Event, 10:30–16:30
Contact: Francis Quesada-Pallarés,
tel: 07951 070637, e-mail:
[email protected]
2015
March
29
April
8–12
South East OS Spring Open Show,
Ashford Rail Staff Hall, Beaver Road, Ashford,
Kent, TN23 7RR, 13:00–16:00
Contact: Karina Sellers, tel: 01233 720238,
website: www.seos.care4free.net/
17th European Orchid Show and Conference
– London 2015, RHS Halls and RBG Kew,
website: www.eoclondon2015.org.uk
Further Diary Dates can be found via the OSGB
website: www.osgb.org.uk and the British Orchid
Council website: www.british-orchid-council.info/
OSGBJ 2014, 63(2) • 167

The Orchid Society of Great Britain

Transcription

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