Judging was done yesterday morning at the Tauranga Orchid Show with thanks to all the judges who came and participated, some of them from as far as Auckland and Waikato. Then as a sort of ceremonial end to the 2-day show, the trophies were presented yesterday afternoon.
Congratulations to all the winners and our society’s grateful thanks to all the growers who displayed their beautiful flowering orchids to make this one-off May show a delightful destination for visitors. A special thanks to the club members who volunteered during the show to help make it happen and those who were in the ‘set-up’ and ‘clean-up’ gangs. None of it would be possible without our willing club members.
Thomas Brown (right) of the Whangarei Orchid Society receives the Alec Roy Cup for Best Cymbidium from Tauranga Orchid Society president Conrad Coenen. The winning orchid was the species Cymbidium erythrostylum, native to Vietnam. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Tania Langen of Ninox Orchids accepts the trophy for Best Australian Dendrobium, won by their plant on Whangarei stand, Den. bigibbum, also known as the Cooktown orchid and the floral emblem of Queensland. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Lee and Roy Neale of Leroy Orchids retained the Brian Enticott Cup for Best Cattleya, this time with Rhyncholaeliocattleya Village Chief North ‘Green Genius’. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Receiving the Barry Curtis Bowl for Best Oncidiinae on behalf of the absent Cliff Goodchild is Faye Driprose, secretary of the BOP Orchid Society. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Ute Rank, who had bought her multi-stemmed Gomesa crispa all the way from Taranaki, was delighted to win the Natalie Simmonds Trophy for Best Specimen Plant. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Equally delighted with winning Reserve Champion with Bulbophyllum rothschildianum ‘dark’ x self was Hubert Muisers of Ninox Orchids. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Chris Whitby from Hawkes Bay took home two trophies – Best Paphiopediulm and Grand Champion. Here, he is presented with the Grand Champion tray by Conrad Coenen. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Grand Champion and Best Paphiopedilum of the 2023 show is a big flower with a big name! Paphiopedilum (Junko’s Melody x armeniacum) ‘Golden Smile’ x Nori’s Song ‘Golden’. Grown by Chris Whitby of Hawkes Bay.
Reserve Champion was this multi-flowered Bulbophyllum rothschildianum ‘dark’ x self, grown by Ninox Orchids of Whangarei. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Judging by the number of bags of orchids being carried out, people have been missing their orchid shows! Here are a few photos from last Sunday’s event.
Grand champion bloom was Paphiopedilum Norito Hasegawa ‘Papa Aroha’, grown by Chris Whitby. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Reserve Champion was Paph. roschilidianum #2, grown by Jason Strong of Hawke’s Bay, who had five of these plants in the show, each one slightly different to the other. Photo: Sandra Simpson
The eye-catching Rhyncattleanth Young-Min Orange ‘Golden Satisfaction’ was shown by Ninox Orchids of Whangarei. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Another stunner from Ninox was this miniature Phalaenopsis, Mini Mark ‘Holm’. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Cymbidium Richard Tucker x On the Beach ‘Spot You’ won Colin Stephens first place in the section for for first flowering of a seedling. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Bulbophyllum tigridum was shown by Anjo McKernan. Native to China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, this small plant had two fan-shaped flowers on it. Photo: Sandra Simpson
This unusual apricot-coloured Dendrobium is (Richard’s Glory x Graham Banks) x speciosum and was shown by Pat Kenny. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Cattleya Kiwi Beauty was shown by Ross Tucker and was registered by him in 2014. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Cymbidium Ace of Spies, a plant New Zealand-born Andy Easton registered in 2016, was shown by Jane Napper. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Sandra Simpson has supplied photos of some her plants in bloom just now.
Sandra’s had her Dendrochilum glumaceum for almost 10 years – this is by far its best flowering with 17 spikes. The plant, which is native to The Philippines and Borneo at elevation, grows in her shadehouse year-round. Sandra likes its spicy scent (some call it the hay-scented orchid).
Cattlianthe Ernest Renan (formerly a Laeliocattleya) is a primary hybrid that was registered in 2001. This grows in Sandra’s shadehouse year-round and this year has produced three spikes.
This Sedirea japonica, which Sandra bought as a deflasked plant from Chris Whitby in 2016, is having its first flowering. It has six flowers on the stem. Sandra grows it inside during the winter and in her shadehouse over summer. The genus name is Aerides spelled backwards – until 1974 this was part of the Aerides family.
Dendrobium speciosum ‘Doncaster’ x ‘Ludlow’s Giant’ has a full flowering this year (it’s usually biennial), although some of the 24 spikes appear to have been affected by cold and aren’t as pristine as Sandra would like. This big plant, which is due for division after flowering, grows outside year-round. The scent is phenomenal!
Dendrobium Berry x (Aussie Hero x Yondi) has reliably had a lot of flowers for the past 3 years. It grows outside until the spikes are getting near opening.
Only one spike on Cymbidium Siren, but what a spike it is with 16 large flowers. Grown outside year-round.
Cymbidium Pumisan ‘Orange’ has three spikes this year, all lasting well. The plant was registered with the RHS in 1967.
Several members purchased pieces of Dendrobium Snowman x delicatum earlier this year, a plant donated to the club that had brought its owner much pleasure over many years. It was split with great difficulty – a tomahawk was involved – but Sandra’s piece has thrown six spikes!
My little laptop went phut on the second day of Expo, hence no further postings (I finished the post below this one on my phone which was no fun). So here’s a wrap-up of a few bits and pieces.
The Manawatu Evening Standard reported that 2,600 people had visited the Expo and the organisers I spoke to were pleased with entry numbers.
Tauranga member Helen McDonald made an individual entry in the Table-top Display section and ‘Memories of Japan’ was placed a very creditable second (Nelson Orchid Society was first).
Helen McDonald’s Table-top Display at the Expo. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Tauranga/BOP members recognised by OCNZ for 25 years of judging service were: Diane Hintz, Pam Signal and Trevor Signal.
Diane Hintz (front) receives her 25-year service certificate from OCNZ president Margaret Lomas. Photo: Murray Dean
Bill Liddy with his Dendrobium Jiggi, Champion Australasian Native Orchid. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Bill Liddy was presented with an Award of Honour for outstanding service to OCNZ, including his decade-long stewardship of the Iwitahi Native Orchid Reserve (on the Napier-Taupo highway).
Australian grower David Banks was the after-dinner speaker (he also appeared on the lecture programme) and was full of entertaining thoughts and ideas. “When I’ve matured a bit more with orchids,” he said (after earlier telling us he attended his first show at the age of 5 and is now 54!), “I’ll start to grow clivias.” Read more about his business, Hills District Orchids.
He also reminded his audience that we don’t grow orchids to win prizes but because we love them.
Reserve Champion was Paphiopedilum lowii ‘Katipo’, grown by Jason Strong. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Both the Grand Champion and Reserve Champion plants were exhibited on Chris Whitby’s commercial display. Chris also achieved personal success by growing the Champion Hybrid plant, Paphiopedilum Vogue Wonder ‘Shellnick’.
Thomas Petrie, grower of the Grand Champion orchid, is only 33 and has been growing orchids for 15 years! He trained at Wellington Botanic Gardens. Read more about Thomas here.
Champion Pleione (an award sponsored by the Tauranga Orchid Society) was Pleione Loulan ‘Elegance’ grown by Graham Jackson of the Manawatu Orchid Society. Graham was one of the lead organisers of the Expo and tireless in his efforts. Photo: Sandra Simpson
I know we all came home and slept the sleep of the hard-working so I daresay the organising committee may still be catching up. No one has stepped forward to offer to host the next Expo … as yet …
With the official opening tonight, the winners of the National Orchid Expo were announced.
Unfortunately, patron Ross Taylor was unable to be present so OCNZ president Margaret Lomas stepped in and, after thanking the organising committee, presented the show’s awards.
Best Vandaceous alliance: Gillian Lyster (Nelson). Best miscellaneous genera: Conrad Coenen (Tauranga). Best Sarcochilus: Janice Brown (Wellington). Best Oncidiinae: Leroy Orchids. Best Phalaenopsis alliance: Gillian Lyster. Best Paphiopedilum: Thomas Petrie (Hawkes Bay). Best Cattleya alliance: Conrad Coenen. Best Dendrobium: Barry Baxter (Waitakere). Best Pleione: Graham Jackson (Manawatu). Best Australasian native orchid: Bill Liddy (Hawkes Bay). Best Cymbidium: Villa Orchids. Best Pleurothallid alliance: Paul Topp (Wairoa).
Margaret Lomas presents Conrad Coenen with one of his three awards. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Best commercial display: Chris Whitby. Best tabletop display: Nelson Orchid Society. Best society display, small: NZ Paphiopedilum Alliance. Best society display, large & Champion display: Waitakere Orchid Society.
Grand champion of the show, Phragmepidium Grande caudatum ‘Jacqui’s Dream’, grown by Thomas Petrie. Photo: Sandra Simpson
Grand champion of the show & Champion species: Phragmepidium Grande caudatum ‘Jacqui’s Dream’, grown by Thomas Petrie (the name change was decided after judging and after the show). Reserve champion: Paphiopedilum lowii ‘Katipo’, grown by Jason Strong (Hawkes Bay). Champion hybrid: Paphiopedilum Vogue Wonder ‘Shellnick’, grown by Chris Whitby (Hawkes Bay). Champion specimen: Cattleya intermedia var. orlata ‘Rio’, grown by Conrad Coenen.
Just back from the first day of the Waitakere Orchid Society show in the Kelston Community Centre, Auckland. Well worth a visit to see some beautifully grown plants in bloom and maybe purchase an orchid or two from the trade stands to take home. Entry to the show is free, being bitten by the orchid bug comes at a cost!
Grand champion of the show is the outstanding Catasetum Fredclarkeara After Dark, a deciduous orchid grown by Leroy Orchids (Lee and Roy Neale) of the Waitakere society. And thanks to the person who thought of cloaking the stand in white – really makes those dramatic flower colours pop.
Some of the flower spikes on the Catasetum Fredclarkeara After Dark, grown by Leroy Orchids (Lee and Roy Neale), Grand Champion of the 2018 Waitakere Orchid Show.
Reserve Champion has been awarded to Paphiopediulm sukhakulii, grown by Chris Whitby (formerly of Auckland, now of Napier).
Among other orchids on show:
Dockrillia Emma Christina is a cross made by Bill Liddy of Napier, registered in 2014. This flower-laden plant is Bill’s own.
Another orchid registered in 2014 is Oncidium Arohena, bred by Alan Locke of Waikato. He and wife Cheryl took a first prize with these blooms.
Lusidia discolor is commonly known as the jewel orchid and, unusually, is grown for its foliage rather than its flower. This one is shown by Leroy Orchids.
Garnering much attention were the tiny, blue-tinted flowers of Dendrobium leucocyanum ‘Exquisite’. The orchid is native to the mountains of Papua New Guinea and is cold-growing.
Ondontoglossum Saint Wood x sib won the trophy for the best first flowering seedling for Susan and Ross Tucker (Tucker’s Orchid Nursery) of Auckland.
Brassidium Gilded Urchin won Bryan Sharpe a second prize.
Cymbidium Strathdon ‘Cooksbridge Fantasy’ won first place for Tania Langen and Hubert Muisers (Ninox Orchids) of Whangarei.
Tauranga Orchid Society 