OSGB, Oman and orchids - celebrating 100 years of Chelsea

From suffragettes and corsages to near extinction and cloning, the Orchid Society of Great Britain’s educational floral exhibit, sponsored by the Sultanate of Oman Ministry of Tourism, will explore the changes in orchid growing over the past one hundred years to celebrate the centenary of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The OSGB's 2013 Chelsea begins to take shape  

History
1913 – Suffragettes attacked the orchid houses at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in protest at the male dominated world of horticulture.

2013 – Two female members of the Orchid Society of Great Britain will design its exhibit for the flagship show of the RHS, a society which has a female president.

Designers
Val Micklewright – Hon. Sec. of the society, designer of many displays at other shows since joining in 1991, and Sam Hurley – editor of the society’s quarterly OSGB Journal, who joined in 2009.


Unique plant supply
Unlike other exhibitors, the society’s designers can only plan so far – they do not know which plants their members will be able to lend until a few days before the show opens. Most of the plants exhibited are grown by members, friends and affiliates of the society and each year they demonstrate their expertise by providing exceptional plants for the exhibit. This is the 53rd time, since its founding in 1951, that the society has exhibited at the RHS Chelsea Flower show.



Masdevallia veitchiana

Competition

The society holds a competition each year to find the most popular orchid

on its display; a cup is presented to the owner of the winning plant.

A regular winner has been Masdevallia veitchiana, favourite orchid of
Sir Harry Veitch, the great nurseryman and orchid enthusiast who was one
of the founding fathers of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

All visitors entering the competition will have their names put into a free prize
draw to win £100 worth of orchids to celebrate 100 years of Chelsea ( to be
drawn on 1st June 2013).



Sponsorship
The society is delighted to welcome sponsorship from the Sultanate of Oman Ministry of Tourism. Oman’s diverse landscape includes 3,165 kilometresof pristine, sandy Indian ocean beaches, magnificent desert expanses, majestic fjords in Musandam in the far north, the striking Hajar Mountains, and the lush green valleys of Dhofar, in the south.


Medicinal orchids 

Eulophia guineensis

A number of orchids are native to Oman, including Epipactis, Eulophia, Habenaria and Nervilia. Eulophia guineensis and Eulophia petersii are both used medicinally.

Eulophia guineensis grows in the tropical highlands in southern Oman,
and has attractive pink and white flowers with the extravagant ‘lip’, which
is characteristic of most orchids.

A new Botanic Garden is being created near Muscat, Oman’s capital,
and will endeavour to display the entire flora of the Sultanate, including
its native orchids.


Orchids – rare, exotic and hard to grow?
Over 25,000 species– not all are rare
95% native to the Tropics – most are certainly exotic
Easy to grow – many modern hybrids are much easier to grow


Changes in orchid growing
Different orchids have risen and fallen in popularity over the past century. Cool-growing orchids such as Cymbidium, which once thrived in our houses, before central heating and double glazing arrived, have given way to warm-growing Phalaenopsis which used to be considered impossible to grow.

Orchid growing often reflects the changing fashions and trends within society. Flamboyant orchid corsages, the de rigeur accessory of days gone by, have been replaced by easy-to-grow modern hybrids which adorn our homes and offices today.