Gold at Chelsea!

A Gold medal at Chelsea and full marks across all judging criteria.
Congratulations and many thanks to everyone involved in creating this year's display. We couldn't do it without the enthusiasm of our members, the support of our sponsor Albourne Partners and the interest of the Chelsea visitors.

A Gold medal for this year's display which is sponsored by Albourne Partners

Val Micklewright and Sam Hurley are delighted with their third Gold medal for the OSGB

Chelsea 2015 - we have finished!

A beautiful orchid landscape has emerged on our 8m x 3m site in the Great Pavilion. The build team are weary but satisfied - they have done their best.

Simon Waddilove, Val Micklewright, Sam Hurley and Andre Roux

British native orchids are highlighted in huge pictures on the rear wall, on the information panels at the front and a few, such as Ophrys apifera and Ophrys insectifera, even feature
on the display.

Huge thanks to the build team, the members who lend their plants, and everyone involved in this enormous task. And particular thanks to Albourne Partners for their sponsorship and support this year. We do hope their guests will enjoy their visit to the show and the gala evening on Monday.

Final day of building at Chelsea

When exhaustion sets in building the Chelsea display we simply take a nap under the staging. (Simon was actually just creating space to store our trolleys under the stand).

Attention to detail is key at Chelsea and each plant has to be thoughtfully positioned, neatly staked, correctly labelled and beautifully finished, whether it is surrounded by moss or bark, hanging over a cliff, or cascading from a tree. 

The sides and back of the display are complete and today we will finish the front section. Our three pendent Coelogyne pulverula are opening a little more each day and should be an interesting example to show visitors of how the spikes develop. 

 

The Great Pavilion is now a riot of colour and scents as all exhibitors race towards the finish. Press Day and judging tomorrow along; watch this space for medal results...

Cypripedium calceolus staged in our display

Thanks to the growing skill of our members and friends of the society, we are able to display Cypripedium calceolus, our British native Lady’s-slipper orchid, on this year’s Chelsea exhibit. The exhibit is sponsored by Albourne Partners Ltd, an independent advisory firm founded and headquartered in the UK and so it is a pleasure to be able to feature British native orchids.

This much sought after orchid was reduced to a single wild plant in Britain by the 1930s due to thoughtless over-collecting. Thanks to the Sainsbury Orchid Conservation Project at RBG, Kew seed-grown plants have been successfully reintroduced to various locations in Britain.

The beautiful Cypripedium calceolus is now available to buy from commercial nurseries.

Significant progress today

Terrific progress all round today - the build team are really in their stride. At one point they looked up from their labours to discover they were surrounded by a field of chrysanthemums and a forest of delphiniums.

The display begins to fill the 8m exhibit space

The OSGB display surrounded by the overflower from other exhibits

Plants continue to arrive for staging including Aranda Singa Gold and Dendrobium Enobi Purple. The left hand side of the display is beginning to take shape with a tree covered in Vascostylis Janice Alison. The enormous tub of Anguloa uniflora has found a home and will gradually be incorporated into the landscape.

Aranda Singa Gold

Dendrobium Enobi Purple

The pavilion is filling up with almost all exhibitors now busy creating their masterpieces.

A weary build team head for home after three days of building

A grim old day at ChelseaThe mountain range

We were never more pleased to be in the Grand Pavilion than yesterday because it was a grim old day at Chelsea for those working outside. Torrential and persistent rain made progress almost impossible although, with only four days to go, many exhihibitors could not afford to abandon their work.

A rather grim old day in the build up to Chelsea Flower Show

Many exhibitors abandoned work as their exhibits became water-logged

But others had not choice but to continue in the persistent rain 

Our central mountain range is developing with a group of orchids including Epicattleya Charlie Brown, Phragmipedium Sedenii, Phaius tankervilleae and Oncostele Stirbic on its peak. Ravines run off to the left and there is a sheer cliff on the right over which hang wonderful, pendent Coelogyne pulverula. 

Beautiful red, orange and pink orchids atop the mountain peak

the mountain range continues to grow

 Displays in the pavilion continue to rise from the ground with unusual items like a giant teapot and an exotic temple from Thailand.

And giant tea part in the Grand Pavilion

Orchid flowers are used to decorate this exotic Thai Temple

A dragon at Chelsea Flower Show

Chelsea was once again bathed in sunshine and it was good to see the Great Pavilion being guarded by a watchful dragon.

Today saw us hang four beautiful images of British native orchids taken by past President of the Society, Henry Oakeley, along the back wall of our display.

A tree of Phalaenopsis Snow Cloud and Miltonia spectabilis is beginning to take shape on the right hand side, along with an asymetric mountain complete with cliff and ravines in the centre.

The build team worked hard despite various hiccoughs today and, amongst other jobs, new lights have been wired up and 100 ferns have been watered. Once again we have spread ourselves all over the place and our camp is beginning to sprawl around the pavilion!

A driftwood dragon guards the Great Pavilion at Chelsea Flower Show this year

The Bull Ring Gate at 7.00am

Burton Court towards Royal Hopsital, Chelsea

OSGB display taking shape with large images of British native orchids on the rear wall

Wrestling Phalaenopsis into place being a moss-covered tree

The build team relaxing over lunch 

Miltonia spectabilis is beautiful and scented 

Stand GPE/11 at Chelsea next week

We have made camp at stand GPE/11 in the Great Pavilion - please visit us if you are at Chelsea week (north west side).

The RHS team have built us a super stand and were on hand in minutes to add the finishing touches we required. All build materials are on site; the backdrop is swathed with black cloth; our sign is up. Many thanks to David Reilly who worked incredibly hard today - loading, unloading and hardly touching an orchid.

It is funny to see the pavilion full of delivery vans instead of the thousands of visitors which will fill it next week. Show garden building was well underway outside in the glorious sunshine at Chelsea today.

Chelsea 2015 begins

We are ready to begin. An astonishing array of items have been collected to build our Chelsea Flower Show display and we start today by taking everything to site.

Our members have generously loaned their splendid plants pictured below - we couldn't do it without them. However, the Anguloa uniflora plant which is growing in an 80cm diameter tub is proving a challenge to move as it weighs around 50kg.

Among our build materials are tree 'skeletons' sourced from the Great Meadow at Osterley Park (thanks to the National Trust); 130 boxes of carpet moss and around 100 maidenhair ferns; super new cool LED lights which will not burn our plants; and of course the most vital piece of equipment of all equipment of all - the kettle!

Members' plants ready to travel to Chelsea for staging

Ferns, lights moss and an enormous Anguloa uniflora growing in an 80cm diameter tub

Skeletons for our Chelsea trees sourced from the Great Meadow at Osterley Park
(thanks to the National Trust) 

Hardy orchid suppliers

Hardy orchids (and their exotic relations) are available from the following UK suppliers (several are internet/mail order only or visitors by appointment, please contact for further information).

Alphabet Orchids
9 Oak Farm Gardens
Headcorn
Kent TN27 9TZ
Tel 01622 891894
Email: alphabetorchids@hotmail.co.uk

Burnham Nurseries Ltd
Forches Cross
Newton Abbot
Devon TQ12 6PZ
Tel: 01626 352233
Email: mail@orchids.uk.com

Dave Parkinson Plants
4 West Bank
Carlton
Goole
East Yorkshire
Tel: 01405 860693

Harperley Hall Farm Nurseries
Harperley
Stanley
Durham DH9 9UB
Tel: 01207 233 318
Email: enquiries@harperleyhallfarmnurseries.co.uk

Heritage Orchids
4 Hazel Close
Marlow
Buckinghamshire SL7 3PW
Tel: 01628 486640
Email: mtalbot@talktalk.net

Jacques Amand International Ltd
The Nurseries
Clamp Hill
Stanmore
Middlesex HA7 3JS
Tel: 020 8420 7110
Email: john@jacquesamand.co.uk

Kevock Garden Plants
16 Kevock Road
Lasswade
Midlothian EH18 1HT
Tel: 0131 454 0660
Email: info@kevockgarden.co.uk

Laneside Hardy Orchids
74 Croston Road
Garstang
Preston PR3 1HR
Tel: 01995 605537
Email: jcrhutch@aol.com

Orchid Alchemy
5 Bourne Road
Corby Glen
Grantham
Lincolnshire NG33 4NR
Tel: 07864 919935
Email: andrew@orchidalchemy.co.uk

Exotic orchids at Chelsea Flower Show

At Chelsea this year, our exhibit will feature tropical species and their hybrids, staged in a naturalistic landscape to display the astonishing variety within the largest flowering plant family on Earth.

There are around 25,000 species of orchid worldwide, of which 95% grow in the tropics. These exotic relatives are far more diverse than our 50 or so British native species – in form, colour and growth habitat.

Arundina graminifolia is a terrestrial orchid originally native to Asia which is now classed as an invasive weed in parts of the world.

Arundina graminifolia grows freely in many parts of the world

V Scientific Conference on Andean Orchids in Colombia

The Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Cali and the Palmira branch of the Universidad Nacional are organizing the V Scientific Conference on Andean Orchids that whill take place on the 19-21 November 2015 at the Universidad Javeriana's campus in Cali, Colombia.

The Conference takes place every three years and for the first time it will take place in Cali. It will be a cultural and scientific event with special interest for those who study, preserve, and cultivate orchids and a very important event for the Cauca Valley and for Colombia as a country.

During the event the latest research will be shared via oral presentations as well as through printed materials with the latest research work.

The thirty five speakers invited to the Conference are renowned expert investigators in their respective areas of study who will share their knowledge on Taxonomy, Systematics, Ecology, Biotechnology, and Orchid Conservation.

Simultaneously with the Conference, will be The International Orchids Show at the Museo Vivo de Orquideas y Plantas Tropicales Orquideorama Enrique Perez Arbelaez.

Colombia has a wide diversity of orchids, with over 4100 species, i.e. 12% of the orchids in the world. The Valle del Cauca region has 30% of them, many of which can be found in their natural environment, properly preserved and protected.

The Conference is a great opportunity to show the natural beauty that Colombia possesses, particularly the Valle del Cauca region.

We invite you to visit our website: www.andeanorchidconference.org. For more information please contact: info@andeanorchidconference.org

Curious orchids in the British countryside

Neottia nidus-avis is known as our British native Bird’s-nest Orchid because its roots resemble a badly-made bird’s nest. It lacks both leaves and chlorophyll – all parts of the plant are a uniform brown colour.

In contrast our British native Monkey Orchid, Orchis simia, is vibrantly-coloured with flowers that seem to have monkey-like limbs and tails.

We are delighted to be sponsored at Chelsea this year by Albourne Partners Ltd, a UK-headquartered investment advisory firm with offices worldwide.

Britain's Bird's-nest Orchid, Neottia nidus-avis, lacks leaves and chlorophyll

The flowers of Britain's Monkey Orchid, Orchis simia, appear to have monkey-like limbs and tails 

A British sponsor for our Chelsea display

Our Chelsea exhibit, generously sponsored this year by Albourne Partners Ltd, will offer images and information about the beautiful and intriguing orchids which grow in the British countryside.

Albourne Partners Ltd is an independent advisory firm ‎headquartered in the UK with expertise across hedge funds, private equity, real assets and real estate.

Over 50 species of orchid are native to Great Britain. They all grow terrestrially (in the ground) and can be admired in Britain’s captivating landscapes without leaving our shores.

Britain’s Man Orchid, Orchis anthropophora, has flowers which seem to have the heads and limbs of tiny people while our Fly Orchid, Ophrys insectifera, resembles its insect pollinators.

Flowers of Orchis anthropophora seem to resemble tiny people

Ophrys insectifera is known as the Fly Orchid

Beautiful images highlight British native orchids at Chelsea

As usual, the OSGB’s Chelsea display will be staged using plants grown by the society’s members, friends and affiliates. 

Beautiful orchid images taken by society members will focus on the curious and undeniable attraction of these beguiling flowers.

Ophrys apifera is our British native Bee Orchid and is self-pollinating because its pollinator does not occur in this country.

Ophrys apifera - British native Bee Orchid

Chelsea exhibit building begins next week

The year’s Chelsea exhibit will showcase orchids from around the world displayed in a naturalistic setting. British native species will be highlighted using large-scale images on the rear wall of the display and information panels at the front will introduce visitors to a variety of our home-grown beauties and their exotic relations. 

We are pleased to welcome sponsorship from Albourne Partners Ltd, an independent advisory firm ‎headquartered in the UK with expertise across hedge funds, private equity, real assets and real estate.

Dactylorhiza fuchsii is one of our British native Marsh Orchids and readily colonises newly exposed ground; it can be a valuable indicator of the health of our environment. In contrast, Platanthera chlorantha, Britain’s Greater Butterfly Orchid, can be shy to flower and only bloom when conditions are perfect.

Dactylorhiza fuchsii - one of Britain's Marsh Orchids

Platanthera chlorantha - Britain's Greater Butterfly Orchids

All About Plants weekend at Wisley 20th and 21st June 2015

The OSGB will be exhibiting at RHS Garden Wisley's All About Plants weekend, Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st June, 9am to 6pm. Please come along and visit the show which will include exhibits by a wide variety of plant societies.

OSGB members (who are not RHS members) are entitled to a reduced-price entry of £8.00 to this event . The reduced-price entry applies to either Saturday or Sunday and is available only on production of a current OSGB membership card. (It applies to OSGB members only and not their guests.)