Orchid Christmas in Writhlington School

Why not join us and visit famous Writhlington School orchid glasshouses for a special Christmas event on Saturday, 14th December. Click on the poster below to see the details.

Give your loved ones a gift...

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Get ready for Brexit and understand CITES

What will happen IF we go with Brexit ?

All species of animals and plants listed under CITES will require CITES permits and/or an
import notification. Moving any species controlled under CITES between the UK and the EU (including via post) will need to comply with the same requirements as those in place for movement between the UK and non-EU countries. Only certain UK
land, sea and airports can be used as points of entry or exit for trading or moving CITES-listed
protected animals or plants, or their products(CITES specimens).
See full list on gov.uk

OSGB Autumn Show & Wraysbury Orchid Event

Welsh Orchid Festival

The Orchid Study Group was holding its 2019 Welsh Orchid Festival in the Mansion at Aberglasney Gardens on Saturday 31st August and Sunday 1st September

Zane and Mauro Rappa build a small display and represented OSGB in Wales.


With plants donated by Sally Mill, Henry Oakeley, Michael Radley, Zane Rappa, Francis J. Quesada-Pallares and Zsuzsanna Serer they built a lovely arrangement intended to represent a windowsill looking out into an orchid garden (in the picture).

Sally Mill's Phragmipedium pearcei received a Cultural Certificate of Commendation. Congratulations

New Members’ Day - Saturday 3rd August 2019

This event, which is free to all new members (though guests are very welcome to join at a cost of £10), will be held at Napier Hall and begins at 10:00AM with registration, coffee, and snacks.

Please contact Sue Johnson to book your attendance


Programme for the day:


10:30  Introduction to orchids

11:00  Presentation and guide of repotting a phalaenopsis

11:00  Practical hands-on repotting session

12:30  Lunch break

13:30  Doors open for the regular OSGB monthly meeting

14:30  Afternoon Speaker – Michael Radley “Orchid Treks in Costa Rica”

If you enjoy cooking or baking you are most welcome to bring a little treat to impress your fellow new members.
 Please, just remember to bring ingredients list with you to be able to give allergy advice in case it's needed.

Blenheim Palace Flower Show

Dr Henry Oakeley exhibited some of his collection of Anguloas at the Blenheim Palace Flower Show last weekend (21 - 23 June). The display contained nearly 50 plants with 27 different species and hybrids, including 7 hybrids created or registered by Henry himself and five new hybrids raised and registered by the Eric Young Orchid Foundation. Nine of the plants on the stand have had an Award of Merit from the RHS in the past. 

The exhibit was staged by Henry Oakeley, Galina Boyse, and Sue and Peter Johnson. Zane Rappa masterminded the labelling.

6th of July - Philip Seaton – Growing orchids from seed

13:30 Doors open - tea, coffee, biscuit and a mingle
14:30 Speaker: Philip Seaton – Growing orchids from seed
15:30 Table Show and a Raffle

Please feel free to come down for a taster meeting if you are considering to join.
Remember you can bring in your plants - whether they'd be the troubled ones or your prize flowering beauties to show off on our table displays.

Our 23rd Chelsea Gold!

The build team: Zane, Galina, Andre, Catarina, Sally

Congratulations to Galina Boyse and her outstanding Chelsea Display Team on obtaining yet another Gold Medal (awarded to us for the 23rd time!) Many thanks for all the hard work and amazing ideas to (in alphabetical order): Catarina Anjos, Marcina Antonova, Adam Boyse, Sophia Kral, Marcin Kulinski, Stuart Meeson, Sally Mill, Henry Oakeley, Zane Rappa, Andre Roux, Joel Soo. Phenomenal work!

Educational boards with plants in acrylic cubes drove a lot of attention

We wouldn't have made it without our sponsors The Baycroft Care Homes and all these wonderful people providing us with plants, including Mike Buckingham, Colin Howard, Jo Kelleher, Stuart Meeson, Sally Mill, Michael Radley, Zane Rappa, Henry Oakeley, Peter Sander, Joel Soo, and Spicesotic Plants






Have a look at the pictures below to see the fantastic display they have put together. The judges commented on the specimen plants, unusual plants, a wide variety of plants, and the elegant design - being particularly impressed with the educational aspect of the display.

BBC presenter Carol Klein preparing for the coverage of our display

They liked the background photos showing orchids in their habitats with their mode of growth (lithophytic, epiphytic etc) all of which synchronised beautifully with miniature plants growing on different media in acrylic cubes at the front, accompanied by the educational photo and text boards explaining growth habits in nature and cultivation.

The beautiful plants and design were needed for the RHS Gold Medal, and the striking, innovative and educational element of the cubes, photos and text made it a sure-fire winner.

RHS Chelsea 2019 Gold Medal

More pictures to follow in our gallery.

Call for PLANTS and HELP

Support the Society in forthcoming exhibitions

With the summer show season upon us, we are pleased to report that the Shows Team have an exciting list of exhibits planned. Varied and eye-catching displays are to be staged, included those detailed below:

1) Malvern International Orchid Show (14-16 June)

We will be aiming for a rich display of flowering orchids at the International Orchid Show, part of the Royal Three Counties Show. Again please contact Galina Boyse if you can offer flowering plants.

2) Blenheim Palace Flower Show (21-23 June)

Dr Henry Oakeley will be exhibiting Anguloas on behalf of the OSGB and members wishing to help should contact Galina Boyse or Henry Oakeley please. For more information about the show see:

 www.blenheimflowershow.co.uk

RHS Chelsea 2019 sponsor - Baycroft Care Homes & Senior Villages

We are very pleased to announce that Baycroft Care Homes & Senior Villages, a subsidiary of One Housing Group Ltd, has very kindly agreed to sponsor our 2019 Chelsea display. Baycroft Care Homes provide luxury residential, nursing and dementia care homes and senior villages. They also offer respite care. More information about them can be found on www.onehousing.co.uk Head Office: 220 Arlington Road, London NW1 7HE. We are delighted to be associated with them and are honoured that they have chosen to sponsor us.

Multiple awards for the Society at BOS60

 At Bournemouth Orchid Society's 60th Anniversary Show, staged at Highcliffe Castle (30-31 March 2019), the OSGB received multiple awards including Best Amateur Display.

In the ribbon judging Sally Mill's Sarcochilus fitzhart (below) was awarded the Best Amateur Plant and Best Plant Exhibited by a Bournemouth Orchid Society Member. See full report in OSGB Journal.

04 May - Bala Kompalli 'Orchids of Kew'

 13:30 Doors open

 14:30 Speaker: Bala Kompalli - Orchids of Kew

Bala will discuss some of the flowering orchid highlights from the Royal Botanic Garden.

06 April - Chris Purver 'Trends in modern orchid hybridisation'

13:30 Doors open
14:30 Speaker: Chris Purver - Trends in modern orchid hybridisation

Chris Purver from Eric Young Orchid Foundation will discuss state of the art orchid hybridisation.

OSGB Spring Show at Napier Hall

9:30 Doors open for registration of plants
11:00 Show open to members

13:00 Show open to the public

No lecture this month

Members wishing to enter their plants should send a list of the plants and classes they wish to enter to Dusha Hayes, Chair of the Judging Subcommittee, by post (62 Link Lane, Wallington, Surrey, SM6 9DZ) or e-mail (dushahayes @ blueyonder.co.uk) a few days before the show. This will help with advance preparation of show tables. Entries will be accepted on the day. Classes for competition are in the Journal Annual Supplement.

02 February - Simon Pugh-Jones 'Growing Cool Orchids'

13:30 Doors open
14:30 Speaker: Simon Pugh-Jones - Growing Cool Orchids

Simon Pugh-Jones from Writhlington School with give us a talk on growing cool orchids.

Plants will be available for purchase.