Gold medal at the London Orchid Show

The OSGB has won a Gold Medal at the 2013 RHS London Orchid Show.

André Roux and his team's creation represented a waterfall cascading down a steep cliff-face covered in colourful orchid species and hybrids, leading into a river which meandered amongst groups of beautiful blooms towards a mossy island.

Build in under two days, the display consisted of a wonderful selection of members plants. Many thanks to all those who lent plants, helped to organise and build the display and staff the information table at the show.

Visit the London Orchid and Botanical Art show at the RHS Halls, 12-13 April, 10am-5pm, admission: RHS members £5.00, non-members £8.00, website: www.rhs.org.uk/londonshows

New trophy to be awarded at Spring Show at RHS Garden Wisley - 16 March

The Spring Show will take place in the Glasshouse Gallery at RHS Garden Wisley on Saturday 16 March, 10:30-16:00, in conjunction with the month-long Wisley Orchid Event which opens that day.

All are welcome and 55 free entry tickets to the Garden will be available to OSGB members (on presentation of their membership card) at the front entrance on a first come, first served basis (9am-12pm), through the Society's affiliation with the RHS.

The newly donated Solomon Trophy will be awarded for the first time for the best windowsill-grown plant.

Plants for judging brought to the Glasshouse Gallery between 08:00 and 08:45. Members wishing to enter their plants should send a list of the plants and the classes they wish to enter to Dusha Hayes, Chair of the Judging Subcommittee, by post or e-mail a few days before the show. This will help with advance preparation of show tables. Alterations and new entries will still be accepted on the day.

All plants being brought for the show will be inspected to check that they are healthy and clear of pests; suspect plants may be denied entry. Please ensure you allow enough time for this.

Directions to the Glasshouse Gallery can be found on page 18 of the Annual Supplement to the Journal. For the main entrance, follow the brown signs to RHS Garden Wisley.

Full details of the show's schedule can be found on page 10 of the Annual Supplement. The following schedule will be used for the 2013 Spring Show, which is open to non-members:

Any plant entered in classes 1 to 48 must have been in the entrants’ possession for at least 12 months.

Section A
Plants in Classes 1–24 may be judged within Class 50 on request to the judges.

1. 1 Laeliinae species eg Barkeria, Brassavola, Cattleya, Encyclia, Epidendrum, Guarianthe, Mexican Laelia, etc.
2. 1 Laeliinae hybrid, including intergenerics.
3. 1 Cymbidium species.
4. 1 Cymbidium hybrid.
5. 1 Dendrobium species.
6. 1 Dendrobium hybrid.
7. 1 Oncidiinae species eg Ada, Brassia, Miltonia, Oncidium, etc.
8. 1 Oncidiinae hybrid, including intergenerics.
9. 1 Paphiopedilum species.
10. 1 Paphiopedilum hybrid.
11. 1 Phragmipedium species.
12. 1 Phragmipedium hybrid.
13. 1 Phalaenopsis species, including plants previously known as Doritis.
14. 1 Phalaenopsis hybrid, including intergenerics.
15. 1 Vandeae species, including Sarcanthinae, Angraecinae, Aerangidinae but excluding Phalaenopsis.
16. 1 Vandeae hybrid, including intergenerics but not those with Phalaenopsis.
17. 1 Pleurothallidinae species.
18. 1 Pleurothallidinae hybrid, including intergenerics.
19. 1 Maxillarieae species.
20. 1 Maxillarieae hybrid, including intergenerics.
21. 1 terrestrial species or hybrid (those orchids that have underground rhizomes or tubers and seasonally  have no parts above ground) eg Cynorkis, Cypripedium, Dactylorhiza, some Calanthe, Disa, Habenaria, Ophrys, etc.
22. 1 species not listed above eg Catasetum, Gongora, Coelogyne, Stanhopea, etc.
23. 1 hybrid not listed above eg Catasetum, Gongora, Coelogyne, Stanhopea, etc.
24. 1 species or hybrid to be judged for its decorative foliage only.
25. 3 Laeliinae species.
26. 3 Laeliinae hybrids, including intergenerics.
27. 3 Cymbidium species.
28. 3 Cymbidium hybrids.
29. 3 Oncidiinae species.
30. 3 Oncidiinae hybrids, including intergenerics.
31. 3 Paphiopedilum species and/or hybrids.
32. 3 Phragmipedium species and/or hybrids.
33. 3 Phalaenopsis species.
34. 3 Phalaenopsis hybrids, including intergenerics.
35. 3 terrestrial species and/or hybrids.
36. 3 Pleurothallidinae species and/or hybrids.
37. 3 Dendrobium species and/or hybrids.
38. 3 species of one genus, not listed in classes 25 to 37 eg Maxillaria, Lycaste, Coelogyne, Catasetum, Gongora, Stanhopea, etc.
39. 3 hybrids of one genus, from the genera in class 38, including intergenerics containing that genus.
40. 3 orchid plants from any of the genera in class 38, including intergenerics.
41. 4 orchid species from the same or different genera.
42. 4 orchid plants from different genera, including intergenerics.
43. 6 orchid species from the same or different genera.
44. 6 orchid species and hybrids from the same or different genera, including intergenerics.
45. 6 orchid plants of any one genus, including intergenerics containing that genus; no foliage plants to be included.
46. A group of orchids and ornamental plants space up to one square metre. Ornamental plants must not exceed 50% of the exhibit.
47. 1 species or hybrid, for an OSGB member who has not previously gained a first prize in the Society’s Spring or Autumn Shows.
48. 1 orchid species or hybrid for an OSGB member aged 21 and under.
49. 1 corsage or buttonhole (flower need not have been grown by the exhibitor).

Section B
Open class for all societies, individuals and professional growers at the Spring and Autumn Shows, including non-members of the OSGB and its Affiliated Societies.

50. A display of orchids and ornamental plants, larger than one square metre, ornamental plants must not exceed 50% of the exhibit.

Trophies to be awarded at the Spring ShowDolores Rands Trophy - 1 Laeliinae species, hybrid or intergeneric -Classes 1 and 2
Dulcie Rands Trophy - 1 Paphiopedilum species or hybrid - Classes 9, 10 and 31
Nanyang Trophy - 1 Vandeae species or hybrid - Classes 15 and 16
Joe Alderton Trophy - 3 Laeliinae species, hybrids and intergenerics - Classes 25 and 26
Woodstock Trophy - 3 Phalaenopsis species, hybrids and intergenerics - Classes 33 and 34
Dixon Trophy - 3 species of the same genus as in Class 38
BOC Trophy - 3 hybrids of one genus as in Class 39
Lampard Trophy - species from the same or different genera - Class 43
Alcock Cup - 6 mixed species, hybrids and intergenerics from different genera - Class 44
Rittershausen Challenge Trophy - 6 orchid plants - Class 45
Myers Trophy - 1 orchid species or hybrid, for first-time First prize winner in the Spring Show - Class 47
RHS Banksian Medal - To the member gaining the most First, Second and Third prizes
Sussex Shield - Three or more First prizes
Ann Shelley-Lloyd Painting - Best Cymbidium species
Sir Jeremiah Colman Bowl - Best Phalaenopsis
Leonard Page Cup - Best Oncidiinae
Pat Akehurst Trophy - Best Pleurothallidinae
Penney Trophy - Best Dendrobium
Peppe de Lullo Trophy - Best Coelogyne
Robert Elliott Cup - Best Cattleya species
Solomon Trophy - Best windowsill-grown orchid
BETOC Spring Show Cup - Hybrid made 50 or more years ago
Dorothy Pestell Cup - Best in Show

Successful trip to Ecuador and Peru

Fourteen members of the Society enjoyed a two week trip to South America in November 2012. It included a brief visit to Peru to see Machu Picchu (where the guide had to halt her tour because members were too busy photographing orchids) before proceeding to southern Ecuador.

The tour was arranged by Sally Mill through Ecuagenera and superbly guided by Alex Portilla (a member of the Ecuagenera family). Members were able to see a wide range of orchids in their natural habitat including Cattleya, Epidendrum, Oncidium and pleurothallids.

Cattleya maxima

An article about the trip should be published in the next issue of the Journal.

OSGB visit to Burnham Nurseries on 9 March 2013

The OSGB did not escape the terrible weather last autumn and unfortunately the visit to Burnham Nurseries in Newton Abbot, Devon on 24 November 2012 had to be cancelled (the railway line was washed away). However, the visit has been rescheduled for Saturday 9 March by kind invitation of Sara Rittershausen who has offered to provide lunch in Burnham’s excellent coffee shop as well as entry to their beautiful display house, Orchid Paradise, free for OSGB visitors.

Members around the country will need to make their own arrangements/bookings for travel to the nursery. However, a group will be travelling from London Paddington to Newton Abbot station and members may join this group if they wish. Taxi/minibus transfer between Newton Abbot station and Burnham Nurseries (2 miles) will be paid for/refunded by the OSGB.
Please note: it is much cheaper to buy two singles than a return ticket www.thetrainline.com

Dep: 09:06 London Paddington Arr: 11:38 Newton Abbot (£17.50)

Dep: 16:41 Newton Abbot Arr: 19:22 London Paddington (£22.00)

Prices correct at time of going to press, for single tickets bought in advance without a railcard. Tickets are much more expensive if not bought well in advance.

Members must contact Francis Quesada-Pallares by 1 March to confirm their place for lunch and/or transport to/from Newton Abbott station, tel: 07951 070637, e-mail: ols_francisjquesadapallares@hotmail.com

If you have not received an e-mail confirmation from Francis within a few days please telephone him to confirm.

OSGB plant auction on Saturday 5 January 2013

The OSGB's annual auction will be held at Napier Hall on Saturday 5 January 2013.  Doors open at 1.30pm, auction at 2.30pm. 

A wide variety of plants will be on sale, from easy-to-grow hybrids to more unusual species, and are usually sold for extremely reasonable prices.  A selection of books and orchid prints will also be auctioned.

As usual, all members will receive a warm welcome and tea, coffee and biscuits will be available.
Members are invited to bring along plants to sell (four plants per individual member, six plants per family membership). 

MBE for Simon Pugh-Jones, founder of the Writhlington School Orchid Project



Simon Pugh-Jones MBE
with Laelia anceps at Writhlington
(Photo by Joel Bates)

Simon Pugh-Jones received an MBE in the New Year's Honours list for his services to education and the orchid project.

The Writhlington School Orchid Project (WSOP) developed from an after-school gardening club founded by Simon 20 years ago. The WSOP has gone from strength to strength over the years led by Simon's infectious enthusiasm and students are now involved with orchid-related projects around the world, enjoying trips to countries such as Sikkim and Rwanda.

The project recently hosted the hugely successful 25th British Orchid Council Congress at Writhlington School in October 2012.

Simon says “This is recognition for my fantastic team of students at Writhlington who have achieved so much over the last twenty years and for all those who have supported our work both in the UK and abroad.”

Our congratulations to Simon and everyone involved with the project.

New venue for Peterborough International Orchid Show

Thanks to the enthusiasm of its committee, the International Orchid Show previously held at Peterborough has found a new home.

The show will now be held in conjunction with the successful Malvern Three Counties Show on 14, 15 and 16 June 2013. This is an increasingly popular show and it is hoped that the new location will attract exhibitors and visitors alike to the orchid show.

Unfortunately this will clash with the North East of England Orchid Society's show at Tatton Park on 16 June in 2013 but it is hoped that this can be avoided in future years.

The dedicated website will go live in early in 2013, www.malvern-ios.org