2013 Photographic and Art Competition - Saturday 1st June

This competition will be held on Saturday 1st June 2013 in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting at Napier Hall. The revised schedule of rules and classes below will apply.

Doors will open at 12:30; all entries must be registered on arrival and should be in place by 13:30. Members are asked to label the reverse of their entries with their name, and the name of the plant (if known).

Please read the revised schedule which can be found on the About Us page of the website.

Raby Castle Orchid Show 4th - 6th May 2013

Visit the Raby Castle Orchid Show over the Bank Holiday weekend to see beautiful orchid exhibits by various societies, including the OSGB. There will be a wide selection of orchids for sale from a variety of international traders.

Members and visitors alike will be given a warm welcome at the OSGB exhibit by Kim Solomon, our Advertising Secretary, who is representing the Society and has created this elegant display.
                                                                     

OSGB display at Raby Castle Orchid Show

                                                                          

Kim Solomon, Chris Barker, Rachel, Dick Warren and Lord Barnard, owner of Raby Castle

Raby Castle Orchid Show, Staindrop, Darlington, Co. Durham, DL2 3AH, open 11:00-17:00

Sponsorship from the Sultanate of Oman for Chelsea




Eulophia guineensis grows in the
mountain forests of Oman

 The Society is delighted to welcome sponsorship from the Sultanate of Oman Ministry of Tourism for this year's Chelsea exhibit. A beautiful and exotic country, Oman has much to offer those wishing to explore its native flora and fauna, along with a wide variety of diverse experiences for its visitors.

A number of orchids are native to Oman, including Eulophia guineensis, Eulophia petersii, Habenaria myodes and Habenaria malacophylla.

For thousands of years orchids have captivated mankind with their exotic beauty but they have also been believed to have medicinal, almost magical, properties. Eulophia guineensis and Eulophia petersii are both used medicinally. The pseudobulbs are broken off at the base and this broken end is heated in a fire until blackened and the sap starts to flow. This sap is rubbed over skin complaints and sores, eczema, fungal infections etc.

Habenaria myodes and Habenaria malacophylla have edible tubers and were eaten raw or, preferably, slowly cooked. They were regarded as being ‘hunger food’ for hard times only, as they
cause inflammation and irritation.

A new Botanic Garden is being created near Muscat, Oman’s capital, and will endeavour to display the entire flora of the Sultanate, including
native orchids such as Eulophia guineensis. This orchid has attractive
pink and white flowers with the extravagant ‘lip’, or modified petal,
which is characteristic of most orchids.

For further information about tourism in the Sultanate of Oman,
please visit: www.omantourism.gov.om

Westonbirt Medal presented to David Martin

David Martin was presented with the 2012 Westonbirt Medal by the RHS during the London Orchid Show. This is awarded for the best specimen plant shown to the RHS Orchid Committee during the year and was given to his Cymbidium Sweet Devon 'Sweet' (suave x devonianum) CCC/RHS. The plant was awarded a Certificate of Cultural Commendation at the time; it measured an impressive one metre in diameter and displayed nineteen pendent flower spikes.

Cymbidium Sweet Devon 'Sweet' CCC/RHS

Mr and Mrs David Martin
Photo by Johan Hermans

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.