The speaker for our October meeting is Drew Goddard and the title of his talk is ” Breeding and Growing Orchids: a hobbyist’s journey”. Drew is the owner and operator of “This Side of Paradise”. He is also a member and former President of our Orchid Society and a member of several other orchid societies as well. As the title of his talk suggests, Drew will discuss his route into orchid-growing and some of what he learned along the way about breeding orchids.

Although he had been growing plants of various kinds all his life–the first one being a water lotus given to him by his mother when he was only 5–“everything from tulips to bonsai,” it took a while for him to get into orchids. His main hobby as an adult was raising Dart Frogs. It was only when he was researching what plants to use to fill his vivariums that he realized that Dart Frogs and Orchidaceae were so compatible. Now, 20 years later, the obsession is complete. He says “I gradually dragged my wife Jacquie into the hobby and now it’s a full-on family affair”. Over the past couple of years they have been “flasking up a storm” and in a few more years they will have a large number of Phalaenopsis for sale. Their personal collection is composed mainly of Nodosa and Phal species.

The meeting will take place in Room 5 at the RBG headquarters, 680 Plains Road West, Burlington Ontario. The formal meeting starts at 2 pm but you are encouraged to arrive as early as 1:30 to socialize and interact with vendors (of which This Side of Paradise is likely to be one). Please bring your beautiful orchids in bloom for the Show Table and, if so inclined, any orchids or orchid-related paraphernalia for the raffle. Members and guests welcome.

Not many of us here in Ontario have had the opportunity to attend a World Orchid Congress. In February of this year, a group of local Judges were able to take part in the 23rd Orchid Congress held in Taiwan. At our September meeting, one of those Judges, Jay Norris, will talk about the experience and show us his photographs of the event. Jay being an award-winning photographer of orchids, his photos are likely to be a cut above the usual holiday snaps!

Jay Norris has been passionate about orchids for over four decades, a journey that began with his father’s spare divisions and blossomed into a lifelong obsession. Through years of both triumphs and trials, Jay has honed his expertise, ultimately gravitating toward the captivating world of miniature orchids and cold-growing species from various genera.

Since 1992, Jay has been a dedicated member of the Toronto Judging Centre of the American Orchid Society, where he now serves as a Senior Accredited Judge. His keen eye for detail extends beyond judging; he is also an award-winning photographer, capturing the intricate beauty of these fascinating plants.

In addition to his judging and photographic pursuits, Jay is a key figure in Ravenvision, alongside Robin McLaughlin and Max Wilson. Together, they provide Canadian orchid enthusiasts from coast to coast to coast with the essential supplies needed to cultivate and care for their orchids.

Our meeting will take place at the Royal Botanical Gardens, 680 Plains Road West, Burlington, Ontario, in Room 5 (as always, subject to confirmation). The formal meeting begins at 2 pm but you are invited to arrive as early as 1:30 to mingle and interact with vendors. Please bring your beautiful orchids in bloom for the Show Table as well as any extra divisions or orchid-related paraphernalia you might have for the raffle. Members and guests welcome.

The topic for our August meeting is “Dendrochilums for the Amateur Grower” and the speaker will be Pat Vuurman. Pat is well-known to OSRBG members and to orchid enthusiasts nationally and internationally as a respected AOS Judge. He has been the Head Judge for the OSRBG Show for several years. Pat has been a member of the OSRBG Executive for more years that perhaps even he remembers and has served in practically every position. Among other activities, he guides and instructs the volunteers who work in the RBG Orchid House. In addition, he currently holds the position of Treasurer of the Toronto Judging Centre. He is knowledgeable about many types of orchids and frequently shares his insights as a panelist at Society meetings and in discussing the orchids on the Show Table. As a grower, he is perhaps best known for his Paphs and Phrags although he grows and exhibits a variety of other interesting specimens as well. Recently he has become interested in Dendrochilums and will share with us what he has learned from his experience and research.

As usual, the meeting will be held at RBG Headquarters, 680 Plains Rd. W., Burlington, Ontario (probably in room 5, subject to confirmation). The formal meeting will begin at 2 pm but you are invited to arrive as early as 1:30 to socialize and interact with vendors. Don’t forget to bring your beautiful orchids in bloom for the Show Table. If you have any orchids or orchid-related items for the raffle, these are always appreciated. Members and guests are welcome.

Just like last year, the annual BBQ, also known as the President’s picnic, will be held at Joe DiCiommo’s home. Rain or shine! The official starting time for the event is 2 pm, but if you want to come a little earlier and perhaps do some shopping, Joe will allow entrance to his greenhouse and will be selling plants. Ben will be at his usual post! Contact him if you have any dietary requirements: bmboers@hotmail.com. Penelope will run a raffle if there are orchids donated for that purpose. You should bring a chair, and if you wish to bring a salad or dessert to accompany the usual hamburgers and sausages, that will be appreciated. Further details are in the email that Linda Will is going to send to members. This is a members’ event, but spouses and significant others are welcome.

It’s strawberry time again!! The Orchid Society’s AGM (at which the Executive for the coming year will be elected) is followed by the ever-popular Strawberry Social. Bring your strawberry-themed goodies (remembering we have no access to fridge or stove), your beautiful orchids in bloom for the Show Table and any orchids or orchid-related items you may have for the raffle. And be prepared to enjoy the event, in company with your fellow members.

The formal meeting begins at 2 pm but your are invited to arrive as early as 1:30 to get settled, socialize and interact with vendors. The meeting takes place at the RBG Headquarters, 680 Plains St. W., Burlington, ON. (Check room number upon arrival.) Members and their guests welcome.

For our May meeting (which is a week later than usual because of the Victoria Day holiday weekend), our speaker will be Dan Doucette. Dan has spoken to our group before and his illustrated presentations are always fascinating. For this meeting his topic is:

The Wildlife of Socotra: Jewel of Yemen

Among serious plant enthusiasts, the island of Socotra, in the Arabian Sea, is legendary for its botanical treasures. Horticulturist and World Traveler Dan Doucette has been dreaming about visiting this otherworldly island for over a decade and that dream finally came true in February 2023. Dan spent two weeks on the island on a private tour. He visited many well known sites and also more remote areas in the Haggier mountains during a 6 day camel trek. Join Dan as he shares his stories and photos from this shining jewel of Yemen.

The meeting takes place at RBG headquarters, 680 Plains Rd. W. , Burlington, Ontario, probably in rooms 3 and 4 (subject to confirmation). The formal meeting starts at 2 pm but you are invited to arrive any time after 1:30 to socialize and interact with vendors. Bring your beautiful orchids in bloom for the Show Table. If you are so inclined, treats for the coffee break and orchids for the raffle are also appreciated. Members and guests welcome.

For our April meeting, the topic is “Tiny Slippers.” Miniature Paphiopedilums are not only stunningly beautiful but small enough that you just might find space to fit a few in your collection. This presentation will discuss the breeding for the perfect miniature plants and what species are used by hybridizers, and will showcase many of the recent  miniature crosses that have been created. After this talk,  you may be tempted to collect a few of these beauties at the next orchid show and so our speaker, Deb Boersma will also talk about cultural requirements.   

Deb is a recently retired Chemistry teacher from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario. She has been growing orchids for 30 years. She started by  growing under lights and then in a sunroom, but in 2014 she built a greenhouse to house her growing collection. She has about 500 orchids including Cattleyas, Sobralias, Paphiopedilums, Tolumnias and several other miscellaneous genera. She is the President of the Windsor Orchid Society and an associate judge in the  AOS judging program at the Great Lakes Judging Center, Ann Arbor. She has received several AOS quality awards, Best in Class awards  and she was the recipient of the Orchid Digest Diamond Award in 2016.  

The meeting takes place at the RBG Headquarters, 680 Plains Rd. W, Burlington, ON, (probably in Room 5 – subject to confirmation). The formal meeting begins at 2 pm, but you are invited to arrive as early as 1:30 to socialize and interact with vendors. Bring your beautiful orchids in bloom for the show table, and if so inclined, any orchids or orchid-related items for the raffle or treats for coffee break. Masking (or not) is based on personal preference. Members and guests welcome.

At the OSRBG Show, many awards were presented. The Society congratulates all the winners once again and thanks all those who generously sponsored awards. For a complete list, see http://osrbg.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Award-Winners-2024-.pdf

Here is a photo of the winner of the IPA Trophy for Best Phalaenopsis Hybrid, Phal. Popin Fireworks ‘Potin Ocicar’

Repotting made easy (well, easier…)

For our March meeting we always issue a special invitation to orchid enthusiasts who came to the Show a few weeks ago and would like to learn more about repotting their orchids, and of course also to our current members: if you have a plant and are wondering whether or not to repot, bring it to the meeting and our experts, Pat Vuurman and Ben Boers, will give you excellent advice and assistance. If your repotting is up-to-date, congratulations! You can still come and lend a hand and add your wisdom to the discussion.  Orchid media will be provided; you will probably want to bring your secateurs, and gloves and pots. The meeting takes place at RBG headquarters, 680 Plains Road W., Burlington Ontario, in room 5 (subject to confirmation). The formal meeting starts at 2 pm but you are invited to come anytime after 1 pm to socialize and interact with vendors. Members and guests welcome. As usual, masking (or not) is according to personal preference.

Click on Reports of Shows and Other Events (above) to see

1 )Rob Vanderheyden’s report and photos of the OSRBG display at SOOS 2024.

2) Wendy Hearder-Moan’s report and photos of the OSRBG Show, February 2024, with an addendum by Ben Boers.

3) Pat Vuurman’s report and Rob Vanderheyden’s photos of the OSRBG display at the London Orchid Society Show, March 2024