 My Story
I am well and truly hooked on orchids!
This is how it happened:
My orchid story started 30 years ago when I bought my first orchid
- a Phalaenopsis (moth orchid) with just six beautiful pink flowers. I loved it
immediately and so started my search for more and more orchids. Once I had
started it became almost impossible to stop! I now have around 200 assorted
orchids. You name any of the more commonly cultured ones and I expect I have it
- Paphiopedilums, Phragmipediums, Phalaenopsis, Miltoniopsis, Lycastes,
Coelogynes, Vandas, Ascodendas, Zygopetalums, Oncidiums, Odontoglossums and
quite a few others as well.
Each time one of the orchids
flowered I was excited and very pleased and felt I had really achieved
something! The only thing was that few people I knew shared my enthusiasm. I
needed to share my hobby with like-minded people so I decided to write to all
the local newspapers saying just that. I asked people to contact me if they were
interested in forming an Orchid Society. The newspapers were kind and didn't
charge any fee and gave quite a bit of publicity to it. Eight people contacted
me quickly and we met to begin our Society. This was 6 years ago and we
are now twenty keen members. We had only been formed for a year when we were
asked to take part in a large local Show and we were over the moon to received a
gold medal certificate for our display. It encouraged us to go on and since then
we have won, one large gold (last year) two golds, one silver and one bronze
with £25. Our Society meets once a month on a Saturday afternoon and will always
be glad to welcome new members. We meet in Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan,
Wales, U.K. We are enjoying each others company very much and as Secretary I
organize quite a few trips by coach to Orchid Shows and Exhibitions.
I have spoken on radio and
appeared on T.V. to talk about my hobby and love of orchids and although it
seemed a bit daunting at first things went well although I could never enjoy
being a T.V. personality!!
If any of you are visiting this
area and can come to a Meeting you will be very welcome. Also if you feel like
e-mailing me with your story or any orchid comments then please do. You will
find me at:
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mail me