The Sapphire Coast Orchid Club Spring Show was presented 22 & 23 September 2022 at the Bega Valley Commemorative Civic Centre. The Gulaga Foyer is an ideal venue for an Orchid display with glass windows/walls on two sides and commended by one of the Judges who thought the show was of excellent standard. This was echoed by many of the guests who were greeted with a wall of Cymbidiums and almost overcome by the strong perfume of the natives.
Grand Champion and Champion Any Other Genera was a magnificent Masdevallia with 11 stunning flowers. The large (15cm) orange flowers with strong red overtones of Masd. Carnival ‘Jester’ was benched by Graham and Helen Gray from Eden.
Reserve Champion and Champion Australian Native, Dendrobium tetragonum, was benched by Jeff Knox. Although only a small plant the three inflorescences supported large strongly marked yellow flowers with a rusty red edge which were in immaculate condition. Jeff also was successful with his more traditional Cymbidiums winning the Champion Cymbidium over 90mm with Cym. Regal Flames ‘Queen of Hearts’ a large (11cm) dark red flower with just a hint of a white edge to the flower displayed on a raceme along with 10 other flowers. He also benched the Champion Paphiopedilum, Paph Highland Beauty x unknown.
Kaye Bowles from Towamba stayed on her winning streak with another pot of terrestrial orchids, Pterostylis nutans, to win Champion Novice.
The most successful exhibitor was Keith Barrett from Nethercote who took out Champion Cymbidium 60 – 90mm with Cym. Harbour City ‘Sydney’, Champion Vandaceous with Phal. Unknown, Champion Seedling Other Than Cymbidium with Den. Dunokayla ‘Moonstone’ x spec. ‘Josephine’ and Champion Cymbidium Seedling with Cym. (Alexandra’s Beauty x Kelly’s Winter) x Cym Strath delight. He also won the Champion Fern or Foliage with a pristine Hosta ‘June’.
Marg Wong from Mallacoota presented some lovely large plants from vintage Dendrobiums to the Champion Species and Champion Specimen, a very large Coelogyne cristata absolutely dripping in beautiful white flowers.
Eden growers Bob and Muriel Bell presented the Champion Cymbidium Under 60 mm, Cym. Heartbreak Doctor ‘Lips of Wine’ along with the Champion Laeliinae, Cattleya Mango Spice ‘Stone’ a delightful small orange flower with stippled markings.
Champion Floral display went to the very talented Helen Fraser who continues to put interesting and challenging displays on the bench showing Orchids in a very different light.
Our thanks to our ever supporting Major Sponsors, Robert Smith Complete Furnishers of Pambula, The Bendigo Bank, and The Little Bouquet Florist of Merimbula for their very generous and ongoing support of our Shows
