NEWS
Entries for the BOC photo competition this year will be accepted from individuals, not Societies as in the past. The closing date for entries is 31-Dec-25 (although they would like to receive them earlier if possible) – Carol wil send out details.
The November meeting will be our Christmas social; there won’t be a raffle, so don’t bring raffle prizes – but do bring a small plate of food to share.
Subscriptions are now due – these remain unchanged at £10.
Angela, our BOC representative, announced that the Eric Young Orchid Foundation has a job vacancy and made details available.
Trophies were awarded as follows:
- David Barton Cup (best orchid, our stand Suffolk Show) Andy Gissing – Dendrobium aphyllum
- B.O.C Tankard (best orchid at our Spring Show) Paul Atkin – Coelogyne laurenceana
- OSGB Salver Winners’ Competition table (for past year) Bill Gardiner
- B.O.C. Salver Novice Competition table (for past year) Phil Broom
David Kohn won this month’s Winners Table with his Rossioglossum grande. Tony Weavers won the Novices Table with his Phalaenopsis hybrid.
GUEST SPEAKER (report by Carol Tweed)
Zsuzsa of Spicesotics was our speaker this month (September). Her talk was about many of her orchids that are flowering at the moment, some of which she had brought along. Some had tiny, tiny flowers, so cute but not to everyone’s liking. She always gives such a ‘down to earth’ talk and also has such a sense of humour – making us promise we would not break one of the orchids with a beautiful flower if she passed it round, and not to put one of the mounted miniatures in our pocket if she passed it round. She always tells us that if it works for us, don’t change it, even if it is contrary to what the experts say. One of her mounted orchids had a fern growing in the moss and she said that although it looked very pretty, the fern would choke the orchid’s roots. Another point she always makes is that orchids are very fussy as to where they sit – so if they are not happy in a position, move them; but if they are happy, whether or not it is where they ‘should be’, leave them there. She also said all her greenhouses go down to 12º in the winter.
Zsuzsa also mentioned that she is now on the RHS Orchid committee. They have meetings at different locations during the year. At these meetings if orchid growers have grown something really special or new they take it along in the hope of receiving an Award from the ‘experts’ of the committee. Members of the public like ourselves can also take an orchid to be ‘judged’ for a Certificate of Cultural Commendation if we think it is really special and Zsuzsa has offered to take any of our members’ orchids to a meeting if one of us thinks it is worth it.
