Northwest Orchid Society Newsletter

University of Washington
Center for Urban Horticulture
3501 NE 41st Street
Seattle, WA 98105

Tom Etheridge will be speaking to us about Odontoglossums. Tom’s passion is for the cool growing genera, and he will be bringing plants for sale. He’s been involved in AOS judging since 2000 and been an AOS accredited judge since 2007. He and his wife Luanne regularly mount displays at orchid shows in Oregon and to date have received more than 80 AOS awards. Tom also serves on the board of the Odontoglossum Alliance and is a frequent contributor to Orchids magazine.

Come early, there will be an expanded Sales Table with many special plants from the collection of Harry Mar. In addition, members may bring up to 10 plants to sell. Include an extra tag with your name and the cost.

The raffle will be held as usual. Win a new orchid for your collection while supporting the Scholarship Fund.

We really could use your help! We have lots of orchids that need some TLC. Join us for a few hours to help repot, divide and clean our orchid collection. Then enjoy the rest of the day seeing the Zoo.

Our greenhouse is a working facility so we ask that you please not bring children younger than 12 years of age for this volunteer project.

Meet at the Zoo’s South Entrance at 10:00am. Dress in layers as the greenhouse can get quite warm. Bring your own gloves and tools. We will have alcohol to clean your tools.

You can park in in the Zoo lot which costs $5.50. Or you can park for free in Woodland Park and walk over the ramp across Aurora Ave. Alternately you can use street parking.

President's Corner

As we approach the May meeting I want to thank everyone for their hard work in making our April Show and Sale a success. The displays were fantastic and we had a sales area with something for everyone. Friday, Saturday and Sunday were well staffed which made the work easier for everyone.

We did have a glitch during the Saturday Judging; while Mike Pearson was taking photos of the AOS and Ribbon winners, his macro lens was damaged beyond repair. The NWOS has started a Lens Replacement Fund to help with the replacement cost. I will be gathering the funds and will present a check to Mike at the June Potluck.

Over the years Mike has not charged the NWOS for his photo expertise during judging or making the show posters and now we have a way to thank him for his GREAT work.

If you want to donate to the fund you can give me a check at the May meeting made out to NWOS and put 'Lens Fund' in the memo area.

I will also accept cash but a check would be preferred. You can also send the check to me at 2615 NE 137th St., Seattle WA 98125. I would like to see the fund gather at least $400 towards the $700 lens, at this time the fund is at $75.

See Ya All at the May meeting,

Mike Foster, President

fosterpierce@comcast.net

Proposed Slate of Officers

Here are the Nominations for NWOS Officers to serve July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014:

President: Mike Foster

First VP: Caroline Mann

Second VP: George Grantham

Secretary: Mike Cory

Treasurer: Peter Maunsell

Past President: Jamie Notman

Trustees (2 years) 2013-2015

Joff Morgan

Ellen Macomber

Jeanne McKinnie

Chris Peterson

Diane Drisch

The following Trustees have one year remaining on their 2 year Tenure (2012-2014)

Allan Kaas

Mike Pearson

Katrina Lindahl

Barb Roberts

The election will be held at our May meeting with installation at the June meeting.

Orchid Shows Past and Future

The Oregon Orchid Society Show and Sale was held April 20-21 in Portland. Our display consisted of 55 plants provided by the following 9 members: Alan Kaas, Jerry Hoffmeister, Peter Maunsell, Joff Morgan, Diane Drisch, George Krasle, Andy Wright, Mike Foster and Donna Pearce and Cylvia and Myself. Our plants were granted 21 blue ribbons, 8 red ribbons and 1 white. Special honors included Alan Kaas’ lovely Lycaste auromatica that earned Best Lycaste, Andy Wright’s Paph Bel Royal won Best First Bloom Seedling and Best Paph Hybrid, and Jerry Hoffmeister’s Paph rothschildianum (also first bloom) won Best Paph Species. Unfortunately there were no AOS awards from our display. Many people at the show commented on the high quality and great variety of plants in our display. Ours was one of the three largest displays in the show along with displays of Cherry City (Salem) and the host society.

	It's always great to see plants in a show that you won't see for sale at Trader Joe's and Andy Wright's Bulbophyllum grandiflora is certainly one of them.
NWOS display at Oregon Orchid Society Show. Note Jerry Hoffmeister's big dendrobium in the center of the display. This is it's fifth show since February!

George Krasle's beautifully bloomed Cattleya intermedia var. aquanii is the grandaddy of nearly all Cattleya alliance splash petal hybrids.
	Rear view of our display.

The last show of the season is South Central Washington Orchid Society Show and Sale May 4^th and 5^th. Joff Morgan is taking a display down to Kennewick. The next show we expect to display in is the Sunset Empire Orchid Society Show and Sale normally held in September.

Thanks very much to everyone who has loaned plants for the numerous shows and displays this past year.

George Grantham, 2^nd Vice President

· 13^th Supplemental Issue for 2013. The 2013 supplemental issue will be distributed with a Fall issue of Orchids magazine and the topic is the genus Cattleya. Donations (however small - $2.00 minimum) are now being accepted on the AOS website. The publication of these supplemental issues is underwritten entirely by membership donations.

Changes to Orchids production. Jim Watson, the long-time editor of Orchids, has left due to budgetary constraints of the AOS. Ron McHatton will be taking over Jim’s editorial roles in conjunction with the Publications Committee

Lynn Fuller, Chair
AOS Affiliated Societies Committee

Mike Foster led our brief business meeting. This was followed by a review of the plant table by Andy Wright. The evening was capped off with a great talk by our speaker, Peter T. Lin of Diamond Orchids in California. Peter made a fine presentation talking and showing us all about Neofinetia falcata and it's hybrids.

We had a very successful Show & Sale hosted at Sky Nursery on April 6th and 7th as you can see by the following photographs (courtesy Joff Morgan, Diane Drisch, Mike Foster)

Botanical Exotica, the exhibit of fine-art glass works by Seattle native artist Jason Gamrath continues at the Volunteer Park Conservatory. He has designed a breathtaking series of titanic orchids, cacti and carnivorous specimens recreated faithfully in glass and inspired by the collection at the Conservatory.