National Capital Orchid Society Show

[snowballsarebad]

The NCOS is holding their 60th annual orchid show at the National Arboretum (DC) Oct. 6-8! I am soooo going! On Saturday, I think.
Anybody ever been there, and is anybody going? I read somewhere that it is supposed to be one of the best shows on the east coast. Not sure if that is true or not, but I'm sure I'll find out! Though I don't have too much to compare it to.
Anyhow, the hubby just spent about $150 on some new speakers for the piano. Soo....I convinced him that I should be allowed to spend about the same amount on some new plants! Mostly as a reward for completing my first month of grad school. Some of you might remember that we had made a deal...I wasn't supposed to get anymore orchids until next year. Oops! I think it's justified though, since I had two fatalities last week, and another on the brink. Sunburn :'(
Not promising, but maybe I will take some lovely photos and post them

[janet_a]

good luck finding a place to park.

[snowballsarebad]

I know! I think we are going to take the metro, and either walk there or get a taxi, or bus or something. Are you going?

[snowballsarebad]

or has ANYBODY ever been there? any good?

[Vivienne]

Have fun snowballs! You've earned the orchids you purchase.

[janet_a]

i would advise against the cab; you'll get one out there but won't be able to get one back. if you take transit, bring your gun/taser/mace etc. it's in a very questionable neighborhood. as craptastic as the parking situation is, i'd say take your car if you can. (full tank of gas, and be prepared for half the roads on your map to be closed, or switched the other way, etc.)

i went once a few years ago; it was nice, but too much of a pain to be worth it to go again.

(and i'm out of town next weekend anyway.)

[snowballsarebad]

Here's some pics of the show I went to this weekend! Will post several times with more pics.
The first is of the best in show, a Renenthara. It was huge. The pic after is the tag.
The next is a huge Phal gigantea. All buds, I'd love to see it in bloom.
The last is the Best Species, a Cymbidium dayanum (I think that's right). It was large.

[snowballsarebad]

Ok, here's the Cymbidium:

[snowballsarebad]

Here's some more:

[snowballsarebad]

Some of my favorites; the BC Spotted Clown was probably one of my favorites out of the whole show, it just looked rather elegant and simple. My flash on my camera kind of bleached it out a little, but it does have just a little more color than it appears in the picture.

[snowballsarebad]

And two to end; one of them is pitcher plants, growing outside by the fountain:

[Vivienne]

Wonderful pics snowballs - thanks so much for sharing them!

[fred]

good job with taking the pics
looks like the show was a lot of fun
thank you for sharing with us
awesome

[PhalPal]

Thanks for the beautiful pictures snowballs!! I am glad you toughed it out and went. Did you buy any new orchids????

[mayres]

Thanks for sharing - enjoyed viewing the pics!

[joan gero]

Hi Snowballs! Thanks for the great pictures -- I recognized alot of them cause I went to the NCAOS show also! I went today (Sunday) and when I got there, it was almost empty (at 9:30am... not a church goer, luckily)... I almost thought I had a shot at winning one of the doorprize orchids but no luck.

Anyway, did you buy any? I bought my first psychopsis and, prize of prizes, a grammatophylum scriptum which is a miniature variety... holy smokes I sure hope I can manage this. Also was inspired directly from this forum to get a lovely Cycnoches Wine Delight with two spikes... hip hip hooooray! The members table was full of good stuff that I wasn't smart enough to know by labels and that wasn't in bloom... a few others and I was wiped out financially.

But it might also be of interest to the forum that I got to talk to Tom Mirenda, the author of a monthly column in the AOS magazine and the head orchid keeper for the Smithsonian (where I also am affiliated)... he always tells us what to do each month with our collections and it's the most useful thing. Well he was playing "orchid doctor" for much of the day today, and I got to ask him some questions... and then I asked if he knew much about worm tea! He'd never heard of it but knew an old grower who used manure tea with great success... he was very interested so I shared what I'd learned from The Geeks! Maybe he'll write about it some month!

I wish I had a digital camera to contribute more shots to Snowballls!

[Tobi]

Beautiful pics of some gorgeous orchids. Looks like you had a great time!!

[snowballsarebad]

Oh I forgot! I did buy some orchids. I got two off of my wishlist: Laelia tenebrosa, and a Neofinetia falcata. I also bought a mounted Brassavola Little Stars, and a Blc Copper Queen, which according to the Royal Horticultural Society is now a Marriotara Copper Queen.
The tenebrosa is quite small, at least 2 years from blooming, probably 3. But it was cheap and I really really wanted one. It also had a bunch of soggy, rotted roots, which I wasn't too happy about, but when the new growths start putting out more roots it should be fine.
The Neofinetia is lovely; it has at least 10 growths, and I think I can see 2 or 3 spikes starting, though they might be new growths as well.
Little Stars has two new growths and is mounted on cork. No sign of spikes!
I LOVE the Blc Copper Queen. It is a very strong, healthy looking plant. It has two leads, and looks like a new one might start. The one lead is in flower, as you can see, and the other lead is in sheath. the plant is over a foot tall, not including the pot. Doesn't really fit under my lights, but I think it'll get plenty of light in my south window. I think it needs to be repotted, but I think I'd rather wait until it's done blooming at least and has some new root growth.

[Vivienne]

joan and snowballs - congrats on your purchases. Ya'll are making me so excited about our upcoming show! Today we have a meeting to discuss our OS display... will Friday ever get here!?!?!

I'm hoping to pick up a Neofineta falcata as well!