Philadelphia Flower Show 2012
Sharing in the Spirit of Aloha
Sunday, March 4 – Sunday, March 11, 2012

A tropical retreat awaits visitors where they can see, touch and smell the beauty of Orchid flowers ‘up close and personal’. American Orchid Society members share their plants, knowledge and expertise to all who wish to learn about these exotic beauties. AOS members from around the country are involved in the staging and staffing of this interactive exhibit with the goal of spreading their infectious enthusiasm to all who will listen. Features include artistic compositions of potted and mounted specimens of exotic species, old and modern hybrids along with a supporting cast of rare and exotic tropical plants. Miniature orchids in terrariums shall enamor with their delicate forms, brilliant colors and architectural detail. Ongoing demonstrations shall further the AOS goals of supporting Orchid Culture, Education and Conservation.

Orchid plants and volunteers are needed for the AOS exhibit. Please contact Michael Bowell at mwb@createascene.com or Lynn Fuller at mlfuller@comcast.net .

For general event information see www.theflowershow.com

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, NC (near Charlotte) opened their Orchid Spectacular on January 20 which runs through March 18. This year's theme is the nineteenth century orchid explorers. The DSBG's four-year-old Orchid Conservatory offers the perfect setting for the Orchid Spectacular. The North Carolina Piedmont Orchid Society (NCPOS) Show and Sale, February 24-26, is part of the event and will include AOS judging.

See www.dsbg.org for additional information.

The New York Botanical Garden's Orchid Show runs from March 3-April 22, 2012. From their website... "Renowned botanist and vertical gardening provocateur Patrick Blanc creates towering spectacles of tropical life. Dangling from Blanc's signature ''green walls,'' thousands of orchids abandon the constraints of gravity. In an explosion of alluring color and fragrance, exotic plant walls rise high above the Conservatory's Reflecting Pool and Seasonal Exhibition Galleries."

For more information see www.nybg.org

Chadwick & Son Orchids, Inc. donates Presidential Orchid Collection to U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. – Chadwick & Son Orchids, Inc. of Richmond, VA, has donated a sizable collection, 27 specimens, of their renowned First Lady orchids, now known as the Presidential Collection, for permanent display at the United States Botanic Garden (USBG). The collection includes plants named after former first ladies Lady Bird Johnson, Barbara Bush, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Laura Bush as well as those recently presented to First Lady Michelle Obama.

“This is one of the most important gifts that we have received in recent years,” said Bill McLaughlin, curator of Living Collections for the United States Botanic Garden. The plants will be grown offsite at the USBG production facility until blooming, and then put on public display at their conservatory across from the Capital. The orchids will bloom at different times throughout the year so there will be new orchids to see almost year round. “All of our plant collections are important, but the orchid collection especially holds significance for generations of both our visitors and our own staff,” says Holly Shimizu, executive director of USBG.

“For the first time, the public can see these famous hybrids, many of which have never been viewed publicly before,” said Art Chadwick, president of Chadwick & Son Orchids, Inc. The father and son team of Chadwick and Chadwick began the tradition of presenting a specially grown hybrid orchid to the First Lady in 1995 with a presentation to Hillary Rodham Clinton. They picked up on a tradition that dated back to 1929, and the presidency of Herbert Hoover, that had dwindled and stopped for many years. A particularly stunning orchid convinced them to renew the tradition and they have continued to cultivate and present outstanding specimens to First Ladies ever since. The process of bringing a hybrid orchid to bloom can take seven to 10 years with no guarantee of success. It remains a highly technical and risky endeavor that keeps the Chadwicks in elite company.

Founded in 1989, Chadwick & Son Orchids has been Richmond’s premier orchid supplier for more than 20 years. The Chadwick family operates 10 greenhouses located on 18 acres in rural Powhatan County as well as a retail location in the heart of Richmond’s museum district. Additionally, the company boards more than 13,000 orchids for local clients and maintains the orchid collection for the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond.

The United States Botanic Garden is one of the oldest botanic gardens in North America. It was formally founded in 1850 with a mission to emphasize the value of plants to humanity. The USBG is part of the legislative branch of government and Architect of the Capitol.

Approximately 1 million people visit the USBG each year. The U.S. Botanic Garden maintains about 12,000 accessions, comprising more than 60,000 plants for exhibition, study, conservation, and exchange with other institutions. Noteworthy collections include economic plants, medicinal plants, orchids, carnivorous plants, cacti and succulents, mid-Atlantic native plants, and ferns. Several specimens date from the original founding collection from the U.S. Exploring Expedition (1838-1842).