Orchid Guild August Meeting

Please join us on Sunday, August 11th, 1:30PM at the Albuquerque Garden Center, 10120 Lomas Blvd NE for a Zoom presentation by Alan Koch of Gold Country Orchids.Alan’s topic will be “Growing in the Home”This will be a good program for novice and more experienced orchid growers.

Bring your blooming orchids for Show and Tell. All are welcome. Bring a friend!

Alan Koch owns and operates Gold Country Orchids where he specializes in miniature and compact Cattleya’s. Alan started growing orchids in 1969 with 3 Cymbidiums given to him by an aunt. While in college he became interested in other orchids and discovered many would grow outdoors in Southern California. He has moved five times as his orchid obsession has led to the need for more growing space. With the last move, he purchased 10 acres of land in Lincoln, California for his 250,000 orchids. He is recognized as an expert in the Brazilian Cattleya alliance and a trend setter in miniature compact and Cattleya breeding.

Alan has been published in the Orchid Digest, the American Orchid Society magazine, as well as many International Publications. He has also been published in several proceedings of the World Orchid Conference. He is an internationally known speaker. He is a past member of the AOS Judging Committee, and the Research Committee, as well as an Accredited Judge and is Training Coordinator for the California Sierra Nevada Judging Center. Alan also served two terms on the Orchid Digest Executive Committee and 3 terms on the Board of Directors, as well as two terms as a Trustee for the AOS.

Email orchidsinabq@gmail.com for the zoom link

In Memory of John Hickerson - are you smiling?

Born Nov. 16, 1920, died Dec. 3, 2015

John was one of the charter members of the New Mexico Dahlia Society (NMDS) and is fondly remembered as Albuquerque’s “Mr. Dahlia”. John grew dahlias throughout most of his life. During his prime, he exhibited dahlias in nearly all available shows. His results, winning most of the awards were a tribute to his expertise in growing and exhibiting his flowers. John mentored numerous dahlia growers including several current members of our chapter. He was a lifetime member of the American Dahlia Society and contributed to that organization supporting dahlia culture and the identification/control of dahlia viruses.

The Albuquerque Garden Center has a section of the gardens kept up by the NMDS with a bench and plaque dedicated by John’s family. If you go out the north door of the large meeting room you will see the dahlia beds and the bench. Look closely at the bench. You will see the plaque has etched into wood several dahlias. Thanks to the work of Jerry Wenk, volunteer and wood worker, it has been refinished and ready to be enjoyed. Thank him when you see him around.

Edith Iwan, President New Mexico Dahlia Society

72nd Annual Rose Show

The Albuquerque Rose Society held its 72nd annual Rose Show the weekend of May 18-19 at the Albuquerque Garden Center, with the most well-attended event in years.

Hundreds of rose varieties filled the room with color and scent, as steady streams of visitors admired the floral vases, arrangements, and artistic photographs in celebration of America’s national flower. The weather prior to the show was challenging for exhibitors, with hail and high winds wreaking havoc on local gardens, but entries were up, with, in addition, several novices joining in for the first time, rewarded for their efforts with blue ribbons and American Rose Society medal certificates by judges from Colorado and Arizona.

The rose raffle was a popular event, with five beautiful varieties awarded to lucky winners, along with Osuna Nursery gift certificates.

Passion for roses is clearly alive and well in Albuquerque, and society members thoroughly enjoyed this annual opportunity to interact with an enthusiastic public.