Orchid Guild September Meeting

Please join us on Sunday, September 14th at the Albuquerque Garden Center 1:30PM when our special guest speaker will be Bridget Uzar from Carter and Holmes orchids in Newberry, SC.  Bridget will present

 Orchid Mythbusters- The Truth Behind the Tales via zoom. Please email orchidsinabq@gmail..com for the link.

 For as many years as hobbyists have been collecting orchids, there have been myths regarding them. We will explore many common (and uncommon) misconceptions about growing and propagating orchids.  In the digital age, we rely too much on simply what we read online which can lead to poor growing choices. 

My name is Bridget Uzar and I have been working for C&H since 2002.  I have been in charge of the breeding collection and other greenhouses for most of that time and it has also been my responsibility to handle the majority of the hybridizing since 2009.  You will find me on our social media, compiling our regular email offerings as well as giving talks during our open houses and to tour groups. I visit societies for talks both local and on the road plus travel to orchid shows/symposiums.

Petal Pushers Garden Club Meeting Minutes, July 22, 2025

Field trip:

We took a field trip to a local residential garden. The owner took us on a tour of her backyard and front yard gardens. She is an amazing gardener, as well as a master beekeeper, and she had planted lots of plants to feed those bees. She has beehives with European bees, and of course, native bees visit her native plants in the gardens. We made sure not to wear brightly colored clothing which attract bees - white was the color of the day! Her yard has been deemed an “ABQ Backyard Refuge”. That program aims to create wildlife habitats in urban areas of Albuquerque. She gave us a tour of all the plants, raised beds, and her cat’s “catio”. It was a wonderful way to spend a morning.

Business meeting:

We had an abbreviated business meeting so we could spend more time in the gardens. The Garden Council’s “Christmas in July” flower show was July 18-19 and Petal Pushers Garden Club AGAIN won first place in the club competition. We had a great team which made birdseed ornaments and “gifts” under the tree, dried orange slices, and other decorations for our Christmas tree. The tree was beautiful and there’s a photo of it in your 2025-26 Petal Pusher yearbook. The prize for our win was two gift certificates to the Garden Center gift shop.

Next meeting:

August 26, 2025, 9:30 at the Garden Center

Making car air fresheners craft

Orchid Guild August Meeting

Please join us on Sunday, August 10th at 1:30PM at the Albuquerque Garden Center when Peter Lin will present Wild, Weird and Wonderful Orchids:  A Portrait of Orchid Oddities! via Zoom. (email orchidsinabq@gmail.com for the link)

This fast paced presentation will take you on a journey of some of the world's most strange, bizarre, yet wonderful orchid species!  From Bulbophyllums to Zootrophion, there is much diversity in Orchid flowers.  We’ll take a look at Orchid flowers that have wild colors, have crazy lips, or are fringed, hairy, or just alien looking!

Peter started growing orchids over 40 years ago, but then stopped due to school and starting a career.  It wasn't until about 20 years ago that the orchid "bug" came back and he is now heavily involved once again!  He is an accredited judge with the American Orchid Society, and a hybridizer of mini-catts.  He enjoys meeting with other orchid enthusiasts, and can often be found at various orchid shows and societies around the country.

Due to limited growing space, Peter likes to specialize in miniature orchids, both species and hybrids, and has received numerous AOS awards.  His interests in orchids include Dendrobiums, Angraecoids, and Neofinetias.  He is also known as "Mr Sophronitis" as he has a passion for growing and collecting them.  He maintains a collection of a several thousand orchids at his home in Southern California in 3 small greenhouses, outdoors, as well as an offsite greenhouse.

Bring a friend. All are welcome