Spring Show 2019

14 December 2019

Bega Civic Centre"s Gulaga foyer was packed with spectacular orchids for this year"s Spring Show. Cymbidiums made a strong showing as did the Australian native orchids which filled the room with a heady scent and bright colour however the novice growers made the biggest impact taking both Grand Champion and Reserve Champion of the show.
Novice members Bob and Cheryle Watters from Wallagoot presented a stunning Paphiopedilum boxallii sporting 18 beautifully arranged flowers to be rewarded with Grand Champion, Champion Specimen and Champion Species.
Not to be out done Bega novice Myrle Danvers" Dendrobium Essie Banks was awarded Champion Australian Native, Champion Novice and Reserve Champion of the Show. The strong yellow flowers edged with dark red made it a standout on the bench.
Champion Cymbidium 90 mm + was won by up and coming Cymbidium grower Jeff Knox from Merimbula with Cymbidium Lunakirra "Gleam" a large yellow flower with attractive red lip. Jeff also presented the Champion Cymbidium Seedling winning the Phil Grech Medal for the second time. His plant a cross between Cym Green Grass "Kimberley" and Kimberley Meadows "Green Beret" earned him the Phil Grech Medal for Champion Cymbidium Seedling.
Bob and Muriel Bell from Eden are no strangers to the Champions bench, and they presented Champion Cymbidium 60 mm to 90 mm, Golden Ransom "Golden Princess", a stunning plant with pure yellow flowers on four upright racemes. The Bells also benched the Champion Any Other Genera, Masdevallia King of Kings "Dane Hill" a large 118 mm deep orange flower with red overlay and Champion Laelliniae, Cookara Tropical Snowflake "The Bells", sporting five inflorescences of delicate white flowers with pink overtones.
Les Humphries returned to the Champions bench with the Cymbidium under 60 mm, Cym Devonianum "Flinders" x Canaliculatum "Chianti" with two long racemes of small dark maroon flowers edged with yellow.
Champion Vandaceous went to Ulli Cliff with her Sartylis which had a 36 cm inflorescence of dainty white with mauve spotted flowers. Champion Any Other Seedling was won by a Dendrobium Nanny Joy "My Love" x Auscobber "Dark Cherry". It"s pale green petals and purple lip took the judges eye and was placed on the bench by Graham Gray of Eden. Champion Paphiopedilum was awarded to Novice grower Allan Boon for his large pale green Paph. Barbara Francis x Beryl"s Choice.
The Champion Floral display went to Helen Fraser for her very imaginative arrangement featuring large Pink Splashed Cymbidium flowers displayed on a dark moon shaped vase.
The Maurine Cochrane Trophy for the highest overall point score for the show went to Bob and Muriel Bell.
Congratulations to all winners and exhibitors and thank you to all who made this show the success that it was.
Sapphire Coast orchid Club would also like to thank our Sponsors Bendigo Bank Bega branch and Robert Smith Furnishers for their generous support without which we would struggle to mount such a successful show.

© 2019 Graham Gray