The 68th Philippine Orchid Society’s Garden & Pet Show
The rainy months of August and September are the blooming season of the world
famous ‘Waling- Waling or scientifically known as the Vanda sanderiana. And
because of this very special orchid, it has become the logo of one of the
oldest garden organization of the country, the Philippine Orchid Society. And for this season, the Philippine Orchid
Society, or commonly known as “POS” will again be gathering to showcase this
year’s Midyear Orchid and Garden show at the Quezon Memorial Circle (at the
Flower Garden area), in Diliman Quezon City.
Aside from plants, the society will also include a Pet Show to provide a
venue to animals lovers as well.
With the theme: “the Great Orchid and Pet Expo”,
the event intends to gather both plant and animal pet hobbyists and
enthusiasts, under one roof. It is an
orchid and pet exhibit, trade fair, and an educational venue with free lectures
rolled in one. The exhibit intends to
showcase the beautiful orchids that we have in the country, which were
meticulously cultured and flowered by our very own orchid connoisseurs. Blooming orchids will be displayed in
landscaped exhibits and also through flower arrangements. On the other hand, pets like small birds,
insects, and small mammals will also be on exhibit.
The Vanda sanderiana or Waling Waling
One may ask, why give so much importance to Vanda sanderiana or Waling Waling? This unique orchid has been popular worldwide
due to the fact that it has a unique genetic trait which provides the large
flowered and nearly flat and full rounded petal arrangement to most modern
vandaceous orchids. Because of this,
this Filipino orchid species was renowned worldwide as the ‘Queen of all
Orchids’ because it has greatly influenced the breeding of modern day orchids
that are very popular in the orchid cut-flower and potted orchid industry. And it is just proper for us Filipinos to
give value to this unique and beautiful orchid species, as it has now become
critically threatened as it has been heavily gathered from the wild. It is nowadays being mass produced in
laboratories to provide us with seedlings for future generations.
The typical Vanda sanderiana having the brown maroon petal, while the "alba" having the yellow green petal. (Photo by Ramon Calado.)
And in celebration of
its 68th Anniversary this coming August 29 to September 08, 2014, the POS will
be showing off the lovely blooms of the ‘Queen of all Orchids’ in this Mid-year
Orchid and Garden Show. The society is
still active in its orchid and plant conservation efforts and this can only be
done through promotion of gardening, propagation and the love for plants and nature study.
The show aims to promote the country’s
horticultural industry, hoping to make it sustainable and progressive. The garden show aims to encourage more people to go into orchid growing, either as a hobby or as a business. Furthermore, the POS is continuing its mandate of
promoting not just orchids, but also gardening as a whole and the appreciation
of nature. Year after year, it has facilitated the promotion and dissemination
of technical information for both orchids and other ornamental plants through
these events. This is due to the fact
that aside from providing aesthetic beauty, orchids are also efficient carbon
dioxide sinks (being a CAM plant) and is regarded as one of the gratifying and socially-fulfilling
hobbies of most housewives and plant enthusiasts due to the plant’s exotic and
diversified flower types.
Daily lectures on
orchid and plant culture will be held for free and a plant bazaar selling
orchids and ornamentals at farm gate prices will be on site.
Schedule
of free lectures are as follows:
August 29 (Friday) -- Container Gardening and Plant
Nutrition
by Allied Botanical Corporation;
30 (Saturday) -- Cattleya Orchid
Growing
by Atty. Hernando B. Perez;
31 (Sunday) -- The Ancient Art of Ikebana
by
Mr. Serapion Metilla;
September 01 -- (Monday) Basics in Growing Orchids
by Mr.
Jun Golamco;
02 (Tuesday) -- Tips in Protecting Your Orchids from Pests and Diseases
by Mr. Norberto Bautista;
03 (Wednesday) -- Common Mistakes in
Landscaping
by Mr. Jimmy Floro;
04 (Thursday) -- Ornamental Plant Variety
Registration with the National Seed Industry Council – BPI
by Dr. Vivencio R.
Mamaril & Dr. Herminigilda A. Gabertan;
05 (Friday) -- Wiring & Shaping
Tips of Bonsai plants by Mr. Jun Golamco;
06 (Saturday) -- Growing Grammatophyllum
by Ms. Vangie Go;
07 (Sunday)Culturing feeder insects as an alternative source
of income
by Ms. Tiffany Cham
Show
entrance is Php30.00 and Php20.00 for students & senior citizens. For more
information you may call the POS Secretariat at telephone numbers 929-4425 or
09178485468 or email at philorchidsociety@gmail.com. Orchids and animal pets are certainly colorful
and interesting. So, why not come and
visit and see for yourself? Come and bring along your family, and do not forget
your cameras.
