March 2021

March, 2021 WNCOS Monthly Newsletter

We hope this finds everyone doing well! Spring is nearing closer and we’re all busting at the seams to get out of the house. We hope you are staying on top of your orchid collections and enjoying those incredible spring flowers! Obviously, we are all sorry that we have had to skip out on two consecutive spring orchid festivals, but I can share with you that have penciled in some dates for 2022. That first weekend of April 2022 will serve as our hopeful dates for the next Asheville Orchid Festival. So, you have all been warned. Try to avoid the first week of April when planning your pent-up vacation plans in the spring of next year. 

Last month our ZOOM Meeting with Wenqing Perner was really enjoyable. Our group expressed a lot of interest in her program as well as buying a big variety of her orchids from China. Graham successfully placed the Society’s bulk order, $2850. We are expecting shipping to the USA later this month. 

This month’s guest speaker is no stranger to the WNCOS. Glen Decker has traveled to Asheville multiple times to share his vast knowledge of orchids with us. It is no exaggeration to say Glen is a world leader in the slipper orchid world. Let’s honor Glen with an impressive turnout on March 14th at 2:00 for what is sure to be a memorable program.

The lecture:

"My Life with Slippers" ... It's my journey to see slipper orchids around the world, including Peru, Ecuador, and through Europe, and the things that I have learned about growing them.  The lecture will include some history, travel, culture and stories about the people within our obsession. 

The Man:

Glen Decker, formerly the owner of Piping Rock Orchids, has been growing orchids for over 40 years, and holds the degree of Associate in Applied Science in Ornamental Horticulture. He was the previous chair of the American Orchid Society's Publications Committee and a past Director of the Orchid Digest Corporation.  Glen has won numerous AOS awards, including the Butterworth Prize, Nax Trophy, WW Wilson Award and the Carlyle A. Luer Award.  He has appeared in Martha Stewart's Better Living Magazine and on a PBS TV special "Orchid Delirium".  He rewrote the Slipper section of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's "The Best Orchids for Indoors" and was the technical editor for the "Orchids for Dummies" book.  He also has written many articles on Paphiopedilums and Phragmipedium, which have been published worldwide.

Like last month, our friends from Triangle Orchid Society will be joining us for this epic journey with Glen Decker. Come one, come all. See you there!

Axel Graumann is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: WNCOS Presents: Glenn Decker "My Life with Slippers"

Time: Mar 14, 2021 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87546374836?pwd=dWlnck9xb3Y1bWlMcTg3enB2Rml5dz09

Meeting ID: 875 4637 4836

Passcode: 566257

One tap mobile

+16465588656,,87546374836#,,,,*566257# US (New York)

+13017158592,,87546374836#,,,,*566257# US (Washington DC)

Dial by your location

        +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

        +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

Meeting ID: 875 4637 4836

Passcode: 566257

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/k7O8EEhsR

Thank you,

Mike Mims

President, WNCOS