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Details will be provided here when finalised.
Results of the 2024 Show will be in the November-December 2024 edition of the Bulletin.
The Society's 2025 Annual Spring Orchid Show will be held in the
Fitzroy Pavilion
Exhibition Park In Canberra
Cnr Flemington Road & Northbourne Ave
MITCHELL ACT
on Saturday, 20 September, 10am - 4pm
and Sunday, 21 September, 10am - 3pm.
Orchid and other plant sales will be in the Fitzroy Pavilion.
NOTE: the Show is being held in conjunction with the Horticultural Society of Canberra Spring Show.
Our show is an opportunity to view many exotic and native orchids, mostly grown
by society members, in full bloom.
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Sponsors will be listed here
Back to top ⇑The show Schedule provides a list of all the entry classes and conditions of entry.
To print as a booklet in A5 size, open in Acrobat, select Paper size and handling, then Booklet.
The document Definitions provides information on what orchids are accepted in each class.
Back to top ⇑Novice growers can be entered in displays (Section A) or as individual plants (Section C). Section C is open only to financial members of the Orchid Society of Canberra, residing within 50 km of the ACT. In Section C, 'Novice' shall mean any exhibitor until they have won in an aggregate of first prizes in any 3 sub-sections at any Orchid Show or Shows, but they shall cease to be a novice in respect of each sub-section in which they win a first prize. The exhibitor shall remain a until the end of the calendar year in which they win their third first prize, but shall cease to be a novice in respect of a particular sub-section in which they have won their first prize.
Members check your novice/open status on the Member page.
Back to top ⇑If you have any questions about the registration procedures, contact Jane Wright (0406 379 054 or email: show@canberraorchids.org). For any questions on which class to enter a particular orchid contact Jane or Mark Fraser (0439 871 106 or triffids4us@ozemail.com.au).
To assist the registration process could you please let us know the orchids you expect to enter in before 10:00 pm Wednesday 18 September. Contact Jane Wright if you want to make entries later than this. Don't worry if any of the orchids are not ready for entry on the day - it is easier to delete an entry than to add one.
Please write the orchid names in full, e.g. Cattleya, not C.
Do not enter plants in the Best miniature ..., Best seedling ..., Best specimen ... classes as these will be determined by the judges.
Members will also receive the appropriate forms by email at least one week before the show.
Electronic registration is available through using either the following:Excel spreadsheet
(the preferred form), or
Download the file and save under a name which includes your surname; complete and then email to
(show@canberraorchids.org). Don't worry about Id numbers or Registration Code - these will be entered by the registrar and you will be given a final copy
at time of registration.
A sample of the form partly completed follows:
Alternatively, send an email to show@canberraorchids.org listing your entries one per line, providing the entry's class, fullname and identifying if the entry is a seedling,
each separated by a comma with no space as per the examples: The registrar will enter these into a form and have it available for you at
the show. Again, don't worry about Id numbers and Registration code. Non electronic registration: Complete the registration form enclosed with
the Bulletin then phone Jane Wright (0406 379 054) and give these details by
10:00pm Wednesday 18 September. You will be given a printed form with all necessary
codes etc on presentation at registration, but bring your form with you for checking. Details on registration procedures will also be provided in the September Bulletin. Setup of displays and benching will start from noon on Friday 20 September.
Entries may not be accepted after 4pm. Judging commences at 6pm. We understand that some people will not be able to personally deliver plants
between these times, so either:
arrange for someone else to bring your plants to the hall (preferred), or talk to the show convenor Jane Wright and we will try to make suitable arrangements.
At registration you will be given a printed label with all the appropriate
information and a pop stick to fix the label to and insert in the pot in a clearly visible position for each entry. The label will include a code for your name. For extra security, we suggest you put your name in a concealed position in or beneath the pot. On your registration form, strikeout any entries that you did not bring in and return the form and unused labels to the registrar. Information on procedures for plant sales will be here. Make sure that the plant is in a clean pot:
if the pot is dirty you may want to try cleaning it, or you may
find it easier to double pot the plant into a second container.
This can be quite decorative, and a number of our members use a
variety of decorative pots and containers. Next, please check your plants for all
manner of pests and diseases. Every year the Show Marshals have
the unhappy task of disqualifying the odd plant for suspected
disease or infestation. It is in everyone's best interests to
make sure that their plants are free of all insects and other
pests. An orchid show offers a rich opportunity for all manner of
nasty creatures to colonise new plants and display their
maleficent claw and mandible work. If the plant is normally hung or suspended
in your growing area it is your responsibility to ensure that the
plant is appropriately staged. Some members have created a
variety of stands for their plants: all you need is something
that will display the plant to its best advantage. This is
particularly important for plants with trailing or hanging
flowers. Staking is one of those tasks that should
commence (but rarely does) early in the development of the flower
spike. If staking is left too late the results can look rather
peculiar, as flowers can be twisted out of position. To a large
extent staking is now at the individual's discretion. The judges
have the right to remove the stake if they so wish. As a general
aesthetic comment, be sensible with your staking, and try to keep
the stake shorter than the raceme of flowers it supports: this
avoids the unsightly phenomenon of the 'tomato stake syndrome', a
rich and varied forest of stakes, with the occasional flower. By all means, use additional stakes and ties
to help support your flowers and racemes while you transport them
to the Show but remove the 'transport stakes' once you have the
plant safely benched. Water your plants well the day before you
bring them in because it will not be possible to thoroughly water
them for the duration of the Show. The display
categories allow people to express their creativity. For those that haven't tried a display before,
these notes may help you have a go. What makes a good display? There are 3 key
elements: quality flowers, a pleasing, balanced design, and
attention to the finishing detail. 1. Good quality, clean flowers on clean and
healthy plants are the starting point, as for all plants in a
show. Make sure they are staked properly so that they show to
their best advantage. 2. There are several things to consider with
design. a. Consider
incorporating a focal point — usually your best
flower(s). b. Try to achieve
balance in the display. This doesn't mean that it has to be
strictly symmetrical, but from a distance, the display should
appear stable, not top-heavy or strongly weighted to one side.
Sometimes the 'weightiness' is more about strength of colour than
size or quantity of flowers. c. Cohesion is
important — are all the elements of the display needed and
in harmony? d. Use of negative
space can be very effective. Displays can easily be packed with
too many things, and lose impact. e. Colour placement
can be used to develop either harmony or contrast. It is often
useful to group plants of a similar colour together and then
place those groups in relation to each other. f. Try to create a
display that has impact from a distance and close-up. 3. Finishing detail. This involves covering
up the pots and labeling the plants. The plant label should be
clear and readable by the public at some distance, but not
detract from the overall effect. For that reason, starkly white
tags can be a disaster. This is a pdf of a slide show presentation by Jane Wright. or try the video (this may be slow to load) Cymbidium - Standard Flowers, leaves and pot should be clean. If
the pot is old and in poor condition, place the old pot in a new
pot. Some plants do not naturally have all flowers facing the
same way on the raceme but this is taken into account as the
important feature is to have all flowers visible. Do not exhibit
a plant with dead or dying flowers. Leaves should not show signs of manipulation
in order to have all flowers visible. Any bad ends on the leaves
should be trimmed but this must be done as neatly as possible.
They should be trimmed at an angle similar to the natural leaf
shape. The plant should have a minimum of seven
flowers but if the plant had only five or six good flowers
(without any being removed) it can be exhibited. Beginners are
usually given some latitude but ensure you learn from this.
Flowers should be circular in outline and this is best explained
by stating “a circle can be drawn around any flower
regardless of shape but the flower segments should fill most of
that circle”. This means broad segments without them being
turned backwards or twisted. A flower is not a flower until it is
fully open and will be judged with this in mind. Some standards
are best exhibited in an upright fashion but others look best
either arching or pendulous. Look at your plant after it has been
staked and compare it with others on the bench and make the
decision as to how best your plant looks. All plants can be staked and tied with
minimum tying but ensure the stake is not protruding beyond the
tip of the raceme. Minimise as much as possible the diameter of
the stake (no telegraph poles please). Judges can untie any or
all ties to check if the raceme supports itself. If a flower has
been broken from a raceme during transport it can be placed on
top of the pot with a “Damaged in Transit” note. Do
not attempt to cover the broken section with a tie. This is
unacceptable conduct and will most likely be noticed. Intermediate - Miniature
Cymbidiums All of the above applies except the flower
count. These plants will naturally carry more flowers per raceme
than standards. This group is judged mainly as a pot plant and
the number of racemes in proportion to the size of the plant is a
feature. This means a plant in a 300 mm pot must carry more
racemes than a similar plant in a 175 mm pot. Flowers should be
clear of the leaves. Native Orchids Ensure plants and pots are clean. Racemes on
hybrids can be staked but racemes of species cannot be staked.
However, the pseudo bulb can be staked and tied to maintain
flower visibility. Beginners should be aware that the dockrillia
type of native/hybrid exhibits their flowers in an upside down
manner (resupinate). Flower numbers are important as some plants
do not carry large numbers of flowers per raceme, so it is
important to have open as many flowers as possible, commensurate
with the size of the plant. Flowers should be visible without the
need to lift the pot and tilt it backwards to see them
properly. Paphiopedilum - Complex and Novelty
Hybrids Most paphs in the winter show will carry a
single flower per stem. This should be staked in an upright
fashion as this genus does not have pendulous racemes. The tie
must be below the ovary. This is the bulky and sometimes hairy
section at the top of the stem, immediately below the flower. Do
not attempt to have the stem looking like an “S”
bend. If this occurs the judge will know you have neglected to
stake at the correct time. A good stem is approximately 200 mm
but the important feature is to have the flower clear of the
leaves. Remember, some species and hybrids have very short stems.
Ensure the plant looks slightly concave in profile with the
ventral sepal overlapping the dorsal sepal. Petals should ideally
be wide with rounded ends. This is a feature of good
paphiopedilums. Irrespective of whether the plant is a complex
hybrid or novelty type the same staking standards apply. Novelty
paph flower shape is different and is judged accordingly. Laeliinae Alliance Exhibition cattleyas will be judged similar
to standard cymbidiums. Full-shaped circular flowers are
expected. Petals should not fall forward or be bent back
(reflexed). A circular labellum is a feature on all good
cattleyas. Flowers should not overlap each other. The plant
should be slightly concave in profile. The smaller flowers in
this group should be smaller versions of the exhibition type.
Cluster cattleyas which carry many flowers will not usually
achieve this shape and are judged with this in mind. Try to tie
the main stem on each raceme and not each individual flower. This
generally applies to exhibition cattleyas with more than one
flower. Oncidiinae Alliance This is the group which frequently has
branched racemes. These are either staked in an upright or arched
style. All flowers must be visible and with oncidium and
odontoglossum types the flowers should be flat in profile. Ensure
the odontoglossum type has approximately seven flowers but
oncidiums (varicosum type) will normally require 12 flowers.
Other types will be judged according to their parentage. The prime aspect of flower assessment is
shape, followed by colour, flower size, substance and texture and
floriferousness. Substance is the actual strength of the
flower segments. Texture is the quality of the surface of the
flower which makes it attractive. Floriferousness is the total number of
flowers on a raceme or plant. Vertical and or horizontal symmetry is
important in judging, depending on the genus being judged.
19a,Cymbidium suave 'Dorrigo',N
5,Thelychiton kingianus,Y
Plant Delivery
Labelling Your Plants
Plant Sales
Preparing your orchids for the Show
TIPS ON PREPARING PLANTS
First, make sure that the plant is clean,
and that you have removed unsightly dead leaves and bracts. This
first step makes a big difference to the way a plant appears. If
the plant has dusty or dirty leaves you may want to wash them.
Hold the leaf firmly by the base with one hand to make sure you
don't pull it off altogether, and gently wash the leaf using a
soft cloth. Popular techniques include using a mixture of water
and milk or just plain water. NOTE. This technique should not be
used on species that have a natural waxy bloom on leaves such as
many brassavolas, Kolopternix (Epidendrum) sophronitis, or
Encyclia citrina.
ORCHID DISPLAYS - A PRIMER
Judging orchids Slide Show
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What Judges look for on a Show Bench
Alan W Stephenson
Alan is a qualified judge
and
a member of the Shoalhaven Orchid Society
The following notes are written mainly for
novices and beginners who might be entering plants in a show for
the first time.