Chicagoland Orchid Fest

[jblanford]

Here's the information on one of the best orchid events in the country it's great hope some of you can make it.
www.chicagolandorchidfestival.com

 

[Chris]

What to expect

How late does it run on Friday and Saturday? Have any social events been planned during the evening hours on those days?

I didn't see any speakers listed for Sunday. Are people packed up by that point, or is there still a lot of plants and show remaining?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Leo Schordje]

THere are no planned social events other than the plans people make themselves. SlipperTalk members - pick a place and a gathering time.

 

[SlipperFan]

Chris, although I'm not going this year, I have been there in the past. There will be plenty of plants to purchase on Sunday.

And welcome to Slippertalk. Are you from the Chicago area?

 

[goldenrose]

Chris - last year I made the rounds on Sunday. I headed to the furthest south - Natt's & made my way north/northwest. If I remember I was at Windsong by 2-2:30, the guest vendors were packing up. I made it to Oak Hill about an hour later, Orchids Limited pulled out before noon I was told. It could be hit or miss depending on what your looking for. The host greenhouses will have plenty of plants, the guest vendors may not.

 

[Chris]

Hello and thanks for the welcome.

I live in the South Suburbs and have grown a few plants, all paphs, since last winter. I recently finished reading Koopowitz's Tropical Slipper Orchids and want to learn more about the plants. I have visited Hauserman and Tom Kalina at Fox Valley, but I have never been to an orchid show.

Since work precludes my attendance on Friday and Saturday unless show hours extend beyond 5pm (can we confirm this?) I will look forward to visiting bright and early on Sunday.

-Chris

 

[Ross]

I will be attending with two bus loads of "crazies" from the Orchid Society of Minnesota. Our schedule is Friday afternoon at Windsong, Sat. morning at Natt's, Sat. afternoon at Oak Hill, and Sunday morning at Hauserman's.

 

[Leo Schordje]

I'll be meeting Ross (paphreek) at Oak Hill Sat afternoon. I'll try to wear a name tag, or ask any of the Chicago area regulars, including Greg & Lisa of Oak Hill. They can point me out.

Leo

 

[NYEric]

Secret Slippertalk gang hand signs!? oke:

 

[goldenrose]

I went down to Oak Hill Gardens Fri. morning, now I'm in love & broke!
One of these were in the first display I saw, too bad I don't have Todd or Dot's skills to do it justice!

This is Matienzo's Condor (Mount Toro x kolopakingii). The originator/registrant was Klehm 11/2004. Beautiful cross! There were 4-5 plants & all exhibited this on the first 1-2 flowers to open.

I'm guessing the humidity/watering was not quite right & the petal stuck. The plant I picked has 6 flowers, 1 to open yet, the petals are 7"long.
Oak Hill had a lot of $2 plants, so I got a mini catt & Ren.matutina, Vanda tricolor was a freebie.
There were 6 guest vendors. OL had a GORGEOUS Phrag. Icho Tower flavum & of course the neat variegated plants that don't bloom for me! Parkside had some nice paph X's. Beautiful weather, nice atmosphere/company - you couldn't ask for more! OOps - not quite, one thing - MORE MONEY!

 

[Heather]

Welcome Chris!!!
Hope you make it and meet some folks on Sunday...

Darn, did anyone have cards for this event?
Let me know...I suppose next year's always an option! oke:

 

[goldenrose]

Did Leo? I was up in the air about going until my husband came home from work thurs & handed me $200 from a side job!

 

[biothanasis]

Welcome Chris!!! Please post some pictures if you manage to go...! Thanks!

 

[Chris]

Sunday Fest Report

I visited Windsong Orchids first since they were open earliest. Lots of neat old country roads and houses leading to the secluded property. It would be very easy to get lost at night. The men of Windsong were friendly, and guest growers were also super nice. I enjoyed talking to everyone, but I did not buy anything.

Not far away, Oak Hill was the highlight of my trip. You could spend the whole day wandering around their property which was filled with many beautiful orchids. They had an entire section of Paphs that I had almost exclusively to myself; I don't think I saw but 3 or 4 other people wandering around in there.

At any rate, I was very excited to find a big seedling of In-Charm Handel (delenatii x hangianum) labeled "white w/pink and green blush" for $28.

Among the guest growers, Cal-Orchid was awesome. The woman, whose name escapes me, spent tons of time talking about orchids. Very knowledgeable. I purchased delenatii 'Hien' x 'Tiffany' which was named after her Vietnamese friend (source of the plant), and his daughter. I also bought a maudiae-type hybrid, Cocoa Cherry 'Vini Cocoa' x fairieanum 'Better than Fair'. These were once again large seedlings (for $15) and she sold them both for $20 on account of it being later in the final day of the sale. She said next up was Denver.

Being the last day of the orchid fest helped me at the Cal-Orchid booth, but I was disappointed to miss out of some really amazing plants that Parkside Orchids sold out. Whoever was lucky enough to buy the Hsinying Switch (Hsinying Sceptre x wenshanense), my hats are off to you. Same with the Paph. (charlesworthii x Hsinying Velvet). These should be amazing plants.

I will try to post pictures if I can figure out how to downsize the MBs of my images.

-Chris

 

[goldenrose]

Sounds like you enjoyed yourself Chris! Did you go to Hausermann's or Natt's?
Last year I did the whole circuit on Sunday & didn't really enjoy it, the pace was too hectic. This year I had to work on Sat. so Friday I went to Oak Hill & thoroughly enjoyed myself, could take my time & spent more money than I planned! Parkside had some nice complexes but I passed there.
Sunday morning I was off to Hausermann's & Fox Valley.The bus with the group from Minnesota pulled in behind me. They had name tags on so it wasn't long before I met up with Ross at the paph benches! There were many temptations - one was quite the steal, well ..... maybe - Geoffrey Hands (roth x tigrinum). Ross remembered seeing a really nice multi growth plant at the end of a bench not with the others. We back tracked & sure enough there it was, better than the others, it had a rather faded price tag of $40. I picked out a couple of maudiae X seedlings that weren't priced. I snagged a Hausermann's personnel to get pricing & pointed out the faded tag being hard to read, removed it, could he price that as well. Here's what I got:
Geoffrey Hands $25 - Ross it's yours if I can't bloom it!
Dellense (mastersianum x roth) - 2 mat.gr. $20
(Black Stallion x Joanne's Wine) x Wizard of Oz $5
(Clarissa x Mod Maude) x Wizard of Oz $5
Cyc. Wine's Delight -3 chunky canes, not in bloom $12.50.
I then went back to Tom's (Fox Valley), as it turns out he had a multi special for ST & SOF members. There were 4 different ones regularly priced $60-75, blooming size/close to it, $40 each!
I took Kemp Tower & Addicted Phillip (which could be in low bud). I passed on a MK X and it was really hard to leave a 3/4 sand cross behind!
Now for some fundraising to pay for this weekend!

 

[NYEric]

Sounds like some good stuff. Was the fest later in the year than usual?

 

[goldenrose]

I don't think so.

 

[NYEric]

I always seem to remember being at Bolingbrook Park a few weeks before the fest; and that event is in July.

 

[goldenrose]

Although I've only been to it a few times, I can never remember it ever being in Aug.

 

[NYEric]

I probably am just having a brain-fart!