Annual NH Orchid Society show to be held Feb. 9-11 in Nashua

NASHUA — The New Hampshire Orchid Society will host its annual show Friday-Saturday, Feb. 9-11, at the Courtyard by Marriott, 220 Southwood Drive in Nashua. This year's show is titled “A Flurry of Orchids.”

Hundreds of orchids will be displayed in a museum-like setting featuring exhibits from eight New England orchid societies, including those from across New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, and Vermont. Other participating entries from florists and private growers will provide additional opportunities to see and/or purchase unique cultivars from as far away as Ecuador and Taiwan.

Experienced Society members and growers will also conduct tours and educational programs. There will also be an expanded retail area with plants, plant materials, and all things orchid including artwork and home accessories.

“We spend all year working on this event to make it a resounding success and gladly so,” said “A Flurry of Orchids” chair and long-time New Hampshire Orchid Society member, Brenda Campbell. “What started as a small but bright idea 27 years ago for area residents to enjoy during the winter doldrums has grown into one of the largest orchid shows in New England, if not beyond.”

Campbell said that while the show continues to fulfill its original mission of providing a spring-like respite from February’s snow and cold, the orchids are the main attraction that keep people coming back year after year. “We’re delighted to share our passion and knowledge of orchids with those who appreciate their beauty,” said Campbell. “Whether seasoned gardener or curious onlooker, both leave the show truly uplifted and inspired by the experience.”

Dr. Charles Wingate of Nashua Eye Associates was first smitten by the orchidaceae family in 1989 while attending the New England Flower Show. He was particularly captivated by an orchid display. Soon after, he purchased his first orchid, a Candy Stripe Phalaenopsis, from Mahoney’s Garden Center. “Interestingly enough,” recalled Wingate, “I saw an announcement in the paper a week later for the New Hampshire Orchid Society’s monthly meeting. I’ve been involved ever since.” Today his greenhouse collection has grown to 1,000 varieties from around the world. His prize possession is a solenangis aphylla, a rare, leafless species from Africa with scores of tiny but well-defined white flowerheads each adorned with ruby red edging on the sepals.

Some 25 years since his obsession began, Wingate has mastered the often complex and tedious art of orchid gardening with the same scholarly expertise that describes his ophthalmology career at Nashua Eye Associates which he co-founded in 1979. Despite a daunting daily schedule, he can be found at every New Hampshire Orchid Society monthly meeting overseeing the show table and judging teams. “Orchids bloom when they want,” said Wingate, “so we devote a significant part of each meeting to featuring and judging those orchids in bloom that members bring. We have all levels of growers and it’s a very encouraging environment. Wingate likens the February show to a monthly meeting on steroids. “What with so many societies involved and everyone wishing to show their very best to each other and the public, there’s really nothing like it. It’s just visually and horticulturally exquisite.”

“A Flurry of Orchids,” the 27th Annual Orchid Show presented by the New Hampshire Orchid Society, will be held Friday, Feb. 9 from 1-7 p.m, Saturday, Feb. 10 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 11 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Courtyard by Marriott, 220 Southwood Dr. in Nashua. Tickets are available at the door or online at www.nhorchids.org.

Hundreds of orchids will be displayed in a museum-like setting the 27th Annual Orchid Show in Nashua Feb. 9-11. The show will feature tours, educational programs, and an expanded retail area. (Courtesy photo)