Gotta run, more later.

Jim

You picked up a Blue Ribbon!!! Great! Which one took the award?

I'm just back from the end of season choir party.

I want you to guess which one was picked as best of show. I took four orchids in to be judged and you have seen them all here. First the Miltassia Aztec 'Toni', second the Rhyncholaelia digbyana, third the Grammatophyllum scriptum and finally the Lc George Baldwin X C Trithena which opened up three new blooms today. Here is a look:



I want to know how good you guys are as judges. Come on, give it your best guess.

Jim

I would guess it was the digbyana?

I think there all great and worthy of awards. I guessed Rhyncholaelia digbyana but the more i look at them i think others won it.

Same here, Bree!

My choice would be the Digbyana, but I'm guessing the Lc George Baldwin X got it.

I guess no one else wants to guess so I'll tell you all that the big winner was the Grammatophylum scriptum. They went on and on about how big and well grown it was. I guess size does matter after all.

Jim

OK, back to normal. Ursula, I really like Anguloa Dubia mainly because it is so different. Could I grow it down here or am I too warm?

It's always nice to have stinky slippers around. Congrats on your frostii.

So far I am loving the Aluminet. It is much cooler out there.

Jim

Ursula: Love, Love, Love that Anguloa Dubia Orchid, the bloom sure does look like a tulip bloom!

Jim: I'm a little late to the guessing party but I think I would have chosen your Rhyncholaelia digbyana too ... Gorgeous!! And, I really love that last one, Lc George Baldwin x C. trithena ... beautiful color!!

Re Anguloa Dubia - thanks and
Jim, the night temperatures were at minimum 60 degr during the Winter months. Are you warmer than that?

Big congrats on your Grammatophyllum scriptum!

Wow! Congrats Jim! I guessed Rhyncholaelia digbyana but then had doubts that it was Lc. George Baldwin.
Guess I shouldn't give up my day job to become an orchid judge!

I wish I knew what goes through a judges head but I think rare and huge are a couple of factors that count. All of my orchids were large and very clean. The digbyana was a few days past her prime and I had to cut two blooms off just before the judging. The Lc George Baldwin cross didn't have the pedigree of the others. In other words, just another Catt. hybrid. in their eyes. The fact that it just put out another blooming spike and is full of buds endears it to me but not the judges. They liked the Miltassia better and made lots of nice comments about it but with over 40 orchids to choose from it just didn't cut it. They loved the digbyana and set it aside. I thought it was going to win but then they saw that mammoth Grammatophylum with new spotless growth and a three foot spike with 50 or so flowers and it was over. Two years ago it put out 6 spikes like that but there is no way I could have gotten it in my truck. Anyway it was fun and it was the first orchid ribbon for me so I was thrilled. Last month my Dendrobium spectabile had been set aside and looked like a sure winned when two guys came in pulling a dolly with the biggest Dancing Lady Oncidium anyone had ever seen aboard. There must have been a thousand blooms on that thing. Once again, size counts.

Jim

hey ive always thought that Jim. shold have guessed the bigger the better Congratulations Jim!!!

Your Grammatophyllum lived up to its potential, you grew it very well!
Surely if the digbyana would have still had all its blooms, it might have given it a run for its money.
In any case - Jim, well done!! I would be very proud.

I'll put the blue ribbon beside the certificate I got from Kathy.

Jim

Ursula, slow day on the phones so I went back a bit to review this thread. The Cattleya Janice Evans 'Sweet Sixteen' is really growing on me. Very nice form and color.

Jim

I see I haven't posted anything this month, so here is what's blooming here

Euchili citrina is just about done. Dendrobium superbum 'little sweet scent' with Brassanthe 'Bill Worsley' in the background



Encyclia lancefolia. Epi, Pacific Sunset 'strawberry cheesecake' x Sun Valley 'pink pettycoats'




an out of focus pic of Phal corner

Carol, Lots going on there. I think my pick of the litter is Euchili citrina but all are nice.

Ursula, my coldest temp in the OC last winter was 54.5 degrees so the Anguloa Dubia may work for me.

Jim