Huell Howser's Road Show at the 65th Santa Barbara International Orchid Show

Can Your Believe It??

Famous TV Personality Huell Howser came to our gorgeous Orchid Show to film it for his Television Program, "Road Trip".  

His show will also feature several of our local growers of orchids.  Our semi-tropical climate can grow and sustain many varieties of orchids. I  can just hear Huell exclaim, "amazing...!  And so it was a truly amazing and magical show! 

This year's theme:  Nature in Harmony

Here are some of my photos of the fantasy land created by our local Orchid Society and Societies from neighboring communities; as well as local and visiting professional growers.

Awards were earned by amateurs and professionals

a riot of Phalaenopsis also called 'moth' orchids 

a fantastic display of white Phalaenospsis with the longest sprays of blooms I've ever seen!

gorgeous easy to grow Cymbidiums..

my garden is full of them as I adopt them from my clients who are moving.

amazing Australian Dendrobiums are stunning and give out a deliciously exotic scent!

I couldn't resist taking home a couple of small pink versions

The central display was a Tea House surrounded by a small running brook and a waterfall cascading over the roof into the babbling brook which was lined with a stunning array of orchids and ferns of ever color and sort

display around Tea House

this side of the Tea House shows the large Staghorn ferns hanging over and against the walls

I have adopted several of these lovely plants also

Not sure, but this stunning orchid may be a Laelia

a view of the brook and a showing of a periwinkel colored Vandas

The redish/brown (or yellow Oncidums), also called Dancing Dolls, have a slight chocolate scent 

Beautiful pink Cattleya Orchids

Thank you Santa Barbara for putting on an amazing show!

Next Show July 9-11, 2010

The 30th Annual Santa Barbara Orchid Fair

over 30 Orchid vendors from around the owrld

http://www.orchidfair.com/

Local growers

Cal-Orchid Inc

1251 Orchid Drive, Santa Barbara

winner of the Grand Champion and Best Orchid in Show 2009

http://www.calorchid.com/

Santa Barbara Orchid Estate

1250 Orchid Drive, Santa Barbara

1000 species and hybrids

http://www.sborchid.com/

Westerlay Orchids

3504 Via Real, Capinteria

http://www.westerlayorchids.com/

Gallup and Stribling Orchids, Inc.

3450 Via Real, Carpinteria

805 684-9842

Orchid Society of Santa Barbara

http://www.orchidsb.net/

These growers are open to the public

65th Santa Barbara International Orchid Show

March 12-14, 2010
9 am to 5 pm

Earl Warren Showground

hwy 101 and Las Positas Road,Santa Barbara

Adults $12, Seniors and Students $10

http://www.sborchidshow.com/

This is the 65th anniversary of the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show held annually in March.  The show started in 1945 by the Santa Barbara Horticultural Society at Montecito Grange Hall. The show has moved several times as it grew larger and drew more and more interest from collectors, spectators and hobbyists eventually to its current location at the Earl Warren Showgrounds. The display of thousands of orchids takes up the large exhibit hall; and the small building called Warren Hall houses the vendors.  Growers come from far and near to display their prized exotic plants.  Many are also offered for sale. At its peak in 1999, the orchid show drew 14,000 people.

Orchids are at their peak several weeks before Easter and that's when growers start harvesting their crops.

John Rowe, an active member of the Santa Barbara Orchid community for more than 40years, is a member of the board of directors of the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show.  Although retired as a commercial grower, Mr. Rowe keeps a "small hobby collection of orchids" on his property.

Santa Barbara's semi-tropical climate is almost perfect for growing cymbidiums and orchids. Several of my many Cymbidiums have already finished blooming and there are many more to go.  My garden and home are always filled with orchids. 

England is the pioneer in the orchid world, Mr. Rowe stated during his interview with the Santa Barbara Newspress.  Even today orchids have to be registered with the Royal Horticultural Society in London.  During the WWII English Horticulturalists were afraid that most of the orchids would be destroyed so many were sent to the United States for safekeeping.

The Santa Barbara Show, one of the oldest in the nation, is considered the premier orchid show in the country. The Showgrounds becomes a magical paradise of exotic flowers.  Commercial growers create their dsiplays around a theme.  This year's theme is Nature in Harmony.

The above information was extrapolated from an article in the SB Newspress, the Facebook Page of the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show,and the Santa Barbara Independent.

For the full story about the history of the show,  interviews and information go to:  http://www.newspress.com/, and http://www.independent.com/
photographs by Charles Rowden and Dick Clark  from the SBOrchidShow facebook page