The Puyallup Herald
January 30, 2003
Pages B1-B2
Story by Shawn Skager
Photos by Steve Heeb
David Morris and Robert Hull were among the judges at the Orchid show Jan. 18-19 at Windmill Gardens in Sumner. |
When I decided to take on the assignment of covering the Windmill Gardens Orchid Show, on Feb. 18 and 19, I wasn't sure what to expect.
I'm a sports and city reporter. I'm usually at my best when writing about the drama of sporting events, or local politics and government.
Drama, I figure would be in short supply at the flower show.
I didn't find a lot of drama at the Orchid show, but I did find out a lot about orchids. More importantly, however, I found out a lot about friendliness, passion and patience displayed by the people who grow these beautiful and demanding flowers.
The nearly microscopic red blooms on Barbara Inman's Lepanthes Calodictyon orchid were dwarfed by their comparitively giant leaves, which themselves were no bigger than a quarter. |
When Steve Heeb, The Puyallup Herald's, staff photographer, and I first arrived at Windmill Gardens on the morning of Feb, 19, we found a breathtaking array of beautiful orchids on display.
Unfortunately, there were not a lot of people initially, and the story possibilities seemed sparse.
While Steve set about capturing some images of the flowers and of the handful of people e on hand at the show, I tagged along, dutifully recording names for the photographs. I allowed my usually active reporter radar shut down, as I pondered other things, such as lunch.
As I compared the merits of the 99 cents menus at Burger King and McDonalds, however, one of the spectators at the show, James Tole of Kent, motioned for me to come look at something.
He pointed out a small plant, without any visible flowers awash in a display of large, fragrant orchids.
"You see that pinpoint of color," he said. "That's an orchid."
I looked closer, and sure enough there was a handful of tiny blossoms, smaller than an eighth of an inch plant.
Barbara Inman, Show Committee President of the Tacoma Orchid Society and proprietor of Valley Orchid Supply in Puyallup explained that the flower was a micro-orchid named Lepanthes Calodictyon.
 
Orchid growers Barbara Inman and Bob Worley helped represent the Tacoma Orchid Society with a bountiful floral display during the two-day run of the show. Karen Tole, Quang Minh and Anh An watch James Butler of the Tacoma Orchid Society explain the intricacies of potting orchids. |
Almost all orchids start out life in a beaker and spend about four years in sterile laboratory conditions. Many varieties take an average of 3-5 years to get a first bloom. |
According to Bob Worley, President of the Tacoma Orchid Society and proprietor of Mostly Orchids in Lacey, Wash., the mico-miniature species of the orchid, is currently one of the most popular of the hundreds of thousands of varieties of orchids.
"I'm quite fond of the micro-miniatures," Worley said. "Some of them are so small, you need a magnifying glass to see them." Worley, who has been gardening for most of his life, and growing orchids for the last three years, explained why he is attracted to tropical flowers.
"They're eye candy and brain food," he said, as he showed Steve and I around the show, pointing out various flowers. "They're pretty to look at and fascinating to study. And if I'm going to be studying, it might as well be something pretty to look at."
Worley took time out from tending the flowers he had on display and for sale, and showed us around the show, filling us in on some of the intricacies of the orchid world.
A fine example of the Phalaenopsis variety. | 
Fragrant blooms and giant colorful petals make the 'Big Cat' varieties real crowd pleasers. |
"The big Cats are always big crowd pleasers," Worley said, referring to the display of Brassa Cattleyas. "They're real popular with big flowers, big plants and lots of fragrance."
Worley also told us a little about the history of the orchid and the wide variety available.
"Breeding began in the early 1800's," Worley said. They've been registering since the mid-1800's. There are 32,000 species and hundreds and thousands of hybrids out there."
Some of the hundreds of Orchid varieties on display at Windmill Gardens included: Vanda, Lady Slippers and Lycaste. |
For some growers, Worley explained, the appeal is creating new hybrids. Growers combine elements of plants that are appealing, in order to create a new variety, which can then be registered and named by the breeder.
"It's a little like breeding cats and dogs," Worley said.
After our tour of the show by Worley, Robert Hull from Portland and an American Orchid Society accredited judge took over our orchid education.
Hull explained the process of growing an orchid from seed, and the patience involved.
"It takes about two months incubating as a seed pod," he explained. "Then two years in a flask, representing an sterile environment. Then two years in a community pot, before repotted as a single plant."
"It can take anywhere from three to five years on average from seed to flower," David Morris, also an accredited judge, from Canby, Ore., told us.
Morris and Hull then explained the complicated process of judging the flowers.
For sanctioned American Orchid Society events, judging is strictly regimented.
"A team of at least three judges - they prefere five- judge the plants based on form, color and other caracteristics," Hull said. "Points are awarded by the judges with the different prizes awarded according to the amount of points." Morris pulled out a thick booklet, explaining that previously judged species and hybrids are listed, giving judges some guidelines with which compare flowers.
"A score of 75-80 points are awarded a Highly Commended Certificate," Hull continued. "80-90 points are Award of Merit, which we all want."
"A score of 90-100 points is a First Class Award, which is a once in a lifetime thing we all dream of," Hull added.
"It's awesome, it's setting the standard for the rest of the country," Morris said. "There [are] only 10-12 awarded per year."
And as I looked around, our tour with Morris and Hull winding down, I noticed the crowd has swollen in size, with the greenhouse becoming quite crowded.
And as I looked at the crowd, and the flowers, my head brimming with information and story angles, I realized something that I had forgotten before the show - one of the first rules of journalism:
A good story is not about things, such as shows or flowers. Thay are about people, and their passions, the things they love.
Although the flowers at the shpw were astoundingly beautiful, I found they paled in comparsion to the dedication and passion shown by the people who grow them.