NEWSLETTER. The General Meeting April 27th, 7:30 p.m. Lakeside Park Garden Center 666 Bellevue Avenue, Oakland, CA

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1 NEWSLETTER Golden Gate Cymbidium Society April 2016 A branch of the Cymbidium Society of America, Inc. The General Meeting April 27th, 7:30 p.m. Lakeside Park Garden Center 666 Bellevue Avenue, Oakland, CA Meeting Topic: Cattleya as Cymbidium companions Growing hardy Cattleyas outdoors in the Bay Area Speaker: Sergio Garcia from Olompali Orchids Sergio Garcia owner Olompali Orchids, works closely in a partnership with Brazilian-based Wenzel Orchids in developing new and exciting Cattleyas along with more orchid species. When I was just a little boy, 7 or 8 years old, my father and I were suddenly hooked on orchids. At a home and garden show we saw a Catasetum pileatum and were shocked by its beauty. When we asked people where to buy that plant, we were pointed to the orchid booth of one of the most important and respected orchid growers in Brazil's orchid history - Mr. Heitor Gloeden. Soon after that initial contact, he took us under his wing and taught us about orchids. As a native of São Paulo, I quickly learned about many orchid species. Those that I was first in touch with are still my favorites - Cattleya, Laelia, Sophronitis, Oncidium, Paphiopedilum and Vanda. I love all orchids, but these are the ones that have continued to populate my daydreams, even when I was working on the options trading floor at the Pacific Stock Exchange! My father and I learned about orchids together, so orchid growing became a partnership with him. Today my dad is 85 years old, and we still spend hours discussing possible crosses, preferred cultivars and plants that we still "need" to add to our respective collections. Still

2 living in Brazil, he cultivates beautiful orchids there, while I pursue my hobby here in Northern California. I love it here. I immigrated in 1989 to Ohio. After college, my wife and I moved to California where we put down roots, made many friends, and I began cultivating orchids again. Herman Piggors, the founder of Oak Hill Gardens in Chicago, taught me how to reproduce orchids in vitro, in a laboratory. I went on to learn more not only in the lab, but also about planning hybrid crosses to produce amazing orchids that are improvements over their parents. Now at Olompali Orchids, my commercial operation, we dedicate ourselves to the improvement of species and the creation of special hybrids. We produce orchids with the objective of creating show type plants, with potential for becoming the next award winners. In parallel to our own production and breeding program, we partner with two multi-generational orchid businesses in Brazil. These relationships are focused on making amazing orchids available to the American orchid world. Olompali Orchids has its greenhouses in Sonoma County in the farming area adjacent to the City of Petaluma, California. Notes from the Board Meeting Please be aware that there will be more reworking of the streets around Bellevue and the Garden Center building. This construction is scheduled to continue until Plan Ahead and/or carpool? - Report from CSA (Cymbidium Society of America). The Journal will be mailed four times per year instead of the current six. Looking for ways to raise more revenue. - - Sadly, Tony Velardi passed away less than three weeks after the passing of his wife. Lengthy discussion about the Spring Show. It was determined that the Spring Show theme needs to be decided by October. Nancy shared a GGCS Show Organization Duties sheet as a future show reference. FYI Upcoming GGCS Programs Mark your calendar for these future speakers and topics: May TBD June Potluck, Auction, and Installation of officers July and August = No summer meetings; See you in September! President s Message Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. We had our show in March and congratulate all the winners. I noticed that the number of entries were down due to the many other events that were on the same weekend. I am also a member of the Sacramento Orchid Society. They had their show the first weekend in April. As of two days before the show they only had 50 Orchids entered, where in the past there were around 400 entries. My Cymbidiums are just now starting to bloom. The hot then cold rainy weather had played havoc with our Cymbidiums not knowing weather to bloom or not. Due to illness Sue and I were unable to attend last the meeting. Sue still does not feel good. I hope that everyone had a good time at the Ice Cream Social (I just love ice cream).

3 This month s speaker is Sergio Garcia, he will speak on orchids that can grow outdoors with our cymbidiums. I have seen Sergio speak at several other orchid society's and he has a lot of tips on adding color to our growing area when our cymbidiums are not in bloom. We need a couple of members to be on the Nominating Committee. They will need to contact members to see if they would like to serve as an officer or board member. At our May meeting we designate the nomination of candidates for officers and directors for next year. (Our service on the Board goes from July 1 to June 30 each year.) j Cheryl 50 Shades of Cymbidiums 2016 Spring Show and Sale Listed below are the following winners at our Spring Show for My apologies if I missed anyone on this list. Please let the editor know of corrections to the list. If anyone has photos of plant winners with trophies, send them to: nikkijustino@gmail.com AWARDS Best Standard Cymbidium - Spotted Leopard 'Royal Teardrops' - Rose Jaochico Best Novelty Cymbidium - Mini Sophiea 'Feathered' - Cheryl Phillipson Best in Show - Spotted Leopard 'Royale Teardrops' - Rose Jaochico Best Minature - Avant Gande 'Geyerland' - Ed Dunnagan Best White - Rosanna Pinkie x Dolly Featherhill - Sue Davis Best Cypridedium - Veunstum Alba - Cheryl Phillipson Best Pink - Rajhas Ruby 'Edelaine Jules' - Sue Davis Best Red- Clarisse Austin x Claude Pepper- Linsie Hu Best Yellow - Via Amberino 'Icho Tower' - Linsie Hu Best Green- Pearl Dawson 'Royale' - Rose Jaochico Best Commercial Display- Jim Donoso Calendar of Orchid Events If you have online access please see the event calendar on our website: May 7-8, 2016 Orchid Society of California Mother's Day Show and Sale Sat & Sun 10 AM - 5 PM, Lakeside Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Dr, Lake Merritt, Oakland. Free admission May 14, 2016 Casa de las Orquideas Annual Super Seedling Sale Saturday 9 AM to 4

4 PM. IN PERSON ONLY! 170 South Nardo Ave. Solana Beach, CA Over 50%OFF selected 3" and 4" plants. Parking is limited so please consider carpooling. Call Karl or Miki at (858) , Website at or May 21-22, 2016 D & D Spring Open House Saturday - Sunday 9am - 3pm st Avenue, Daly City, CA Dennis Olivas's D&D Flowers is not open to the public except during his spring and fall scheduled open houses. (See info below) FYI May 21st & 22nd, 2016, From 9:00 am to 3:00 pm D & D Flowers Spring Open- House At the new location on 169 1st Avenue, Daly City, CA (D&D Flowers is not open to the public except during the spring and fall scheduled open houses) Directions 280 South from San Francisco: Take the Eastmoore exit and veer to the right onto Sullivan Avenue. At the stop light, make a right onto Washington Street (service station on the right and Krispy Kream Donut at opposite corner). Go over the freeway, through Junipero Serra Blvd to San Pedro (Catholic Church at intersection). Make a left onto San Pedro and continue through Mission Street between Bank of America and Wendy s. At the stop sign, make a left onto 1st Avenue. Greenhouse is on the right hand side of the 3 rd house with the red garage and a sign reading Demattei Nursery. Enter the gate of the chain link fence with red lattice on the left hand side of the red garage. Directions 280 north of Hickey Blvd.: Take the Pacifica/Eastmoore Avenue exit and veer to the right to the Eastmoore Avenue exit. At the stop light, you would like to be on the 2nd lane to the left. Turn left onto Junipero Serra Blvd and at the stop light; make a right turn onto San Pedro Road. Then continue through Mission Street between Bank of America and Wendy s. At the stop sign, make a left onto 1st Avenue. Greenhouse is on the right hand side of the 3 rd house with the red garage and a sign reading Demattei Nursery. Enter the gate of the chain link fence with red lattice on the left hand side of the red garage. Please drive safely. Limited street parking so please car pool. Do not park within the chain link fence. Mahalo for your cooperation!!!!!! In Memorium Soul mates for life; soul mates for all eternity. Just a mere three weeks after losing his beloved wife Gina to her long fight with cancer, Tony Velardi, well known charismatic figure in the Cymbidium World for over 45 years, passed away quietly from a stroke on March 16 th at the age of 77. Tony and Gina would have celebrated their 53 rd wedding anniversary in August. Although Tony was the one most involved with the physical activity of growing and

5 hybridizing Cymbidiums, Gina was always in the background, serving as support and primary cheerleader for his many Orchid related responsibilities for the years they were involved in the hobby. As an accredited CSA judge, while he served as the Chairman of Judging, she was the Awards Treasurer for the Judging program. Later when he served as President of the CSA she became the Membership Chair. When he became the moving force behind the San Gabriel Valley CSA Branch, she was active for membership recruitment, not only for the Branch but also for the CSA as a whole. For many years, Tony served as the CSA Representative for both the New Zealand Branch and the San Gabriel Branch. Although Tony did not consider himself a hybridizer he made over 63 crosses, many using his favorite species Cym. devonianum. Twenty- six have been registered to date and some with multiple awards as Cym. Geno's Gem. The Cymbidium World has lost not one but two very special people, the likes of who may not be seen again. Gina made a comment in one of her San Gabriel Valley Branch Newsletter Orchid Widow columns which it would be good to take to heart: The Internet can t possibly fill all the needs of the orchid world so we will continue to come to our meetings and sit and talk and laugh with our friends. We should all remember these words next time we walk through the doors of our orchid meeting rooms and wish Tony and Gina were there once again to share the evening with us. Weegie Caughlan Golden Gate Cymbidium Society Patrick Ave., Hayward, CA Next Board Meeting April 27, 6:30 p.m. Lakeside Garden Center Oakland, CA Next General Meeting April 27, 7:30 p.m. Lakeside Garden Center Oakland, CA