Taranaki Orchid Society

09/10/2026

Well done, Eric and team

Eric Lander's eye for on-trend colours has helped him turn a struggling Taranaki sheep farm into a large orchid nursery which sends off exotic blooms to top florists in New York and around the world.

02/10/2026

Courtesy of Brevard County Orchid Society, Melbourne- Florida.

A Visual complementing our September topic of labelling orchids:

27/09/2026

Congratulations to all our members who took home a trophy or an Award.

27/09/2026

Whanganui Orchid Show & Bason Gardens Day Trip

Date: Saturday, October 3 | Depart: 7:15 AM from Merrilands Domain (New Plymouth, Mangorei Road)

Cost: $35 per person (Only 7 spots available!)

What's Planned:
Morning at the Whanganui Orchid Show until ~12:30 PM (featuring plant vendors Eves Orchids, Nebula Orchids, and Chris Whitby)

Group lunch stop

Afternoon visit to the Bason Botanic Gardens and their orchid house (weather permitting)
Return to New Plymouth ~ 5pm (or earlier if we don’t go to Bason Botanic Gardens)

Non- members are very welcome to join us for the day.

First in, first served.

Contact me on 021 0350 435 via text message by Wednesday, September 30, please.

23/09/2026

Ready to fall back in love with your orchids? 🌱✨

We’ve all been there: you bought a gorgeous plant, enjoyed the blooms, and fast-forward a couple of months—the flowers are gone, the leaves are slightly floppy, and some weird white fluff or mystery critters are taking over. Practically dead, right? Lost your mojo? Totally understandable!

Come down to the Taranaki Orchid Show! Bring your questions or a photo of your tragic green buddy, and have a yarn with our local growers to figure out what those pesky critters are and how sort them out.

Here is what's waiting for you:
~ No-Jargon Rescue Tips: Learn how to beat pests and perk up floppy leaves.
~ Plant Eye Candy: See what happy, thriving orchids actually look like.
~ Plants & Bark: Grab a gorgeous flowering-size plant from Nebula (be quick, they're very limited!) plus Taranaki orchid bark in large and small quantities to start fresh.
~ Find Your Crew: Discover how joining the orchid society helps you learn more about caring for your orchid and makes growing way more fun.

Whether you're trying to salvage your orchid, want to add another one to your growing collection or you’re just keen for an awesome day out, we'd love to see you there!

Let’s talk favorites before the big weekend: what’s your dream orchid you really wish you had in your possession and trying to hunt down? Comment below…

29/07/2026

Yes, it is true - don’t mow your lawns.

Hundreds of wild orchids unexpectedly bloomed among the historic ruins of Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire after changes were made to the site's mowing regime in 2024 to accommodate the filming of Danny Boyle’s film 28 Years Later.
National Trust archaeologists note that the phenomenon—dubbed "zombie orchids"—likely occurred because seeds brought in via historical topsoil movements in the mid-19th century lay dormant underground for more than 170 years before altering mowing routines allowed them to finally germinate and emerge.

15/05/2026

Last Sunday’s meeting was a wonderful success, with an awesome turnout enjoying our brand-new venue and a truly spectacular display of blooms.

Alongside some cultural notes, we held a fantastic group discussion offering advice and rescue strategies for plants needing a bit of extra help.

A massive thank you to Judy for her brilliant talk on shade house construction—her tips gave us all plenty of food for thought! We are looking forward to visit and have a look at yours.

Congratulations to our Popular Vote Winners:
• 1st Place: Murray Fawcett
• 2nd Place: Joy Hopson (winning the runner-up spot twice!)

Thank you to everyone who brought along their plants and some treats to make Mother’s Day a little extra special. See you all next month again!

16/04/2026

One day left to post your plants on Facebook. Just created a new post to post all your pictures at once. Members of the group will get notified about new posts.

15/04/2026

In case someone needs a holiday…

Our Orchids of Rhodes tours have concluded for this year, and were a resounding success, with almost 60 species recorded, and a kaleidoscope of hybrids and colour forms.

Nobody knows the island's orchids as well as us, and it's no wonder our Orchids of Rhodes tours for 2027 and 2028 are both fully booked. We've laid on a second Orchids of Rhodes tour for 2028, dates 24-31 March - and it's already a guaranteed departure.

As with ALL of our orchid tours, and ever since our very first orchid tour, this generates a donation to support the great conservation work of Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland.

https://www.mariposanature.com/tours/botanical/orchids-of-rhodes-25

13/04/2026

The Hawke's Bay Orchid Society warmly invites all Taranaki Society Members to this Premier National Event June 12–14, 2026 in Napier.

This is a rare opportunity to get an "insider’s view of the judging process " with the experts but also meet and connect with orchid enthusiasts from all over the country.

Event Highlights
Inside the Judging Room: Featuring guest speakers John Mort and Jason Strong.

50th Anniversary Celebration: Join the official OCNZ 50th Anniversary cake cutting.

Symposium Dinner: A formal evening at the historic Mission Estate Winery.

Please get in touch if you need the official invitation and registration forms.
Closing Date: Registrations and payments must be submitted by May 4th.

This is an event not to be missed. Everyone is welcome!