Orchid Society of Western Pennsylvania Awards Phipps Conservatory Orchid Collection
For Immediate Release: Wed., April 22
Contact: Joe Reed | Director of Marketing and Communications
412-622-6915, ext. 3801 | jreed@phipps.conservatory.org
Orchid Society of Western Pennsylvania Awards Phipps Conservatory Orchid Collection
Phipps Orchids Gain Various Accolades at Annual Show
Pittsburgh, PA – On April 12 and 13, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens exhibited at the annual show of the Orchid Society of Western Pennsylvania, a major regional event featuring extensive displays of hundreds of unique orchids, expert-led repotting demonstrations, and a large sales area with national and international vendors. The Phipps team worked on assembling their exhibit from morning until 9 p.m. on Friday.
After judging took place Saturday morning, Phipps won the Best Open Exhibit Award, which is an award for top-tier displays that are more than 25 square feet. Orchid Display Horticulturist Thathmini Kularatna included a personal orchid, Ionopsis utricularioides, which won first place along with a rosette for Best Oncidium and Related Genera.
Additionally, two Phipps orchids received three different awards from the American Orchid Society including an Award of Merit, a Certificate of Cultural Merit and best orchid in show for Cymbidium Happy Lambert, and a Certificate of Cultural Merit for a Dendrobium lichenastrum. These awards recognize both the color and the growing techniques behind each plant.
“The Orchid Society of Western Pennsylvania's show is a great opportunity to remind orchid lovers and the general public (both local and those who travel to attend) of the gem that is the Orchid collection at Phipps. It is very gratifying to see how well-regarded our exhibits are, and to see the anticipation among those who regularly attend the event for what we have brought this year,” said Horticultural Collections Manager Giovanny Giraldo.
Phipps’ permanent orchid collection can be viewed in Phipps Orchid Room every day. Phipps hours are 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturdays – Thursdays, and 9:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Fridays. For more information and to reserve tickets, visit phipps.conservatory.org/Tickets.
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About Phipps: Founded in 1893, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, PA is a globally recognized green leader with a mission to inspire and educate all with the beauty and importance of plants; to advance sustainability and promote human and environmental well-being through action and research; and to celebrate its historic glasshouse. Encompassing 15 acres including a historic 14-room glasshouse, 23 distinct indoor and outdoor gardens and industry-leading sustainable architecture and operations, Phipps attracts more than half a million visitors annually from around the world. Learn more at phipps.conservatory.org.
Watch TEDx: What We Can Learn From an Old Glasshouse: A look at the evolving way we connect people to nature at Phipps, demonstrate how human and environmental health are inextricably connected, and show that to age gracefully, we must continually reinvent ourselves to evolve with the rest of the world.
