Plant Chaser turns Orchid Hunter

Would you risk your life for these?

Some people did.

Due to the uniqueness and rarity of the plant in Europe in the 1800's, the profession of orchid hunter was created.  The early orchid hunters would face death, tropical diseases, wild animals and cannibalistic tribes.  

Even modern-day orchid hunters could not avoid these ordeals. Lance Birk, author of the book "The Last Orchid Hunter", writes of getting shot at (more than once), contracting cholera, falling off a cliff, encountering pirates and so much more.  As late as 2000, Tom Hart Dyke, an English horticulturist, was kidnapped and kept captive by guerillas for nine months while hunting for rare orchids.

Yesterday, I was given the opportunity to transform from Plant Chaser to Orchid Hunter.   I am not sure if I should be relieved that the exercise was free of the thrills and dangers that would make Agent 007 proud.   All I had to do for my pseudo orchid hunting was head for the Annual Orchid and Garden Show of the Philippine Orchid Society which is open to the public beginning today until March 7, 2011 at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City.

My orchid hunting experience was so much different from Birk and Dyke. Instead of being attacked by wild animals, I had the company of a tour guide in the person of the very bubbly and knowledgeable Lawrence Chan. Instead of getting lost in the jungle, the orchids were arranged in beautiful landscapes by the different exhibitors of the Philippine Orchid Society. Instead of getting diseases, I got to eat a sumptuous snack after the awarding ceremony. Instead of facing death, I met face to face with orchid authorities among them Jim Cootes, author of The Orchids of the Philippines, the multi awarded Ana Purificacion and the iconic Vangie Go.

It was smooth and easy as I hunted down amazing orchids that Birk and Dyke dreamt of seeing.

Brassia rex

BLC Pink Diamond

Dendrobium anosmum alba

Doritaenopsis Chai Xen Queen "JB"

Epidendrum

Grammatophylum multiflorum

Paphiopedilum haynaldianum

Phalaenopsis maki watanabe

Rhynchostylis gigantea

Vanda sp.

BLC dolosa alba

Dendrobium smilliae

Doritaenopsis hsinying "Fortune Star"

Paphiopedilum hennisianum

Phalaenopsis sp.

Vanda "Gordon Dillon" x "Jaophaya sapple"

Doritaenopsys taida salu "Alison" 

Vanda lamellata

BLC White Diamond "Sang Sa Ngon"

Dendrobium lasianthera

In between hunts, I was interrupted by several photo opportunities.

 

Vangie Go

Author Jim Cootes

Anyone can be an orchid hunter in his own right.  But will you be willing to risk your life for these?  That is the question.

***Click on images to enlarge.

***For more information on the 65th Annual Orchid & Garden Show, click here.

***For a list of the winners, click here.

Comments

[PlantPostings]

Wow, wonderful post! Beautiful photos, a history lesson, and a wealth of botanical information about amazing Orchids. Thank for taking us on this journey!

[Andrea]

I am just about to ask you when are you going, and there you are already at the opening day! You like taking your photos with them, huh! I might be able to visit only next week, as the weekend will be with friends to Tagaytay to relax, massage, etc. Years of orchids seem to be overwhelming already, seems like i am tired of looking at all those catleyas. Somehow, i now prefer the indigenous ones, or what they call the 'botanicals'.

[Island Threads]

glad you had such a wonderful time Bom, in comfort and style without the danger, your mention of English orchid hunters made me think of the phrase 'mad dogs and English men' lol, Frances

[dona]

And you? Will you be willing to risk your life? :)
Very interesting and funny, in your own way.

[Patty]

Traveling to an orchid show has its hazards too I am sure. I am glad you took the more civilized route to seeing beautiful orchids in their prime. (How do they manage that?) I would bring home any one of those...

[Priscilla Prince]

Salamat for visiting my blog. I see you're from the Philippines, my hometown. You have a nice blog too. I love your orchids and flowers! Unfortunately, I can't grow tropical flowers in my climate, we live in the mountains at almost 6,000 feet elevation. I hope you visit my page again, I'll be updating it again soon. Have a great day! :)

[The Plant Chaser]

@ PlantPostings: You are most welcome. So glad that you enjoyed it.

@ Andrea: I was fortunate to be allowed to come on the opening day to cover the event. The pictures above are a sample. I wasn't able to get the list of winners until late in the afternoon when I was leaving. Which is why I only have one winner in the pictures. The ones above are the ones that caught my personal fancy. The orchids are quite new to me. All plants are actually, because I only started gardening a year ago. Enjoy Tagaytay.

Oh. Before I forget. I remember you like Hoyas now so I came across a link this morning that might interest you:
http://philpost.gov.ph/web/2011-first-quarter-issue-–-topicals-philippine-hoyas-special-stamps/

@Frances: Thanks. I did enjoy myself. I am not familiar with the phrase but it does sound apt.
:-D

@ Dona: Hahaha. The answer is no. I love my life too much. I will just wait until the real orchid hunters bring them back.

@ Priscilla: Thanks for visiting my blog too. I'm glad that you liked it.

@ Patty: The show is timed to match the blooming of the orchids. :-)

[Kala]

Gorgeous images of these various beautiful flowers. Your post has cheered me up!

[Diana]

I always admire people who can grow many beautiful orchid blooms as orchid need many attention. That is beautiful orchid collections. You are welcome to link my post to yours. Have a nice weekend.

[Esther Montgomeyery]

Absolutely no way! And I certainly wouldn't even dream of doing so for orchids. (Though I like the look of the Doritaenopsis Chai Xen Queen "JB" you show here.)

We have a popular detective series on the television (so popular, it is repeated over and over) called 'Midsommer Murders'. One of the episodes was about murders for the sake of acquiring a particular orchid which had been imported illegally but which was worth a huge amount of money. It was ambiguous throughout to what degree the orchid was valued for its beauty and how much for its value - and people in the story were, indeed risking (and losing!) their lives for it and the others which were stolen from their natural habitats.

Esther

[Masha]

This is such an informative post. I am glad you had fun and didn't have to risk your life. I am wondering if the early orchid hunters risked their lives for money rather than for orchids as such... The plants in your pictures are amazing, I rarely see more unusual flowers in shape or coloration.
Who needs roses when you can grow these beauties?

[Rosey Pollen]

I am such a wimp, I couldn't stand even a tiny tick, can't imagine myself being an orchid hunter of the past. But, your adventure sounds much calmer and safer. Your photos of orchids are amazing!
Thanks for stopping by my blog.

[One]

Would you risk your life for Tillandsias? You might, right? I remember you saving them from the storm...

I just saw a sidenote from you to me at Cat's blog. The post about 9 is here : http://onenezz.blogspot.com/2009/09/9-9-09.html.
It wasn't planned. I was new in photography and had the normal settings with the date on. Later I realized the dates were in the way of the photos and remove them in future photos.

[The Plant Chaser]

@ Kala: I'm glad you liked them.

@ Diana: Thanks Diana.

@ Esther: We are the same. I wouldn't either. If I'm not mistaken, we get Midsommer Murders on Cable. I would love to watch the orchid murder episodes. Maybe it is available on DVD.

@ Masha: I think for some it must be the money. From what I've read, the orchid hunters in Victorian times had financiers. I am hoping to be able to get pictures of the winners from the organizers. The ones featured are the ones that caught my fancy and that were easy to photograph.

@ Rosey: Thanks for dropping by. Aren't you glad we can just head over to the nearest nursery for our plant needs?

@ One: Hahaha! You definitely got me there. Yes, I just might.

Oh then that is so much better. I thought you might have timed it on purpose. What a surprise it must have been.

[Kanak]

Wow...what an amazing collection of the most stunning orchids!! Recently, I got the opportunity to photograph some varieties of orchids at a garden show. But this is wonderful!! Loved going through your photos.

I'd be honored if you add my link! Thank you so much, Bom!

[The Plant Chaser]

Kanak, post your pictures as well. I just started seriously getting into gardening last year so I have not yet tired of looking at beautiful blooms.

[Traci from Toronto, Canada]

A question about one of the ladies in your first picture -- Vangie Go. Is she married to a British ex-pat named Matthew by any chance?

[The Plant Chaser]

I don't know.

[Andrea]

Bom, thanks for the link. I have a special love for hoya because the hoya breeder scientist, who is my friend has cancer undergoing chemo. We are praying for her, she is young.

BTW, why did you cover the show, any significance? In the past most of my posts are on orchids, when maybe we didn't meet here yet. However, i almost forgot about them now, especially when most of my collections were neglected and many already died.

[Cat]

So glad to hear you won't be coming down with any deadly diseases after tracking after these beauties! Great shots Bom and lively commentary to go along.