March 31-April 1, 2012
Visitors to the N.C. Arboretum will will step into a lush, tropical world at the Western North Carolina Orchid Society’s Annual Show on March 31 and April 1, from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Read about more Spring Flower Shows at the Arboretum!

This year will prove to be a celebration unparalleled, as this event will mark two major anniversaries. First, for The North Carolina Arboretum, 2012 is a silver jubilee year. And for the Western North Carolina Orchid Society, double that! A golden jubilee, 50 years of orchid camaraderie. Concentric anniversaries will infuse the air with a heightened sense of excitement.

This year’s theme, "The Secret Garden of Orchids," will be an adventure of the imagination. World-class orchid growers from around the country, as well as regional orchid societies, will fill the exhibition hall with orchids of wondrous variety. Displays will be carefully crafted with dazzling color, exotic scents and hints of faraway lands, all in an attempt to lure the visitor into the wonderful world of orchids.

Thousands of orchids fill the Education Center of the Arboretum in this show, which is one of the largest in the southeast. Vendors will offer orchid supplies and plants for purchase, including the rare and hard-to-find. WNC Orchid Society members will be available to answer questions and provide orchid-growing advice, and educational programs will be offered throughout the weekend.

Programs during the Orchid Show include:

• A Walk around the World of Orchids by Tom Nasser of Carolina Orchids
• Mastering Indoor Orchid Culture by Mark Reinke of Marble Branch Farms
• The Magical Catasetum Alliance by Marc Burchette, WNC Orchid Society member and prize-winning grower
• The World of Phalaenopsis by Linda Thorne of Seagrove Orchids
• Living Gems - Little Plants for Small Places by Linda Wilhelm of Woodland Orchids
• The Art of Repotting your Orchids by Cynthia Gillooly of Saracenna Design and BB Barns
• The Colorful World of Fragrant Phalaenopsis by Mike Mims, WNC Orchid Society member and prize-winning grower
• How to Kill Your Orchids by Mac Carter of Carter and Holmes

The WNCOS Annual Show is an American Orchid Society judged and sanctioned show. Well known for its first rate plants and the number of awards it typically receives, the WNCOS show is the premier orchid show in the greater southeast region and is expected to draw several thousand.

The Orchid Show is one of the most popular events hosted by The North Carolina Arboretum. Each year more than 376,000 visitors experience the Arboretum’s gardens, trails, exhibits, shows and expos, educational programs, demonstrations and lectures. Shows and events are free for Arboretum Society members or with the standard parking fee ($8 per personal motor vehicle). Visitors are also encouraged to explore the Arboretum’s kaleidoscope of spring color, 65 acres of cultivated gardens, ten miles of hiking and biking trails, and engaging exhibits.

For more information, see our NC Arboretum Guide.