Tuesday, September 19, 2017
OSMT Meeting at Cheekwood
Photo by Jeanne Kahan
7 pm Presentation: Linda Wilheim from Woodland Orchids
Location: Cheekwood Botanical Gardens – directions, 1200 Forrest Park Drive Nashville Tennessee 37205
Linda will be bringing plants for sale at the meeting. Members are also able to preorder plants to pickup at the meeting by visiting the Woodland Orchids website and emailing Linda.
Last year Linda gave an exciting presentation on Magnificent Stanhopeas, and we’re excited that she’s back to speak to us this year.
Linda Wilhelm started growing orchids in 1980 after a vacation in Florida with her mother. Already intrigued by orchids, she finally bought a small cattleya seedling, not knowing at the time that it would take seven or eight years to get a bloom. It was the beginning of an addiction. After meeting Rolf in 1985, the addiction became severe when he too got involved with orchids.
When the hobby got out of hand and developed into a serious passion for both Linda and Rolf, they started their business Woodland Orchids.
They specialize in breeding warm tolerant Oncidiinae (several of their new hybrids have received awards from the AOS), compact cattleyas, and also line breed a number of different species and have made some wonderful Stanhopea hybrids.
An Accredited Judge with the AOS, Linda is very active in the judging program, having served in various positions with the Carolinas Judging Center including the job of the Training Coordinator, 5 years as the Chair of the Center, and six years as a Trustee for the AOS. She enjoys being involved in shows outside her region, including offshore shows in the islands. “It offers such an opportunity to see a different variety of orchids as well as an opportunity to extend my group of friends.” She is a frequent guest speaker at orchid societies all over the USA and has spoken outside the US at places such as Brazil, Trinidad, Barbados, and Guatemala.