Orchid festival
The months of August and September are the blooming season of the world famous ‘Waling-Waling’. Scientifically known as Vanda sanderiana, the ‘waling- waling’ is renowned worldwide as the ‘Queen of all Orchids’ because it has greatly influenced the breeding of modern day vandas that are very popular in the orchid cut flower and potted orchid trade. It is a Philippine endemic species, particularly from Mindanao, that is responsible for giving the large saucer size blooms to its offspring. And, because of this very desirable trait, the ‘waling- waling’ has been heavily gathered from the wild and is now considered critically threatened.
This coming August 30-September 9, 2019, the Philippine Orchid Society will be showing off the lovely blooms of the ‘Queen of all Orchids’ in its Orchid Festival.
The event aims to promote awareness for the conservation and propagation of Philippine orchid species and likewise promote local orchid producers as a reliable source for international floriculture trade.
This show, which is being held in cooperation with the Quezon City government will be held at the Flower Garden of the Quezon Memorial Circle, Elliptical road in Quezon City. Together with the sought-after ‘waling-waling’, the show will feature the best orchid collections of the country’s best orchid growers set in table top arrangements. There will be a commercial section where the gardening public will be able to buy their favorite orchids and other plants, plus gardening supplies. There will be daily lectures on timely farming and gardening topics.
There will be free daily lectures at 2pm, topics are as follows:
August 30 (Fri) Growing Orchid Seedlings from Flasks by Norberto Bautista;
August 31 (Sat) Growing Lady Slippers & Other Lithophytic Orchids by Andres Golamco Jr.;
September 01 (Sun) Tropicalizing Bonsai by Dr. Erwin Fabros;
September 02 (Mon) Growing Dendrobium and Phalaenopsis Orchids by Corazon C. Purificacion;
September 03 (Tue) Simple Floral Arrangements for all Occasions by Maria Dolores G. Alarcon;
September 04 (Wed) Growing Catasetinae (Catasetum) Orchids by Richard Anthony Lao;
September 05 (Thu) Growing Vandaceous Orchids by Kelvin Neil B. Manubay;
September 06 (Fri) Growing Culinary Herbs and Spices by Ponchit Ponce Enrile;
September 07 (Sat) Growing Platyceriums as Orchid Companion Plants by Evangeline B. Go;
September 08 (Sun) Growing Cattleya Orchids by Dr. Ray W. Lo; and
September 09 (Mon) Growing Philippine Native Trees by Cel Tungol.
Show entrance fee is R50 and R30 for students and senior citizens, and it will open from 8:00am-6:00pm daily.