Category Archives: Meetings

Wednesday, Oct 1 2025

Doors Open:  6:30pm

Venice Community Center

Speaker: Phillip Hamilton 

Topic: Novelty Phals

Phillip was born and raised in Jamaica where he inherited his dad’s passion for orchids and grew up working in his parents’ orchid nursery, Hamlyn Orchids.  Although his dad’s true orchid passion is with the Jamaican native Broughtonia’s and their hybrids, Phillip’s passion leaned heavily toward Phalaenopsis, which he has been growing and hybridizing since the age of eight.

He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida in Gainesville and is an American Orchid Society (AOS) Senior Judge.

Professionally, Phillip has worked for two major orchid production nurseries in Central Florida as a grower and grower/manager.  In 2013 he formed his own business (part-time), Bredren Orchids, to facilitate the small-scale sale of some of the more unique Phalaenopsis and Broughtonia species and hybrids he grows and breeds.  Since 2017, he now manages Bredren Orchids full-time, with the generous help of his wife, Liz.  They are currently working on developing this business into more than just the mail-order only entity it now is.

He will be bringing a variety of plants for sale, including novelty Phalaenopsis species/hybrids, and a variety of Cattleya and Brassavola related species and hybrids.

Wednesday, September 3rd   

Doors Open:  6:30pm

Venice Community Center

Speaker: Beth Lamb

Topic: Orchid virus diseases – Hobbyists 

Ann E. ‘Beth’ Lamb is the owner of a small business Lamb & Lamb, Inc (2003)
involving propagation of orchids from seeds and from tissue culture. I have
been continuously employed in the horticultural industry since 1985 and have
experience in the following areas: Propagation of plants using conventional
tissue culture, and bioreactors; certified-pathogen tested propagation stock,
pathogen-virus elimination, breeding and improvement of new ornamental
foliage and flowering plants, and protecting them via applications for intellectual property; breeding/ seed and clonal propagation of orchids, contract research / technical documentation for Plant Patents (USA) and Plant Breeder’s Rights
(EU).

I am also employed as a technical advisor for Phillip Rucks Citrus
Nursery’s plant tissue culture laboratory. Phillip Rucks Citrus Nursery is one of
the largest producers of containerized Citrus transplants in the United States.
My work here since 2010 involves maintaining the on-site tissue culture
laboratory, initiating new cultures and producing clean starter plants of
commercial and experimental varieties of Citrus, Eucalyptus, Peach, Timber
Bamboo and Blueberry.

I have degrees from the University of Florida, Bachelor of Science (’82) and
Master of Science (’85) Plant Pathology and Plant Virology.

Orchid Envy will have plants for sale

Wednesday, August 6th

Doors Open:  6:45pm

Venice Community Center

Speaker: Jim Roberts

Topic:  Summertime and the Growin’ is Easy

Jim Roberts owns and operates Florida SunCoast Orchids in Myakka City, FL. He has been a regular speaker at our monthly meetings and a long time participating vendor in our annual orchid shows. Jim has been growing orchids over 25 years in climates ranging from cold Minnesota to hot SW Florida. In 2001, he moved to Florida with a small collection of plants and the dream of operating an orchid nursery became a reality. He grows his beauties in three gutter connected greenhouses encompassing 10,000 square feet of growing space. As always, he strives to grow and sell the best quality orchid plants and to build a lasting reputation in the industry as one of the very best.

Jim’s presentation topic, Summertime and the Growin’ is Easy, will focus on growing orchids outside in our hot summers and will be of interest to both our year-round and seasonal residents.

www.floridasuncoastorchids.com

Jim will have plants for sale.