Location: Venice Community Center (Doors open at 6:45pm)         

The Speaker will be Bret Ullery

Presenting: Dendrobium’s

Born Kansas City, Mo 1961, Bret’s love of Orchids began in February 2006 when he gave his wife Ruth her first orchid, a lime green hard cane dendrobium.   After that they joined the Florida West Coast Orchid Society, a month later they attended their first orchid auction; 26 plants later the passion had begun.

With over 8,000 orchids now, they own Accent Orchids.  He, and his wife Ruth, started their business in 2012 with their nursery in the backyard. Bret built all their shade houses that hold their orchids.

Bret has been the president of both the Tampa Bay Orchid Society and is currently the president of the Florida West Coast Orchid Society. His love to educate people is his motivation. He currently has talks on Dendrobiums, Schomburgkia’s , Grammatophyllum’s , and watering systems. You can follow Accent Orchids on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AccentOrchids to see what’s happening now with him and Accent Orchids.

Location: Venice Community Center (Doors open at 6:45pm)

The Speaker will be Dr. Tatiana Arias

Presenting: Research in orchids, including the topics of evolution and conservation

Award-winning botanist  joined the staff of Selby Gardens in November 2021 as an orchid researcher. An innovative scientist who earned a Ph.D. at the University of Missouri, Arias comes to Sarasota from her native Colombia, where she has been leading a research lab focused on orchid genomics, horticulture, and conservation.

Dr. Arias is a classically trained botanist who has kept up with modern methods. Her interest in pursuing novel approaches to science is refreshing. Tatiana brings to us a passion for orchids as well as broad connections to the botanical world and to the Andes, where the greatest region of orchid diversity is found.

Arias, has more than 15 years of experience working in plant sciences. She has been honored by the World Academy of Sciences and The Colombian Academy of Sciences, among other professional achievements.

“I am passionate about and committed to diversity in academia,” Arias said. “This position presents an exciting opportunity to do top-notch orchid science research in an environment of other accomplished scholars.”

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens provides 45 acres of Bayfront sanctuaries connecting people with air plants of the world, native nature, and regional history. For more information visit  selby.org.

Location: Venice Community Center (doors open at 6:30pm)                                 

The Speaker will be Arthur E. Chadwick

Presenting: “Large Flowered Cattleya Species”.

Chadwick & Son was founded in 1989, and is Richmond’s premier orchid supplier. Arthur’s father, Arthur A. Chadwick, was legendary in the orchid world and had been growing orchids since 1943. He and his son co-authored The Classic Cattleyas on large-flowered Cattleya species. Martha Stewart favorably reviewed the book and both Chadwick’s on her television show where they presented Martha with an orchid named after her … C. Martha Stewart. The Chadwick’s have named Cattleya hybrids after the wives of many U.S. Presidents and have personally presented the flowers to many of the recipients.
Arthur is near completion of another new book, “First Ladies and their Cattleyas: A Century of Namesake Orchids” which is the much anticipated sequel to “The Classic Cattleyas”, now in its second printing. Also written by the father/son team of A. A. Chadwick and Arthur E. Chadwick, the book explores the 100+ year history of United States First Ladies and the cattleya hybrids that bear their names. The lineage of these plants provides an overview of the diverse family of cattleya species that exist in nature as well as an inside look at the renowned growers around the world who played a role in creating these enduring legacies. Also included are the fascinating stories of the actual flower presentations, many of which involved the Chadwick’s.
Chadwick Orchids consists of 11 greenhouses and now includes his father’s extensive collection of heritage orchids, including many very hard to find Cattleya hybrids and species.