Orono’s ‘Orchid Lady’ gets ready for springtime blooms

Those gardeners who know Louise Snow of Orono immediately associate her with one group of plants: orchids. To some she undoubtedly is known as “The Orchid Lady.” She is widely respected for her knowledge about cultivating these exotic houseplants. Snow’s love of orchids has taken her around the world to the 13th World Orchid Conference in New Zealand and the 14th conference held in Scotland in the 1990s. More recently, it has spawned the organization of the Eastern Maine Orchid Society.

The society will hold an orchid sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 4, at the Roger Clapp Greenhouses at the University of Maine in Orono. Snow co-founded the group with plant professional Mary Lou Hoskins of Greencare.

The society is nearly two years old, with 26 active members. On the first Saturday in May, the group of orchid enthusiasts will be selling hundreds of orchids, along with hand-sewn tote bags and other assorted items.

With the founding of the society, Snow discovered her passion for the exotic flowers is shared by many in the midcoast and central Maine region.

“People who grow orchids started coming out of the woodwork when they heard about the society,” she said. “Members of the society are younger and older people, some have a few and others have many orchids.”

Snow said that Dendrobium, Phalaenopsis, Slipper, Miltonia and Cattleya orchids will be on sale. Society members have donated plants for the fund-raiser.

According to Snow, one of the long-term goals of the orchid society is to rejuvenate the orchid collection housed in UMaine’s greenhouses. “The collection has suffered from people helping themselves to the plants,” Snow said. “So we’re donating some of the plants to the university. We’re trying to build up the collection again.”

People aren’t thinking about houseplants right now. They are thinking, “‘I want to get outside and garden,'” Snow said. Just the same, she said, the sale will provide an opportunity for gardeners to select from a variety of interesting and beautiful plants.

Snow said most of the orchids offered at the May sale will cost less than $15. People say, “‘Gee, orchids are expensive,’ but I say “‘Yeah, but how long do roses last?'” She said the blooms of some Phalaenopsis orchids last four or five months. Blooms of Dendrobium orchids last two to three months while Slipper and Cattleyas orchids endure for a month or two.

Orchids are not difficult to grow, despite the common belief that they are high-maintenance, Snow said. Her personal collection includes 175 various species.

“It’s like the potato chip ad – you can’t have just one of them!”

The Eastern Maine Orchid Society usually meets monthly, autumn through spring, at 11 a.m. on the first or second Saturday at the Ellsworth City Hall. For more information about the group, contact Louise Snow at 866-4120 or visit the orchid sale on May 4th. The next scheduled meeting will be held in September.

Diana George Chapin is the NEWS garden columnist. Send horticulture questions to Gardening Questions, RR1, Box 2120, Montville 04941, or e-mail them to dianagc@midcoast.com. Selected questions will be answered in future columns. Include name, address and telephone number.