Your membership allows you to participate in all of the activities and programs sponsored by our society. You will have the opportunity to learn about orchids, display your plants, and see what other members are growing. If you have any questions, be sure to ask -- our members are always willing to help you. Membership badges as well as San Gabriel Valley Orchid Hobbyist (SGVOH) Cookbooks and promotional Orchid growing items may be purchased at the Membership Table.

The general meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM at the Los Angeles County Botanic Garden, 310 North Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, California.

Guests are Welcome!    Map directions by MapBlast

Activities and Programs

"How-To" Session
At 7:00 PM of the meeting night there will usually be a "How-To" session. It will consist of an informal lecture on orchid culture (e.g., how to repot various orchids, how to grow Phalaenopsis, etc.). You will find a brief discussion of the planned subject in your monthly bulletin. You should take advantage of this activity. You will learn much about orchid culture. Visitors may join in this activity.

Guest Speakers
Each month the SGVOH has a guest speaker, usually a well-known expert in some area of orchid growing. This speaker will present a program about his experiences with general orchid culture, origin of orchids, orchid shows, etc. There will be a brief biography of the guest speaker and a brief description of his presentation in the monthly bulletin. There are usually beautiful slides as part of the presentation. Visitors are welcome to attend the lectures.

Ribbon Judging
SGVOH members may bring in orchid plants which they think are nice or interesting and enter them in our ribbon judging contest. This judging is very informal and ribbons are awarded as a matter of "personal taste" rather than by strict judging standards. Members are the judges. You are urged to take part in this activity, both as an exhibitor and as a judge. To exhibit a plant fill out a blue form and set the plant and form at the designated location for the genus being shown. If the plant is in the species category also attach a small pink slip to the plant for additional identification. Visitors may not exhibit plants nor act as judges.

Records are kept from November through September, members with the highest scores, per genera, will receive an award at the Awards Banquet. The three top winners will also receive a gift certificate from an orchid nursery. The ribbon judging point scale is as follows: Cultural = 7 points; 1st Place = 6 points; 2nd place = 5 points; 3rd place = 4 points; Honorable Mention = 3 points.

SGVOH Ribbon Judging Guidelines.  
Another opportunity to bring in your beautiful plants!
If you have a plant that you have had for less than 6 months, but you want to show off the beautiful blossoms, bring it in and display it on our NEW ARRIVALS table. These plants will not be judged, but you will receive a raffle ticket for each plant displayed on this table.

 Any member who has grown their plants for longer than 6 months and would like to display them on the NEW ARRIVALS table is welcome to do so.

Any plant that was awarded a Ribbon can not be brought back for judging until it blooms again.

Plant Opportunity Table (POT) Raffle
The Plant Opportunity Table (POT) is purchased by the SGVOH from either the guest speaker or an orchid nursery. The plant raffle is held after the general meeting and you will have the opportunity to win a plant. Each member displaying their membership badge will receive one free raffle ticket. Anyone who brings a contribution for the refreshment table receives a free ticket. Also, each exhibitor will receive a free ticket for each plant exhibited, and each judge will receive one free ticket. You must go to the ticket table to receive your tickets. Raffle tickets may be purchased by members and guests, the cost of which is posted at the ticket table. This is a very good way to increase your collection.

Tickets are generally drawn first for refreshment providers, second for judges, third for display and fourth for membership. Purchased raffle tickets are then drawn until all the plants have been claimed. The winner must be present to claim a prize.

Silent Auction
Visitors may purchase plants, but they may not sell any.
Up to five orchid plants (or orchid related items) per membership (husband and wife or family is one membership) may be placed on the auction table. Fill out one of the small forms or bidding sheets which you will find on the auction table, one for each plant, stating the plant name, asking price and the seller's name, if you are donating the plant/item print SGVOH as the seller. Sellers must bring a self-addressed stamped envelope to receive payment through the mail, if you forget to bring one you will receive payment at the next regular meeting. The seller receives his asking price, and the amount over that goes to the SGVOH.

To buy a plant, print your name and your bid on the bidding sheet. The first bid must be $2.00 more than the asking price. Subsequent bids must be for $1.00 or more. At the close of the auction the chairman will blow a whistle and if you are the highest bidder, take the plant and the bidding sheet to the cashier. There will be many excellent plants that will sell for a reasonable price. The silent auction serves as a fund raiser for our society. All members are encouraged to participate both to aid the society and to share valuable divisions and seedlings with other orchid growers.

Library
The SGVOH has a notable collection of books about orchids. These books may be checked out by members at no charge, but a charge of $1.00 per book, per month, will be assessed if the book is returned late. Only members in good standing may borrow from the library. Visitors cannot check out books.

Refer to the Membership Roster for titles available. A signature card must be completed at check-out giving member's name and date. A member may check out a maximum of two items at any one time. A member may be required to indicate that they have read and understood these rules at the time of check-out. All items must be returned by the following meeting of the Society. The member is responsible for the safekeeping of all items charged against their account and shall reimburse the Society for repair of any damaged item or for replacement of any lost items. Borrowing privileges may be discontinued for unreturned items and unpaid fines.

Refreshments
Including light snacks, Coffee and cold drinks are offered by the Society.
There is a "kitty" for donations to help offset the cost of the supplies.

Shows, Sales and Events
From time to time the SGVOH participates in orchid shows and plant sales. The members volunteer their time and/or material to make these events successful. These events offer the opportunity to see new and unusual specimens and are an excellent opportunity to obtain good plants at a reasonable cost.

During the year there may be events held such as "visitations" to other members' greenhouses to share their growing techniques. And picnics has been held at Zuma Canyon Orchids in Malibu in early Spring.

Annual Banquet
At the November meeting we hold a pot-luck dinner. The annual awards for Ribbon Judging are presented in each category. Also, the Hester Hulme Memorial Service Award is also presented. Details of this award are outlined in the Membership Roster.