Let It Grow
By Tammy Thornton
No Philadelphia Flower Show would be complete without South Jersey’s own, Waldor Orchids. Located on a quiet street in Linwood, you would never know that the modest looking building and greenhouses are homebase for the internationally known orchid growers. But the Off family has been displaying their award-winning orchids at the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show since the mid-1930s with no sign of slowing down.
Started in 1829 by the Philadelphia Horticultural Society (PHS), the flower show boasts itself as the “nation’s largest and longest-running horticultural event”. This year, the show makes history by moving the venue outdoors for the first time during its long run. The 2021 flower show is being held at FDR Park, located along the Delaware River in the southernmost part of Philadelphia. The park is home to many different types of plants and animals. It contains a variety of habitats and has been named by the National Audubon Society of Pennsylvania as one of the best places to observe birds in Philadelphia. What a fitting location for the flower show with the 2021 theme, “HABITAT: Nature’s Masterpiece”.
But moving the event outside subjects the flower show to conditions that can’t be controlled, such as the weather. Exhibit designer and third generation orchid grower David Off, of Waldor Orchids, sees the change to the great outdoors as a challenge to embrace. Instead of working against the elements, Off has used the sun, rain, and heat to his advantage in his display. Waldor Orchid’s exhibit has been created as a habitat that shows the interaction between people and plants in the same space. The walk-through home scene, lush with orchids and Aroids, contains both indoor and outdoor conditions, including a “house”, pergola, and greenhouse. While the exhibit is elaborate, Off wanted to make it yrelatable to show people how they could incorporate plants – especially orchids – into their own homes under various living conditions.
Off and his team created a pergola using natural light to his advantage for orchids that thrive in warm conditions. He brought in river birch and used lattice to provide dappled light, perfect for the vanda orchid. The outdoor display also includes a laelia purpurata orchid from Brazil, the only large orchid that flowers this time of year. The outdoor setting also provided rain and humidity that the plants appreciated. Inside, east-facing windows duplicate the setting one might have in their own home. Off shows ideal conditions where orchids will have the best growth as well as orchids that will be used as decoration. Another interesting feature is the 150-gallon terrarium with mini orchids, Aroids, rare plants, and house plants under lights. Many of these ideas can be applied to create your own terrarium. Off was also pleased to find sycamore trees growing on the site of his exhibit and situated the greenhouse to take advantage of the shade they provide to the one side of the greenhouse. When visiting the exhibit, be sure to check out the coconut orchid that (not surprisingly) smells like coconuts!
Another local connection to the Philadelphia Flower Show is Lang’s Garden Market in Linwood. They provided bedding plants, outdoor trees, and shrubs for the display. Closer to the show, ILLExotics in Philadelphia provided plants for the terrarium habitat that houses over 30 flowering plants from around the world. Arcadia Glasshouse, based in Ohio, generously donated the greenhouse.
Want to bring a part of the flower show home? Waldor Orchids will hold their annual post-flower show sale on June 18 and 19 where you can choose from hundreds of plants for 20% off. You too can learn how to create an orchid habitat in your own home. If you haven’t purchased tickets for this historic outdoor flower show, drop what you’re doing and go to phsonline.org to buy tickets for the event that runs June 5-13.
Tammy Thornton is a mom of four, a substitute teacher, and a Sunday school teacher. She is passionate about gardening and cooking, and loves the beach.
