San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden and Five Cities Orchid Society present: Orchid Fest 2023! This plant and art sale will be held Saturday and Sunday, April 1 and 2 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m at the El Chorro Regional Park (3450 Dairy Creek Road). Parking is $3 per car, and admission to the event is free.
With the Central Coast of California providing the ideal climate for orchids, and new hybrids that are easier to care for, orchids are more enjoyable than ever. Many varieties flourish on windowsills or sheltered outside areas, and are a delight to behold. This event provides an opportunity to collect new plants and get all orchid-related questions answered. We will be joined by six of California’s talented orchid growers/hybridizers offering their plants for sale. The SLOBG will be selling native plants, and we will also be joined by orchid plant supply vendors and art vendors.
Featured orchid vendors include Sunset Valley Orchids, renowned for the development of the black orchid “After Midnight” and their Dendrobium and Cattleya hybridizing programs; Ambriz Kingdom of Plants, selling orchids suitable for outdoor growing in coastal areas, as well as amazing Tillandsias (air plants) which need little care; Orchid Design, which offers outdoor growing Cymbidiums; SLO Orchids, selling insect eating “Mean Green Mother from Outer Space” carnivorous Venus fly traps; Orchids of Los Osos, offering a wide selection of unique orchids including pansy orchids (Miltoniopsis); and CalCoast Orchids, specializing in the world’s number one selling house plant, the moth orchid (Phalaenopsis). Their new salmon colored variety sold out in the first hour at the SLOBG plant sale last March.
Additionally, SLOBG and FCOS will be hosting a Cake Auction as a fundraising event. We will be auctioning cakes that have been donated by local bakeries and private bakers. This event will be live and enthusiastic, and will take place at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 1.
Orchid Fest 2023 continues the 28-year history of annual orchid shows and sales by FCOS. Join us to discover the secrets of orchid growing/re-blooming both “easy growing” and more demanding orchid species, learn tips/tricks from our friendly club members/expert vendors, and purchase new plants/items to your heart’s content.