Orchid Show, Gardening Workshops and Plant Sale at Edison and Ford Winter Estates

Edison and Ford Winter Estates is partnering with the Southwest Florida Orchid Society to offer a weekend orchid show with a plant sale and workshops. The orchid show will start on October 9 with judging after 1 p.m. and continue through October 11. Then, on October 10 and 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., free educational workshops will be offered with a focus on orchids, cacti and tillandsias. Vendors will also be on site with plants available for purchase.

The orchid show is sponsored by the Southwest Florida Orchid Society; the workshops and plant sale are sponsored by Renewal by Andersen, and Exclusive Affair Party Rentals.

The weekend program provides an opportunity for gardeners to learn how to grow and care for orchids, cacti and tillandsias, as well as find and purchase plants that are not always available at garden centers. The workshops will take place under a tent in the research gardens. Some workshop topics include: How to Prepare Your Orchid for Judging, The Pristine Lanai – Decorating with Epiphytic Plants, Orchid Propagation by Seed and Division, Orchid Growing for the Beginner, Propagating and Mounting Rare Staghorn Ferns, Protecting and Propagating an Endangered Florida Cactus, and Care & Growing of Vanda Orchids.

The orchid show is sanctioned by the American Orchid Society. Members of the public may submit an orchid for judging between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Friday, October 9, or come and view the orchids and watch the judging. Show rules and regulations are listed on the EdisonFord.org website on the event calendar page.

Participating vendors (at time of printing) for the plant sale include Aunt Jenny’s Garden, Bello Tropicals, Blue Pagoda Orchids, Cassani Nursery, Central Florida Orchids, Florida Greenery, Florida Orchid House, Hang-A-Pot, Jim-N-I Orchids, Jungle Cactus, Krull Smith Orchids, Lots of Orchids, OFE Orchid Supply, Red Hawk Nursery, Reed Cactus, Riany Air Plants, Sierra Madre Orchids, Smiley Orchids, Southwest Florida Orchid Society, Sunland Orchids, Vina Planters, and Yellow Green Exotic. The Garden Shoppe will also be open and stocked with exotics, Florida natives, butterfly plants and edibles.
The orchid show and event are free and open to the public. Seating for the free workshops is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Admission to the museum, laboratory, or riverside of the property requires an admission ticket. For guests looking to purchase plants, bringing a garden cart is recommended, as only a limited number will be available.