By DARBY BUTTLER-REID
AN ORCHID a metre wide and more than a metre high was on display at the Berwick Orchid Show last week.
The orchid, named Alfred William after the father of Berwick Orchid Club president Murray Harding, had 61 spikes with the top flower reaching the shoulder of the average person.
Growing orchids has always been a part of the Mr Harding’s life.
His father grew orchids, and growing up around the plants, it was only natural that he would develop an interest.
“We joke about orchids as a disease in our family,” Mr Harding said.
“People don’t usually start growing orchids until they are middle-aged, but there doesn’t seem to be an upper limit.”
Mr Harding’s orchid house is 12 metres long and eight metres wide, housing 10,000 plants.
“If you talk about orchid growing as a disease, I’ve got it badly,” said Mr Harding.
Berwick’s Orchid Club meets on the fourth Sunday of every month, and would love people to come along.
Mr Harding said the club was complimented on a successful event with many people agreeing that it was the best show in the area.
Berwick Orchid Club has been incorporated for about 21 years and the show has been at the same location since the club began.
The show saw 16 new members added to the 40 current members, a huge membership increase in just two days.
A great turnout for the event saw a large number of orchids sold over the weekend, with everyone involved already looking forward to next year’s Berwick Orchid Show.
