October 3 Meeting
Terry Kennedy Shares Secrets of Outstanding Orchid Displays
At our next monthly meeting on Thursday, October 3, Terry Kennedy speak to the Houston Orchid Society about “Fabulous Displays—Easier Than You Think.” The best way to present orchids to their full potential is to showcase them in great displays. Making beautiful displays come together has always been Terry’s favorite part of any orchid show, and it is easy if one keeps some basic things in mind.
As we think ahead to our March 2025 Houston Orchid Society Spring Show, we wanted Terry to come and increase our knowledge on how to make our show and table displays better than ever so that we can make our next show bigger and better than ever, and to give all our members the confidence that they can participate in the show or create a table display of their own.
Terry lives in Stouffville, Ontario, Canada. Winters are long and cold and snowy. A greenhouse full of orchids offers Terry and her husband, Doug, their piece of the tropics. In her other life Terry was a research biochemist. Now orchids, travel, and her garden occupy most of her time.
It has now been 50 years since Terry and Doug played hooky on a bright sunny early spring day in March to visit a botanical garden. There, they stumbled on a meeting of the Southern Ontario Orchid Society (SOOS). It all started with a single Paphiopedilum and a single light table.
Terry admits to being omnivorous when it comes to orchids. Over the years, Terry’s and Doug’s collection has included representatives from pretty much every genus. Eventually there were so many orchids that they had to move houses to make room for their plants.
Throughout her orchid journey, Terry has actively participated in the governance of her home society and their annual show. Doing presentations is another way for Terry to share her passion for orchids, and her presentations have covered many topics.
Terry and Doug have exhibited their plants in numerous shows from coast to coast in Canada as well as the U.S., including two World Orchid Conferences. Numerous AOS show trophies, AOS quality and cultural awards, and countless other trophies document the success of their participation in these shows.
Travel to exotic places like Hawaii, Thailand, Ecuador, Guatemala, Columbia, Brazil, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and South Africa for shows and field explorations has further expanded Terry’s acquaintance with the incredible world of orchids as well as their intricate requirements.
Not only has Terry attended shows worldwide, but she has helped judge the orchids exhibited. Terry is a longstanding accredited judge with the American Orchid Society (AOS), chair of the Toronto Judging Center, the first AOS Judging Center outside the U.S. Currently, she serves as secretary of the AOS.
Please bring your blooming plants for the show-and-tell table. The meeting begins at 7:30pm at First Christian Church, 1601 Sunset Boulevard, Houston.
If you haven’t already ordered your official Houston Orchid Society name badge, you can now order yours online.
