A sincere thank you to MARILYN LEDOUX at WINDY HILL ORCHIDS

[troy]

I would like to express my gratitude to marilyn ledoux for selling and growing extraordinary plants!!!

 

[Ruth]

I would like to express my gratitude to marilyn ledoux for selling and growing extraordinary plants!!!

I agree!!!

 

[AdamD]

Amen to that

 

[NYEric]

OK, what did you get?

 

[troy]

I got 3 seedlings that have grown 1 or more inches in a month and a warscewizianum x china dragon that is now in low spike that has grown a full new 3" growth in less than 3 months, but "she sells good seedlings"

 

[abax]

I've talked with Marilyn three times in the last two days and I agree totally. She's a pleasure to do business with.
Phrag. China Dragon awarded division, Eric! I knew you'd
want to know.

 

[AdamD]

Awesome! Which clone?

 

[Heather]

One of my all time favorite vendors!

 

[troy]

Abax, the china dragon I got is an awarded division?

 

[phraggy]

Wish we had some awesome traders.

Ed

 

[NYEric]

Ratcliffe?

 

[abax]

Troy, she had two awarded divisions and I asked her to
pick the best of the two for me. After all, she's there and
can see them and I can't. So it's her decision on which to
send. She had one seedling (more or less) for 40.00 and
two divisions for 125.00. I bought one of the divisions.
Did you get the other China Dragon division?

 

[troy]

the one I got 2 months ago not sure but it had two previous bloomed growths and a third fully mature that is now starting to spike, lost the tag or threw it away in the box, right now she has two awarded divions in bud?

 

[cnycharles]

You could always email her and ask if she sent you a division or a seedling

 

[Alex]

I don't think that much of Ratcliffe, but further afield in the EU we have the excellent Asendorfer.

 

[Heather]

Both (all) my Mexis have come from her - me basically emailing and asking how many growths she can spare. She always comes through with a few options and I've gotten the largest I could afford both times and been happy.

 

[tomkalina]

I agree..... As a fellow student coming up through the St Louis AOS Judging Center gauntlet and friendly competitor, I've bought some very nice things from Marilyn at a reasonable price.

 

[AdamD]

I agree..... As a fellow student coming up through the St Louis AOS Judging Center gauntlet and friendly competitor, I've bought some very nice things from Marilyn at a reasonable price.

Tom,

Just curious, as an admirer of the judging process and what it has to offer (warts and all), does the Mid America center carry a "gauntlet" reputation in respect to other centers? I know we have the fewest FCC's given statistically, Marilyn herself never recording one of her own. Are we orchid snobs? We just gave a 99 pt. CCE... Albeit WELL deserved.

 

[tomkalina]

Hi Adam,

I used the term "gauntlet" to describe what the "old" AOS student judging experience was when I was a student (20+ years ago) in St. Louis. Things have changed for the better in St. Louis and all other AOS judging centers as well.

As far as awardability, I've always said that if a particular plant was of award quality, it will eventually get it's award. It just may not get it when you think it should but if it's worthy, it will eventually receive an award. All you can hope for is that the judging team makes good use of the research material available (Orchids Plus, OrchidWiz, etc.) before it decides. If you're thinking about applying to become a student judging in St. Louis, go for it; the AOS can use all the help it can get.

 

[AdamD]

Tom,

I have been propositioned to be a student judge. At the time it seemed a far off notion. I'm only 28 years old, I have 2 and 3 year old children, and a full time job that requires me to travel sometimes up to 2 hours away from home. Not to mention I have not been to many shows, none out of area. I feel I'd be doing a disservice to the program to discard all of that and commit to something I could only do half-heartedly. And then for it to feel like a hassle to go do something that I'm supposed to enjoy...

When the time is right I will put my hat in the basket. That time is not now. I emailed and asked Marilyn about the center's reputation, and she says it may have fallen out of favor with some, especially those in costal areas, who feel their centers are better equipped and educated and exposed to "quality" plants (paraphrasing). She also spoke kindly of you St. Louis used to be an epicenter of orchid growing, but the 1950's have come and gone. I would have loved to see it in it's heyday. Maybe one day it will come back around. The orchid people I've met here are kind, generous, well informed and passionate about the hobby. But as far as competition goes, we all strive to be where Marilyn is. I've never met anyone like her. If it weren't for her, the St. Louis orchid scene would be a shadow of what it is today.