The Mass Orchid Society has a show coming up in a couple of weeks. It's at Mahoney's in Winchester this year, but has a cost to get in.

I also occasionally see them in odd places like the big box stores, though I imagine those are nothing unusual.

Bill, we've been to J & L Orchids in Easton, CT, near the NY side of the state. The place is very small but they grow unusual varieties and are very helpful/knowledgeable. Here's a link to their website, J & L Orchids in Easton, CT. Take a look at their online catalogue.

Of course, because these varieties are not the typical ones you see in Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, etc., they need more individualized growing and care methods.

Molie

Babs, true the big box stores have run-of-the-mill stuff, or those "blue" cymbidiums, which are just white ones that have been given blue-dyed water.

Maybe I could ask the orchid society though.............

Thanks

To clarify what Babs said, the MOS show & sale at Mahoney's has a $10 if you aren't a member. Also, this weekend Lyman Estate is having their fall orchid sale. They do one in the spring too, around April. http://shop.historicnewengland.org/GRE-FALLORCHID-7532/

I'll be stopping by there tomorrow morning :) Last spring I got some lovely acquisitions - none of which were phals ;)

The Mahoney's in Winchester does generally maintain a small display area with a selection of orchids on offer; I have not ever paid much attention to it, so I'm not sure if there is anything remarkable available there.

I don't remember seeing anything at Mahoney's other than Phals. That said, I've never been during the MOS show & sale.

The Lyman Estate sale this past weekend was lovely and I got 5 new acquisitions - none of which were Phals ;)

Molie, thanks for the link. I will check it out.

Good idea to check their online catalogue, Bill. Because it's so far from you, you'd probably want to contact them via email or phone if you decide to visit to make sure they have what you want. Some of their orchids are mounted and grown up high or grown in pots in specific mediums rather than what you'd find at box stores. They have quite a variety of sizes and types.

Looking at the catalogue is not the same as being there. We spent a long time walking around, asking questions, and debating our choices and ended up with three unusual ones. They're still with us after 4/5 years.

I have one miltassia that's been around for about 7 years and usually blooms each year. I have two cymbidiums that make a lot of leaves! I have brought my share if Phalaenopsis to their doom though..............can't win 'em all!

I would most likely call before I go. It is a bit of a drive.

Thanks again.

Good link, suzabanana. We've also bought orchids from The orchidPhile... she's listed as another vendor at the MOS event.

Wanted to follow up that the MOS event was the best showing of various orchids I've ever seen! Well worth the $10 entrance fee for the unique plants I went home with! Looking forward to next year :)

I found A&P orchids in Swansea, MA. I did a Google Earth fly-over and it looks like a pretty large place, but retail is only Fridays and Saturdays. Their website has almost no information though. I will call first to get an idea, but maybe it's a start. Has anyone been there?

I haven't been, but they were at the MOS show this weekend.

Suz, did you get any impression of A&P orchids from the show?

I don't remember. I know I didn't buy anything from them because I checked my receipts. I will say that all the vendors had a good variety of species and hybrids and none of the vendors had only Phals. There was one vendor that only had Phrags and Paphs, but I don't think that was A&P. I was looking for Draculas, Masdevallias and Brassavolas which I found at J&L Orchids and Bill Cleveland Orchids.

We got our Masdevallia orchids at J&L Orchids.

If your up in New Hampshire there a place called Little house by the side of the road in Wilton, I don't know if they still have orchids, haven't been up that way in a few years but they did have a room full of them.

I went to A&P two weeks ago and bought a promising purple cattleya, just showing some color in the bud now, and an oncidium that has about 10 of the roughly 30 buds just opened. It's a yellow with mahogany bands.

FYI - Lyman Estate is having their spring Orchid sale Friday, April 8 - Sunday, April 10, 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. http://www.historicnewengland.org/historic-properties/homes/lyman-estate-greenhouses