The Genesee Region Orchid Society (GROS) is a non-profit organization of orchid enthusiasts located in Rochester, NY, but with members from all over the Upstate NY region. We have over 200 members and meet once a month from September through June. GROS is affiliated with the Next Meeting: May 7, 2012 - Gary Meyer - Hawkhill Orchids
Dracula robledorum, species orchid. Photo ©Gary Meyer
Our presentation topic for May 7, 2012 will feature Gary Meyer of Hawkhill Orchids in Pacifica, California, as he discusses "Dracuphilia: A Gothic Romance."
Gary Meyer’s interest in orchids began when he was a freshman in high school in Michigan. He started growing Draculas in his parents’ basement in 1990, with some degree of success. However, college, then medical school, and finally graduate school became unavoidable distractions for him.
In February, 2003, Gary moved to San Francisco. Eight years later, Gary now has two overcrowded greenhouses in his backyard and several hundred Dracula plants (along with a reasonable dose of Masdevallias, Lepanthes, Cyrtochilums, and Anguloas.)
Gary spent the summer of 2006, and occasional weeks thereafter, in Ken Cameron's lab at the New York Botanical Garden and at his new facility at the University of Wisconsin, isolating and studying the DNA of more than 200 Dracula specimens. The initial results from this work were presented at the Second Scientific Conference on Andean Orchids in 2007, held in Loja, Ecuador. In addition, Gary has been travelling to Colombia and Ecuador once or twice a year since 2005 to observe Draculas in the wild and visit collections of South American Dracula growers. By day, he is a Research Manager at IntrinsiQ, LLC, where he tracks the oncology pharmaceutical industry. He is owner of Colombian Orchid Imports, which imports orchid species from Colombia for sale in the United States, and runs the marketing and sales for Hawk Hill Orchids of Pacifica, California.
Gary will accept pre-orders for plants on the Hawk Hill Orchids website until April 29, 2012. There will be no charges for shipping, as Gary will deliver your plants at the meeting. We're taking Gary out to diner at Pomodoro's Restaurant, 1290 University Ave, Rochester directly before the meeting at 5:00 PM sharp. Everyone pays his or her own way. Members can email Program Chairwoman Carol Butcher if they plan to attend; all are welcome.
Orchids 101 - Next meeting: May 7, 2012
The Genesee Region Orchid Society, Inc. has always been an advocate of orchid education; our Orchids 101 program is an ongoing series of informal group discussions/demonstrations on many different orchid topics.
- May 7 topic: TBA
- The doors open at 6:00 p.m. and the "formal" Orchids 101 meeting begins at 6:15 p.m.
- Following a 30-minute presentation on an orchid topic, the group will discuss any plants, problems, topics, or questions that growers might have.
- Orchids 101 will conclude at 7:00 p.m., which will allow plenty of time to socialize or purchase plants/raffle tickets prior to the main orchid meeting that begins at 7:15 p.m.
You don’t have to be new to orchids to come to Orchids 101! We can all learn something new - and a refresher course is never a bad idea. We would love to have more advanced growers at Orchids 101 to contribute their comments and experience. All are welcome.
Our Meetings
Our regular meeting night is the first Monday following the first Sunday of each month. We occasionally change the meeting date as our schedule requires, but we always list the correct date well in advance both on this website and in our monthly newsletter.Our meetings are open to everyone without charge - feel free to attend and find out what our Society is all about!
Meetings typically consist of a brief business meeting to conduct our club's routine activities, a special presentation on an orchid subject, an orchid raffle (2 tickets for $1), and a Show Table where members can display their flowering plants for everyone to see. For more information, please contact our President, Bill Renick.
Meeting Location & Agenda
Adult Senior Lounge, Jewish Community Center, 1200 Edgewood Avenue, Rochester, NY.
- "Orchids 101" Meeting 6:00 p.m.
- Social "Hour" (free-form schmoozing) 7:00 - 7:15 p.m.
- Main meeting begins at 7:15 p.m.