Waldor Orchids Fall Open House
📅 September 5 & 6, 2025 10am - 4pm
We’re celebrating the start of the fall season with our Annual Fall Orchid Open House, and you're invited! This exciting weekend will feature:
Inspiring orchid speakers
Culture and care classes
Specialty vendors
Perfect for a weekend of orchids, learning, and a visit to the Jersey Shore!
🎙️ Confirmed Speakers
Alan Koch – Gold Country Orchids (CA)
Internationally known for breeding compact and miniature Cattleyas. Alan has written for AOS and Orchid Digest and is a sought-after speaker and judge with over 250,000 orchids in cultivation.
Jim Roberts – Florida SunCoast Orchids (FL)
Award-winning hybridizer with 235+ registered crosses. Jim’s creations in the Cattleya alliance are colorful, unique, and easy to grow. Recipient of the AOS Hybridizer of the Year award.
Phillip Hamilton of Bredren Orchids, Apopka, FL
Biography
Phillip Hamilton was born and raised in Jamaica, where he inherited his father’s love for orchids and spent his early years working in the family’s nursery, Hamlyn Orchids. While his father focused on Jamaican native Broughtonia species and their hybrids, Phillip found his own passion in Phalaenopsis, a genus he began growing and hybridizing at the age of eight.
He pursued both his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida in Gainesville and currently serves as a Senior Judge for the American Orchid Society (AOS).
Professionally, Phillip has worked as a grower and manager for two major orchid production nurseries in Central Florida. In 2013, he founded Bredren Orchids, initially as a part-time venture to share his unique Phalaenopsis and Broughtonia hybrids. Since 2017, he has dedicated himself full-time to the business, with the valued support of his wife, Liz. Together, they are working to expand Bredren Orchids beyond its current mail-order model.
Phillip will be offering a variety of plants for sale, including novelty Phalaenopsis species and hybrids, along with select Cattleya, Brassavola, and their related hybrids.
Sarah Hurdel
Owner of Needmore Orchids
Sarah Hurdel is the passionate owner of Needmore Orchids. She is an artist, orchid exhibitor, blogger, and an accredited judge with the American Orchid Society (AOS). Known for her exceptional skill in growing Habenaria species and hybrids, Sarah maintains a personal collection of over 600 orchids—all cultivated under lights in her basement. Despite not having a greenhouse, her plants have earned numerous AOS awards for culture, flower quality, and exhibit design.
Sarah began her orchid journey in 2002 with a single Habenaria rhodocheila. Her love for orchids quickly grew into a lifelong pursuit, leading her to develop unique growing techniques such as LED-lit vertical shelving to maximize indoor growing space.
Her knowledge and passion for orchids have made her a sought-after speaker across the U.S. and Canada. Sarah regularly presents to orchid societies, blending education with humor, photography, and personal insight. She is also the author behind the blog and Facebook page Something About Orchids, where she shares practical growing tips and her latest discoveries.
To learn more or follow her orchid adventures, visit her Facebook page:
Something About Orchids on Facebook
🌸 Friday – Orchid Talks
📍 White Building, Corner of Poplar & Shore Road (just up the street from Waldor Orchids)
🎤 Orchid Talks – Friday During Our Open House!
Join us for a special day of orchid talks and presentations! Held at the same location as Saturday's AOS Outreach Judging, this event will feature a lineup of informative sessions from passionate and knowledgeable speakers in the orchid world.
🌿 Whether you're just starting out or have years of growing experience, these talks will educate, inspire, and deepen your love for orchids.
🗓 Full schedule and speaker list will be announced soon.
Please Note:
🎟 Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
🪑 We recommend arriving early to grab a seat and enjoy the full lineup of presentations.
Come ready to learn, ask questions, and connect with fellow orchid lovers!
🌼 Saturday – AOS Outreach Judging
📍 White Building, Corner of Poplar & Shore Road (just up the street from Waldor Orchids)
🕧 Judging Begins Promptly at 12:30 PM
🪴 Plant Entry Deadline: 12:30 PM Sharp
🌟 AOS Outreach Judging – Saturday During Our Open House!
We’re thrilled to host official AOS Outreach Judging during our Open House! This is your chance to witness live orchid judging by accredited American Orchid Society judges — and even enter your own plants for consideration.
✨ Whether you’re an experienced grower or new to the hobby, this event provides an amazing opportunity to learn what makes an orchid award-worthy.
Important Details:
🪴 Want to enter a plant? Bring it before 12:30 PM for check-in.
📷 Judging will take place in the white building at the corner of Poplar & Shore Road, just a short walk up from Waldor Orchids.
🎓 Judges will explain the scoring process and criteria.
🏅 AOS flower or cultural awards may be given. Entry is free — award recipients are responsible for AOS processing fees if a plant is awarded.
🗺️ Location: Waldor Orchids, 10 E. Poplar Ave. Linwood, NJ
📢 Full speaker schedule and vendor list coming soon!
Follow us for more updates and we’ll see you in September!
Also check out other Arts events in Linwood, Workshops in Linwood, Literary Art events in Linwood.
