Lee Currey was introduced to orchids and gardening at a young age. The son of an accomplished English cottage gardener and florist, Lee spent much of his childhood in the garden just outside Portland, Oregon. At age 8, his parents returned from their 2nd honeymoon in Hawaii with a Dendrobium kingianum and Lee was bitten by the orchid bug. By the time he was in college, he was growing over 100 plants in his studio apartment, but only a few were orchids. After he graduated college, Lee’s mother gifted him the Dendrobium kingianum under the condition that he get it to rebloom, which it had not done in over 10 years.
His orchid collection grew rapidly after that, accelerating dramatically after joining the Oregon Orchid Society, then acting as vice president and president of the organization. The OOS hosts the largest show and sale in the Northwest, drawing national and international orchid vendors, and offers an opportunity to learn and acquire new and exciting plants. During his tenure at the OOS Lee began his training as an AOS judge, becoming an associate judge shortly before his cross country move.
A 26ft moving truck was packed to bursting with his now collection of over 1000 orchids, many from his friend and mentor Leonard Gines who had retired and closed his business shortly beforehand. Lee now is settled just outside of Lexington NC on a few acres, enough for a 30’x100’ greenhouse that will be in operation coinciding with his promotion to accredited AOS judge.
Lee’s orchid collection consists of many orchid species with primary crosses and select hybrids. It includes Cattleya, Bulbophyllum, Cologyne, Phragmipeidum, Vanda, Laelia, Paphiopedilum, Cymbidum, Oncidium, and Dendrobium. There is also a particular Dendrobium kingianum that he is very fond of that blooms like clockwork every spring.
Lee's topic will be pests and problems of orchids.
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