OrchidSafari ARCHIVES*

Present were 19:

Yassir_Islam (WASHDC)
JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
BTague (Barbara, N. CA)
Ellen,Smithtown,New York
Brad (Sault Ste Marie MI)
Gaillevy (Boca Raton FL)
marylois (northwest Louisiana)
richardinwestpalmbeach
soobie me (Sue in NC)
Jade from G R (Grand Rapids MI)
venimp - NEW! (Need first name, location, email address)
UncleEarl (Vacaville, CA)
paulav (Boca Raton FL)
nodosa (Ed in SAT)
prankster d (Susan from NE Oregon)
Carol Holdren (Boca Raton FL)
kbbarrett (Kathy in N Calif)
Lanceps (Thamina from Manhattan Beach CA)
AORCHID (Art, Simpsonville SC)

Yassir_Islam
I'm to take you on a tour of the Japan Gran Prix tonight.. Not sure if I did this picture thing right but I've set up pages of photos on my website. Here is the first one

I was lucky enough to attend the preview party thanks to Dr Tanaka, who is a paph expert in Japan. He has a wonderful paph website (linked to the orchid mall). The first pic shows the rather formal opening ceremony. You can see Milton Carpenter (AOS President) addressing the crowd. The rest of the presentation was in Japanese. Even the Prime Minister of Japan was there to say a few words. Also, if you have questions as we go along, please ask! The last pic on the page is an overview of the show which is held in the Tokyo Dome

JanetteH (beautiful day in the foothills of NC)
That is a huge arena, Yassir.

Yassir_Islam
In the centre is a white tower where individual trophy winners are placed. Right at the front is an exhibit by the Japan Orchid Growers Association (JOGA). The one with the globe in the centre. We'll take a closer look a that. Sales are towards the top left, and individual plant entries over to the right The camera has only captured the main part of the show-it really is quite big.

The globe in the display, made of orchids, actually revolved! The tall oncidium 'tree' was quite spectacular. JOGA consists of commercial growers. Also shown is the winner of the amateur class. This pic, including several others I've used, were borrowed from Dr Tanaka.

marylois (Topic: Japan Grand Prix with Yassir Islam)
Ohhhhhhh - epidendrum! My favorite!

Ellen,Smithtown,New York
Which plant is the Grand Champion, Yassir?

Yassir_Islam
Ellen, we'll come to the grand champion soon. The pictures are large but I think they need to be to get the full effect and see details.

This shows a striking display, all done to perfection. Most impressive were the cascades of phals, all perfectly arranged on arching sprays. haven't seen anything quite like it in the US.

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
The waterfall Phals are absolutely beautiful!!

BTague (Barbara, N. CA)
My word!!! Those Phals are something!!! My phals never grow like that, I wonder...

Yassir_Islam
Yes..a lot of work went into arranging the tiers of phals I imagine. In fact, the quality of phals even at florists was amazing. Multi-spike plants with 15+ flowers per spike in perfect conditions.

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
Zuma Canyon used to have phals that cascaded like that - a whole greenhouse full!!

marylois (Topic: Japan Grand Prix with Yassir Islam)
Won't get that from Brother crosses. *S* Those big whites and pinks have been 'out of vogue'.

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
May be out of vogue here Lois, but you have to admit they are gorgeous!!

Yassir_Islam
Well, when they say white phals have been perfected you know what they mean. Keep that in mind though, as we'll see a close-up of phal amabilis which is perfection itself (who needs hybrids?)

Well, let's move on. These pics focus in on some rarer things I didn't expect to see, especially in such large numbers in one display! The lower two photos focus in on more typical Japanese style displays. A close-up of some calanthes, which were the focal point in an otherwise green and mossy 'woodland' displays, and a display of disa.

BTague (Barbara, N. CA)
I will trade all my vandas for those Disa.

Yassir_Islam
I've never seen so many disas all at once. No need to trade, Barbara, mericlones in bloom were for sale as you will see. And I've never seen so many micranthums in all the shows combined that I've been to in the last four years. There were many more on either side but I wanted to get in close..

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
Those Paphs are fabulous!!

marylois
What was the price range of sale plants, Yassir? In dollars.

Yassir_Islam
The traditional displays were quite unique. Visitors from the USA might find them a little dull. Emphasis is on foliage as much as flowers, and local diminutive species with modest flowers seem to be preferred. Many of the Chinese cymbidiums were featured. Containers used were also quite decorative and part of the aesthetic effect. In some 'woodland' displays, you had to look closely to even find the orchids. it was a novel approach to say the least and I enjoyed looking at those, though they didn't necessarily make for impressive photos.

Here is one of the many fantastic floral arrangements. This is the home of Ikebana so I was dazzled by the diversity and number of exhibits here. Also shown are two striking mini-displays. These would be similar to our 3ft sq table tops displays, but a little more imaginatively and creatively staged. In these, careful choice of pots, moss, wood, etc., was evident. Also, it seems that exhibitors are less 'afraid' to mix colours and schemes then I've seen here in the USA. Just a thought.

BTague (Barbara, N. CA)
Yes, the Ikebana is in all the arrangements.

marylois
Stunning! ...and a surprising number of plants and colors used...not traditional Ikebana. How were the two vandaceous plants secured to the arrangement, upper right?

Yassir_Islam
Lois, I didn't have a close enough look! The moss or fern may have obscured the pot or basket and wires used to tie it on. That's half the battle..

Yassir_Islam
There were some staged Ikebana exhibits: about 10 feed wide and five feet or more tall! I have one of those which will be up on my website later. There were a lot of different schools of Ikebana exhibitng.

BTague (Barbara, N. CA)
That is so true, Yassir, here we always have to group the plants by color.

marylois
Ah, yes, Yassir. I've been a bit disappointed in the rigid use of color grouping in the name of 'rhythm and flow'

Yassir_Islam
I have been told there are rules for color schemes. Maybe that's why I've refrained from setting up a display myself! Also might have time since I'm no longer show chair. In any case, they seem not afraid to throw together colours that we would consider strange combinations and make them work! Not just here but even say in kimono patterns for instance..

OK. We're about halfway through. Here is a beautifully flowered amabilis. A small plant and well bloomed. What I liked was the way they were staked to cascade like a waterfall unlike the traditional arch here. Almost all the phals were staked like this, including the ones I saw in shops for sale. I rather like it. The phal's clonal name is 'Super AMA' and it was awarded a bronze medal (equiv to an HCC)

marylois
That's an understatement! Have seen a few magnificently flowered Phal. amabilis of late. Have three, but nothing like the heavily flowered ones..they cascade so beautifully!

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
That amabilis is almost too good to be true!!! What a wonderful plant!

JanetteH (beautiful day in the foothills of NC)
How is the staking different?

Lanceps (Thamina from So. Calif.)
Did they bend the stems or just guide them?

Yassir_Islam
I looked closely and saw that the stems were straight until just below the first bud. Then the spikes had been tied down along the curved wire stakes. I'm sure one has to start this training while the spikes are still young. But then they are masters at this with bonsai.

kbbarrett (Kathy in N Calif)
Yassir, forgive my ignorance, but when was the show held? How long were you there? (in Japan)

Yassir_Islam
Th show was held in late February (about 20-28). I spent one day there, but was in Japan for 2 weeks..

Carol Holdren
Yassir, how far did the wire stakes go?

marylois
Yes, I'm sure they train the more arching larger phals just as carefully from time spike emerges.

JanetteH (beautiful day in the foothills of NC)
Ahhh. I was wondering if just the weight of the flowers would cause that or if the spike had help. Apparently it had help.

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
The training of the spikes sure make the flowers more visible and you can see each one.

Yassir_Islam
Carol, didn't get that close, one had to keep a certain distance! Janette, I think the spikes need help. They have a tendency to arch but a little assistance is needed. They might actually attach a line to the growing tip and tied it down. Gradually increasing the tension as it grows.

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
The Roths are too beautiful!. It seems I am saying that about each of these fabulous pictures!!! :-)

marylois
Been seeing some similar staking of late - here, the wire runs to within 2-3" of the end of the spike.

Yassir_Islam
You're right John. That what I liked most about it. In this case the plant was obscured.

Yassir_Islam
I think the Dutch use a weighted cat gut for the same effect. Saw something like that in a magazine once.

kbbarrett (Kathy in N Calif)
Yassir, another report we had on the Japan show said that it really gets crowded. Was it packed there?

Yassir_Islam
Kathy, they get about 350,000 visitors and more than 50,000 on some days. I was lucky enough to attend the preview party with only several hundred. Because of the crowds I didn't go back for a second look.

JanetteH (beautiful day in the foothills of NC)
Would be interesting to try tying some like that but knowing me I would probably break the spike off.

marylois (Topic: Japan Grand Prix with Yassir Islam)
You can bet those plants don't get moved a fraction of an inch 'til time to show.

Lois, you're right. The stakes are high in this show and the quality so good that I'm sure plants are prepared and groomed months if not a year ahead..

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
I stopped staking an equestris hybrid and the weight of the flowers has made the spike grow down and the flowers show themselves like these bigger ones.

Yassir_Islam
What was different about the display of individual plants was that they were arranged in tiers, rather like flower beds. They were at eye level. it was a novel approach. Made it harder to get photos of some flowers in the back row.

kbbarrett (Kathy in N Calif)
Yassir, what was your favorite display? paphs, no doubt!

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
What were they asking for the roths?

nodosa (Ed in SAT)
A general opinion: these plants must be grown in very uncrowded conditions. Can't imagine developing a full, rounded plant if there were the least bit of crowding.

Yassir_Islam
Kathy: Well yes, I did focus on the paphs but there were many other beautifully flowered orchids I would grow if I had the room and conditions. John, I recall one roth for under $500 in bloom.

JanetteH (beautiful day in the foothills of NC)
Just one, Yassir???? What did the others cost?

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
Was the quality of that roth exceptional or just so-so.

Yassir_Islam
John, it was probably an OK one, but I have yet to see a bad roth! Can't remember the others. Janette as I was slightly jet-lagged at the time. I think there were named divisions for a lot more. Also divisions of awarded paphs costing $1000+. There is apparently Japanese grower who ONLY grows roths. Many of those displayed were his.

marylois
Good point, Ed.

JanetteH (beautiful day in the foothills of NC)
General question for everyone: Would you like to see this level of professionalism and perfection in the shows here or do you like the system that we currently have?

kbbarrett (Kathy in N Calif)
Janette, you think these are professionally done? Not just done by the growers?

JanetteH (beautiful day in the foothills of NC)
I am referring to the 'high stakes' and large money awards.

marylois
I wouldn't like to see that much competition...shows I go to are more of a social event.

nodosa (Ed in SAT)
Janette, perfection is essential for some growers. My preference is for plants you can live with - a little less pedestal and a little more ease. I do like to go to the great formal shows, however.

JanetteH (beautiful day in the foothills of NC)
I don't know if professional is the word. There seems to be a level of perfectionism here that I don't often see. Maybe I am being naive and there are a lot of growers out there who have this level of perfectionism.

Yassir_Islam
Lois: I'm not sure how competitive the spirit is. I guess one would have to be behind the scenes for that. But it is a high calibre show. The fact that there is a formal opening ceremony and that the PM shows up is noteworthy. And especially if you're a commercial grower, you want to measure up.

BTague (Barbara, N. CA)
I agree with Lois, I want it to be fun and a social event.

marylois
Oh, wow! Not only large dorsals, look at the deep, fully saturated color of the pouches!! And the size of the flowers on that Den. loddigesii!

Yassir_Islam
I think perfection is the key here. There were many examples of things I saw in Japan that were done to perfection - from wrapping a gift to serving a meal. I think its part of the cultural fabric. The tower that you see is where all the individual trophy winners are placed. Each one has lots of room around it.

JanetteH (beautiful day in the foothills of NC)
I agree, Yassir

kbbarrett (Kathy in N Calif)
Janette, yes, the displays here [Tokyo Dome] have a very artistic eye to them. Something a regular person couldn't accomplish.

Yassir_Islam
The roth was dark and huge-probably about 12" across, but I couldn't get close enough to measure..

kbbarrett (Kathy in N Calif)
That tower is a nice touch.

marylois
Agree, Yassir...yet a long way from simplistic elegance. *G*

BTague (Barbara, N. CA)
But the Japanese almost always have a formal ceremony for any gathering. That is part of their culture.

Yassir_Islam
Yes the formality was part of it all. There was a lot of mingling going on though.

kbbarrett (Kathy in N Calif)
Yassir, do you know if there was any prize money involved in the show, and the amounts if any?

JanetteH (beautiful day in the foothills of NC)
Big money, Kathy.

kbbarrett (Kathy in N Calif)
Like...? Sounds like its beyond the dreams of avarice!

Yassir_Islam
Kathy-we're getting to the $$ so hold on just a bit.
First, Masdevallia macrura 'Elm Yellow Monster' SM/JGP, Paph. Screaming Eagle, Paph. rothschildianum and then, the grand champion of the show, Lyc. Shoalhaven 'Kyoto' SM/JGP. If this photo, in .gif format, cannot be seen, go to Argus page.

marylois
..nice soft colored Lycaste.

Yassir_Islam
And very full form for a lycaste, or so it appears. Much more impressive in real life this one. Well, to win this award is a big deal...

kbbarrett (Kathy in N Calif)
I'm always amazed at how variable Lyc. Shoalhaven is! Thats very nice!

Ellen,Smithtown,New York
I have 2, one light pink, the other deep red. Is this a yearly show?

Yassir_Islam
Here is the prize.

Ellen,Smithtown,New York
Shoalhaven is very variable as far as color goes.

Yassir_Islam
Yes, this is an annual show. I believe this is the ninth one. Everyone got their eyes on the prize? A Mercedes... its more of a status thing. Nothing quite like a Mercedes..

Ellen,Smithtown,New York
Are Paphs a big thing in Japan?

Yassir_Islam
Ellen, yes. During the bubble years, many of the top clones went to Japan. The Japanese could pay top dollar. I saw many famous paph clone divisions for sale. More than I would ever expect to see at a show..

Ellen,Smithtown,New York
What was the average price for the paphs?

Yassir_Islam
Everything from $25 to $1500. It really depends on the cross/clone. I didn't see tons of maudiae types for sale though. I did see many sanderianum hybrids and other multilfloras, many in spike or bud.

OK folks. Here is the last page..the sales. See the disas in bloom for sale!? Quality of plants for sale reflected that in the displays. Seen nothing quite like it-perfect blooms and foliage on many of these.

Ellen,Smithtown,New York
It gives you a goal to try and move toward.

JanetteH (beautiful day in the foothills of NC)
Yassir, did you buy any plants???

marylois
And I just received an email to join OrchidSafari from Japan - someone Yassir told about OrchidSafari *G* - our ambassador to the Japan Grand Prix. *G*

Jade from G R
Yassir. This was really a lovely and informative presentation. Thanks so much for sharing it with us.

Yassir_Islam
Janette, its hard to get the paperwork to bring them back in. I did pick-up one flask (paphs of course) which wasn't a problem to bring in.

You're all welcome. I really enjoyed giving the tour. Perhaps you'll have a chance to go yourself some day.

marylois
BRAVO!!!!

AORCHID (art, simpsonville sc)
applause!!!!!

Yassir_Islam
All these photos (with the exception of those kindly on loan from Dr Tanaka) will be on the Argus orchids website soon. I have a couple more that you haven't seen as I didn't want to bore with an overly long presentation.

JanetteH (beautiful day in the foothills of NC)
Looking a beautiful orchids is never boring, Yassir.

marylois
It was perfect...feel free to bore us anytime, Yassir. *S*

NOTICE: I am very pleased to announce that the Tokyo Dome Orchid Show 1999 photos have been uploaded to the Argus Orchids website. There are about nine pages of photos. Some of these may take time to upload, but I think you'll agree it's worth the wait. In addition to paphs, there are of course many other types of orchids featured. You can begin your tour of the show either from our homepage or the photo gallery page. There are several photos that were not part of the OS presentation on this topic.YASSIR - 30 -