VAOS Meeting Sept 6th, 2023 @ 7:00pm (Doors open @ 6:30pm)

Location: Venice Community Center (Doors open at 6:30pm)

Jim-N-I Orchids  – Jim & Melana Davison

Topic – Catasetum

Jim and Melana Davison are AOS Accredited Judges. They have an extensive and diverse orchid collection that seems to be continuously growing. In addition to caring for their orchids, they are actively involved in several South Florida orchid societies. Melana is the current President of the Orchid Society of Coral Gables and past President of the South Dade Amateur Orchid Club. Jim is the past President of the Orchid Society of Coral Gables and the East Everglades Orchid Society. 

Jim’s appreciation for orchids stems from his scientific background. Before his recent retirement, he worked as a Nuclear Chemistry Manager at the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant. Melana is more interested in the aesthetic qualities of orchids, especially the ones that look strange and other worldly. She owns her own Orchid Maintenance business and is known as “The Orchidiva.” They are currently preparing a new greenhouse and shade area and have opened their own retail nursery, Jim-N-I Orchids.. Together, Jim and Melana have 7 grown children and five grandchildren. They live in Homestead with their 2 dogs, four of the five grandchildren and 5,000 plus orchids in their own collection, many more in the nursery. 

They specialize in Catasetinae, Florida natives, and collectable species and hybrids. The “Catasetum” presentation will showcase the diverse and amazing horticulturally Important Catasetinae species and their hybrids. These easy to grow orchids are a wonder to all. 

They will have plants for sale 

VAOS will not have a meeting on July 5th, Instead, we will join EAOS at their July 17th meeting:

Every summer, when things slow down, we join our sister orchid society, the Englewood Area Orchid Society (EAOS), in a joint meeting. In July EAOS will host the VAOS at their July 17th meeting.

Location: St. Davids Episcopal Church
401 S. Broadway
Englewood, FL
(Behind Stephanos Restaurant and Bealls Outlet)
Doors open at 6:30pm. Meeting starts at 7pm
Speaker: Katie Caldwell
Topic: Hurricane Preparation for Your Orchids: Hurricane Charlie and Ian Experience