Blooming hobby sprouts show

A number of West Islanders will be showcasing their plants at the annual International Orchid Show being held downtown this weekend.

The show is being organized by the Eastern Canadian Orchid Society, headed by Dollard des Ormeaux resident Brian Dunbar. The club has about 70 members, many of them from the West Island.

“People really keen on orchids often want to belong to a group,” Dunbar said. “My wife and I have been members since 1997. You keep learning something new.”

He picked up the on the hobby of orchid growing after buying a plant for his wife around Valentine’s Day.

While all orchids have pretty blooms, some have a nicer scent than others. “Some are fragrant, some are not. Some even stink, are pungent but are still absolutely beautiful,” Dunbar said.

Orchids are a fascinating pastime, Dunbar said. “There are over 30,000 species and they are still continuing to find new ones,” he said. “There are also hybrids, with some 100,000 registered.”

At one time, Dunbar and his wife had about 400 plants at their home but have since scaled back. “It’s addictive; people really can get into it.”

Pierrefonds resident Carmen Chastel, a member of the club for about six years and its publicity co-ordinator for the upcoming show, said she likes the challenge of growing orchids.

“I first got one as a gift and liked the beauty of it,” Chastel recalled. “I then started to get different orchids and to see if I could get them flowering year after year. Some only bloom once a year, so it’s a challenge.”

The Eastern Canadian Orchid Society, dating back to 1953, is the second oldest club in Canada. Members meet the third Thursday of the month in St. Lambert between September and June, Chastel said.

The orchid show will be held Saturday (1 to 6 p.m.) and Sunday (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at the Days Hotel and Conference Centre, 1005 Guy St., Montreal. General tickets are $8 and $6 for seniors and children under 12. For more information, check www.ecosorchids.ca or call 514-684-3904.

Chronicle, Jacques Pharand