Lifestyle & Entertainment
6 September, 2026
A passion in full bloom
JOHN Welsh only has to step into his backyard to be surrounded by the plants that have fascinated him for more than 40 years. Look to the right and there is an impressive greenhouse packed with orchids. Look to the left and there is another. Between them are decades of collecting, growing and learning about a family of plants Mr Welsh still talks about with the enthusiasm of someone who has only just discovered them.
Among his collection is a Paphiopedilum Chouvetii ‘Van Dyke’, a striking orchid which reliably puts on a show each year.
“It flowers every year like that,” Mr Welsh said.
“It’s a good orchid.”
Later this month, Mr Welsh and his fellow Stawell Orchid Society members will share their enthusiasm with a much bigger audience when the society stages its 28th Spring Show at the Stawell Entertainment Centre from September 18 to 20.
Mr Welsh expects about 18 displays, with the Main Street venue transformed for the occasion.
“The whole hall should be full of orchids,” he said.
The show draws visitors from well beyond Stawell, including Melbourne and South Australia.
For those who admire orchids but have always considered them too difficult to grow, Mr Welsh has a simple message.
“Everybody’s a bit frightened of them,” he said.
“They reckon they’re hard to grow, but they’re not. They grow very easy.”
Potting demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday will give visitors the chance to pick up some growing tips from experienced orchid growers.
“When we break a plant up, we give them the bits we break off to grow in a pot,” Mr Welsh said.
There will also be plants for sale, growing advice and an indoor plant competition open to the public.
The show runs from 9am to 5pm Friday, 9am to 4pm Saturday and 10am to 3pm Sunday.
Entry is $5, with children admitted free and tea and coffee included.
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