This Month’s Meeting:
“Treasures of the Thunder Dragon: Orchids of Bhutan” presented by Sandra Tillisch-Svoboda
Phaius
Our May 2026 meeting will be an in-person presentation by Sandra Tillisch-Svoboda. Sandra was fortunate enough to be able to travel to the Kingdom of Bhutan in 2007. It afforded her the opportunity to learn about the culture and flora of a very special country. She will share a bit about the culture and people of Bhutan and the orchids that grow in this country, where the landscape ranges from subtropical plains in the south to the sub-alpine Himalayan heights in the north.
Growing up in Minnesota, Sandra’s only exposure to orchids was that prom corsage. She began her orchid life as a pot washer for her late husband, Al, and became fascinated with the history of her husband’s complex paph collection, which included many oldies like Paph. F. C. Puddle. Al’s knowledge, love, and enthusiasm for orchids were contagious. When they built a second greenhouse, Sandra decided it would be hers, and that was when orchids became an important part of her life. Sandra is editor-in-chief of the Orchid Digest. She has served as president of the American Orchid Society, World Orchid Conference Trust, Cymbidium Society of America, and the Orchid Digest. Locally, she was president of the Orchid Society of Santa Barbara and the local branch of the Cymbidium Society. Sandra served on the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show board and, for several years, was the show manager of this prestigious show, one of the largest in the nation. Sandra is a senior accredited judge in the American Orchid Society. Besides the plants themselves and the never-ending opportunity to learn about them, Sandra loves being involved in the orchid world because it offers an opportunity to travel, meet, and work with many amazing and fascinating people.
Tigers Nest Monastery
2026 Membership Dues
Annual membership fee is $40 for individuals, $50 per household. Due in January, pay no later than March. See Treasurer Angela Watt during the meeting.
Are you interested in being more involved with OSSB?
We are seeking candidates for President and Vice President (includes Program Chair). Please contact PJ Sanderson for more details: pj-sb@hotmail.com or see her at the meeting.
Meeting refreshments
Remember to sign up to bring in light refreshments and beverages to each monthly meeting. Please see Hospitality Chair, Richard Hughes during the meetings.
Location Reminder
We are now meeting at Maravilla on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, except March and August.
Directions: From Calle Real, enter Maravilla and bear left. On the right is a lawn with a flagpole. The meeting rooms are to the left of the lawn with a flagpole. To park, continue to drive around a loop that will lead you to the parking lot. Additional parking is available to the right as you drive in, any parking space without a number is available. Meeting Rooms: AOS Judging in the Galleria Room, Orchid Society in the Valencia Room.
OSSB on the web: Orchid Society of Santa Barbara
Upcoming Orchid Events
Conejo Orchid Society Sale: May 29-30, Newbury Park Library
Orchid Digest Speakers Day: June 20, 2026, at the Huntington, 10:00 am – 7:30 pm, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. Speakers: Jack Zhu – Asian Cymbidiums, Nicholas Rust – Terrestrial Orchids, Daniel Geiger – Oberonia, Jason L. Downing – The Million Orchid Project. Attend in person or remote. If you attend, lectures, happy hour and dinner are included. Register by June 12th. Full info: June 2026 OD Speakers Day
July Orchid Sales at Nurseries Santa Barbara Orchid Estate and Cal-Orchid, usually the middle weekend of July, information not yet available on when or if these will occur.