Don't be nervous! The shows are fun! Here are two that are easy, fragrant, and bloom more than once a year and are in the oncidium family:
Burr. Nelly Isler 'Swiss Beauty', onc. Twinkle

A small, fragrant den: dendrobium oligophyllum

Some other easy ones: brassavola Little Stars or brassavola nodosa, Maxillaria tenuifolia, angraecum didieri

Good luck and have a good time! If you get something on impulse, just post and ask here. :)

Also, even if you don't go the first day, still go to the vendors before looking at the exhibits!

If its the Edmonton one you refer to, don't forget that the first day is noon on Friday! And it finishes at 4:00 on Sunday.

Hello fellow orchidaholics--

Just back from my first show and I had a wonderful time--and, amazingly enough, stayed pretty close to my budget.

I drooled over the displays, talked with various vendors, and attended a good beginner's seminar that covered the basics of media, water, light, and airflow. Oh, and the cranky teenager was in a relatively good mood (I bribed her with a nice dinner at a "real" restaurant on the way home)....

Sorry I didn't get pix--was too busy drooling and making notes, but seemed like tons of gorgeous plants everywhere I looked.

So, here's what I purchased:

Den. kingianum (nice 4 " pot--and it's filled edge to edge)--wow, it's got a nice, sweet fragrance, strong without being overpowering.

Phal. Fantasy Musick Micro Nova x equestris (small white flowers with fuschia lip)

Encyclia cordigera (in a 3" pot, and it was recommended I repot it when it comes out of bloom)--or at least most likely a cordigera--the seller couldn't guarantee it, but if it's not it's still a neat plant.

Encyclia polybulbon (in a 3" pot which it has filled edge to edge and climbing out)--I gather that this has been reclassified, so I'll have to look up the updated name.

Cat. schilleriana "Paradise Blue" (2" pot)

LC. Tanya Dunean "Seattle Blue" (2" pot)

BC. Maikai Mayumi (2" pot filled edge to edge with almost as much growing out of the pot as is inside it--it's overgrown and the seller recommended I repot it soon)

Any comments and care tips on all of these new plants would be appreciated!

Also, I was in Kroger on Thurs and found an interesting Phal (no ID of course, but it's neither the usual large flowered hybrid nor a regular mini)--it features multibranching sprays of 3-4 cm wide white flowers with a bit of marking on the lip, a few very pale pink "veins" on the backs of the petals, and no fragrance. I hope to get a picture posted on the ID section on the website and see if anyone recognizes it--I think it's gorgeous. The flower shape reminds me a bit of the Phal. Fantasy Musick I bought today....

So, thank you to all who answered my questions. You have helped create yet another addict.

Catherine

Sounds like you had a great time...And showed some restraint too. Not bad for a first timer

Sounds like a great haul! Glad you had a good time!

Look at you getting some species! Great haul, sounds like a nice collection coming along. :)

Good Job. I have Kingianum and it is easy and floriferous. It likes to be pot bound, So don't rush to re-pot. Mine's in bloom right now (purple/Pink color) and smells wonderful. I saw one at the Philadelphia Flower show that had thousands of blooms on it. It was huge and draping down over what must have been a big pot or basket (it was invisible under the mass of orchid!) Someday, I want to have a specimen like that one.

Good luck with your haul; looks like great choices!

Happy Growing!

Mine's outside getting near freezing temperatures for a few weeks in the hopes of getting it into bloom! I got it in my society raffle so I've no idea what it's like, but keeping my fingers crossed. I think it's probably a wild type rather than a line bred plant (line bred ones, which may have a 'clone name', are apparently easier to get to flower... )

WOW, great haul! I love your phal and catt selections!!!