THE ORCHID
CHIEF
Get a taste
of the tropics with a visit to these
Virginia greenhouses.
A modest
wooden sign points the way to Chadwick &
Son Orchids in Powhatan, Virginia, a
rural town near Richmond.
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The
arrow sends visitors down a long
gravel driveway canopied with
trees, depositing them at the
side of a log cabin backed by a
collection of squatty
greenhouses covered with black
netting.
First-timers approach the door
marked "Enter" a bit timidly,
not sure what they'll find
inside. But when they push
through, a tropical paradise
awaits.
"People come out here just to
get away from the cooler
temperatures," Art |
Chadwick, Jr., admits cheerfully. "When
you're in our greenhouses, you can
almost imagine you're in Hawaii."
Cool-Weather
Blooms
Once
considered plants for hobbyists, orchids
now rank among the most popular
houseplants in America. That's a trend
the Chadwicks use to their advantage.
Their greenhouses offer a dazzling array
of colorful orchids.
The most popular-and easiest to grow-is
the long-blooming moth orchid (Phalaenopsis
sp.). Peak season runs from January
through May, making this a wonderful
time to stop by. Visitors will also find
the other major classes, including
cattleya, the showy corsage orchid that
Art, Sr., is renowned for breeding.
House Calls
and Babysitting
In addition
to selling orchids, the staff at
Chadwick & Son help customers care for
them too. For $2 a month, they will
board your orchid until it blooms again.
Customers can either pick them up or
have them delivered once petals appear.
"It's like summer camp for orchids,"
says Art.
All in the
Family
Art, Jr.,
says his master plan never included
growing orchids. He grew up in
Wilmington, Delaware, where his father
bred the tropical plants as a hobby.
After receiving a degree in engineering
and landing a job in Richmond, Art
decided he wanted more.
When they decided on a joint venture,
Art, Sr., refused to leave his home in
Wilmington, and Art, Jr., was reluctant
to sell his log cabin in Powhatan. So
Art, Sr., breeds orchids and develops
new types in Delaware, while Art, Jr.,
and his wife, Rebecca, grow and sell
them to customers in the Richmond area
and around the country via overnight
delivery.
After 15 years, Art, Jr., recently
expanded the business. In November, he
opened a store in Richmond's Fan
District ([804] 359-6724). Still, his
big moment in the spotlight will come
this
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month
when he addresses the World
Orchid Conference in Dijon,
France. Art will discuss the
future of cattleyas, his
father's favorite orchid.
CASSANDRA M. VANHOOSER
Chadwick & Son Orchids: 1240
Dorset Road, Powhatan, VA 23139;
(804) 598-7560 or www.chadwick
orchids.com.
Copyright Southern Progress
Corporation Mar 2005
Provided by ProQuest Information
and Learning Company. All rights
Reserved |
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