BOC Congresses

British Orchid Congresses, normally held every 18 months or so, form one of the pinnacles of the British orchid calendar.  Successive Congresses are hosted and organised on behalf of BOC by a different member Society - and therefore held in a different part of the country.

Each Congress comprises a three-day Orchid Show and lecture programme (the first day is primarily for staging) drawing exhibitors, speakers and visitors from around the world.  It may also act as a host to meetings of various specialist groups.  All plants in the Show are judged for BOC awards, by teams of qualified judges drawn from the BOC list accompanied by visiting judges from overseas.  Additionally, the RHS Orchid Committee meets to consider plants for RHS awards.

The Future

2008

23^rd British Orchid Congress, Dawlish Warren, Devon

Dates

24 - 26 October 2008

Host

Devon Orchid Society

Further information is not available as yet

The Past

2006

22^nd British Orchid Congress, Weston-Super-Mare

Dates

29 September - 1 October 2006

2003

21^st British Orchid Congress, London

Dates

12 - 16 March 2003

This was subsumed in the 13^th European Orchid Congress, hosted jointly by the RHS and BOC. 

2000

20^th British Orchid Congress, Leeds

Dates

8 - 10 September 2000

Host

Harrogate Orchid Society

1999

19^th British Orchid Congress, Llandudno

Dates

17 - 19 September 1999

Host

Cheshire & North Wales Orchid Society

1998

18^th British Orchid Congress, Canterbury

Dates

3 - 5 April 1998

Host

South East Orchid Society

1996

17^th British Orchid Congress, Sheffield

Dates

12 - 14 April 1996

Host

Sheffield & District Orchid Society

1995

16^th British Orchid Congress, Brighton

Dates

21 - 23 April 1995

Host

Southern Counties Orchid Society

1993

15^th British Orchid Congress, Lincoln

Dates

5 - 7 November 1993

Host

East Midlands Orchid Society

1992

14^th British Orchid Congress, Bournemouth

Dates

24 - 26 April 1992

Host

Bournemouth Orchid Society

1990

13^th British Orchid Congress, Edinburgh

Dates

October 1990

Host

Scottish Orchid Society

1989

12^th British Orchid Congress, Tatton Park. Knutsford

Dates

June 1989

Host

North of England Orchid Society

1988

11^th British Orchid Congress, Cheltenham

Dates

25 - 27 March 1988

Host

Cheltenham & District Orchid Society

1986

10^th British Orchid Congress, Maidenhead

Dates

[autumn] 1986

Host

Thames Valley Orchid Society

1985

9^th British Orchid Congress, London

Dates

19 - 23 March 1985

This event combined with the 7^th European Orchid Congress as the International Centenary Orchid Conference, to celebrate the centenary of the Royal Horticultural Society's first-ever Orchid Conference, held in May 1885.  The ICOC was hosted jointly by the RHS, BOC, BOGA and EOC (European Orchid Council).

1983

8^th British Orchid Congress, Norwich

Dates

[autumn] 1983

Host

1982

7^th British Orchid Congress, Sheffield

Dates

[spring] 1982

Host

Sheffield & District Orchid Society

1980

6^th British Orchid Congress, Dawlish Warren, Devon

Dates

22 - 23 November 1980

Host

Devon Orchid Society

· · · further details will be added in due course  · · ·