Valerie Rooney had been growing orchids for almost 10 years before she entered her first plant into an orchid show. Call it beginner’s luck or that Rooney had perfected her orchid growing skills, but she won the Grand Champion award for best flower at the Naples Orchid Society show in 2025.
“It was definitely a shock,” Rooney shares. “I entered only the one plant in the show. I knew it was beautiful.”
Rooney won $300 for her Cattleya Bonanza Queen along with a certificate, now framed and hanging on her wall, from the American Orchid Society.
“Even if you have only one plant, bring it in,” Rooney says encouragingly. “It might be unusual or the flowers are just perfect.”…