The Orchid Patch

Alaska's Source for Orchids and Supplies

Highlights

Best known for:

In Alaska, when people talk about "the Orchid Lady", everyone knows they're speaking of Jane Bibee and The Orchid Patch.

Mission Statement:

We teach our customers how to successfully grow orchids in the Alaskan home. Our goal is to help others love orchids and the process of growing them as much as we do.

Address:

1300 W. 47th Avenue

Anchorage, AK 99503

Phone/Fax: 907-561-7991

E-mail: orchids@alaska.net

Hours:

Open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 11a-3p, or by appointment

The Beginning of Jane's Addiction

Jane got her first orchids in 1980. Both her father and her boss vacationed in Hawaii and brought her back a couple of little 2" pots. Jane, always a plant and flower lover, was hooked from the time the first dendrobiumflowered with thirteen fragrant blossoms that lasted three months. When that same plant repeated it's performance a few months later, she became a collector. She still has that first dendrobium,but avoids talking about the rest of the little pots.

Twenty years ago in Alaska there was no support, no expertise, and very little knowledge available for orchid growers. Jane found the Sunset book Orchidsat a greenhouse and that led her to the The American Orchid Society. Through their booklist, Jane purchased Rebecca Northens Home Orchid Growing and Orchids as House Plants. These books gave her the technical foundation, and years of orchid growing have given her the experience to be a good orchid grower. After learning about orchids, Jane is amazed that the dendrobiumdidn't die its first year with her. She attributes that only to "beginners luck".

Finding Others Also Obsessed

Jane attended the first gathering of Anchorage orchid growers in the late 1980's. Over the years, Jane worked very hard at making the Alaska Orchid Society a happy, healthy and fun place for anyone with an interest in orchids. She has held all positions in the club at one time or another, sometimes a few concurrently, and published the newsletter for eight years.

The Ultimate Addiction

In 1990, Jane decided to open The Orchid Patch, so Alaskans could have a "hands on" orchid shopping experience, not to mention the hope that the business could feed her own addiction. She and her husband, Bruce, built the greenhouse with a lot of help from their friends. In 1992, The Orchid Patch held its grand opening. Even after all these years, Jane still thinks it's Christmas when new shipments come in.

Through the years, Jane's friendliness and her enthusiasm for orchids has helped start many a beginning grower on their way to what she considers "the ultimate hobby" for Alaskans. To have flowers and fragrance during the long winter months is a testament that life will come again outside.

The Orchid Patch

The Orchid Patch is loaded with orchids; people laughingly call Jane "The Queen of Cram". Somehow she can always find room to fit more plants in. Jane and her husband have four children; three teenage boys and a five year old daughter, and now also have a live-in niece. With all these children, she doesn't have as much time to work with the plants as she'd like, as a result she has warned her plants to "adapt or die". Looking at all the blooming specimen-sized plants, it's obvious they're mostly happy to "adapt".

Sam, a friend of Jane's who has been an orchid enthusiast for over 40 years, helps out in The Orchid Patch since his retirement from the U. S. Postal Service. Sam's plants are grown in his home, most under lights. He has a wonderful collection of small-growing plants, and prefers those with fragrance that bloom more than once a year.

We are the local experts on orchids, and are knowledgeable about the types of orchids available and also their unique growing conditions. Our greenhouse is large enough that we can stock the strange and exotic varieties in addition to the more commonly grown orchids. To ensure our customers' success with their new orchid, every purchase is accompanied by a detailed discussion of each plant's individual needs. For later, at home reference, we include The American Orchid Society's Culture Sheets. Customers are encouraged to call if they have any questions, or bring their plants in for a quick "check-up". Jane travels whenever possible to identify new suppliers of quality orchids, and she is currently receiving some of the best plants that she has ever offered. Friendliness and dedication to customer satisfaction is what has always set this business apart from its competition.

The Orchid Patch is so unique in its location that the locals bring the tourists by to show it off. With canaries, finches, a parrot, and all the exotic flowering plants -- if it had sand and waves you'd think you were in Hawaii.

By customer request, Jane recently started stocking companion plants: Nepenthes,the carnivorous pitcher plants; Cryptanthus, Anthuriums, Bromeliadsand different exotic ferns.

Location and Hours

Please come by and visit during the open hours, or we can make an appointment for you. Being situated close to the airport makes it convenient for growers from communities outside of Anchorage to use their layovers here for an Orchid Patch visit.

We are off of Tudor Road, between Arctic Blvd. and Minnesota Blvd. From Tudor Road, turn south onto Cambridge Way (at the elementary school). Then turn right on West 47th Avenue. We are on the left: 1300 W. 47th Avenue. There is a sign in the carport and a sign at the gate.

The Orchid Patch is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 am to 3 pm. Closed some Holiday weekends. Other visits by appointment only.

No Mail Order sales.

If you aren't able to come by and visit us, you can contact us at orchids@alaska.net