When I joined the Kenya Orchid Society towards the beginning of September 2019, it was more to support my childhood friend, who was the Chairperson then, more than anything else. Having killed a lot of plants that weren’t just orchids, it was a rather audacious move on my part to join a society that focused only on these gorgeous, exotic plants. I had a bit of a giggle at that and thought to myself that I had managed to bring up my children without any problems so I could use that same focus on plants. 

In the middle of the month, just a couple of weeks after I joined, I went for my first official meeting and was warmly welcomed by the Society. They were in the midst of preparing for their annual orchid show. I have been to many of these as a guest and had always marvelled at the creativity of each theme and how the members went all out to depict that theme with their beautiful collections of orchids. As I mingled, a senior member whom I knew well, welcomed me to the society and urged me to take part. I looked at him in horror. 

“What do you mean?! I only just joined!” I gasped at him. 

He laughed and said something that has stuck with me to date. 

“Kamal, what’s the point of being in a society if you are not going to participate?” he said. 

That struck something in me and, impulsively, I wrote my name down to take part. As a novice entrant, I could get away with displaying just six plants. The theme was around everything vintage so I went for Vintage Music and used my old gramophone and records as props. With a lot of support, I was awarded two ribbons for my plants and I was ecstatic. With renewed confidence in my capabilities, it was time to get serious and go bigger the following year but unfortunately Covid-19 happened and we all just chilled in our homes. 

Fast forward to 2023, the show is announced but I feel I don’t have enough plants to display as many had bloomed earlier because of the changing weather patterns, I suppose. Five days before the setup begins, there’s an invitation extended to all members to attend a cocktail at one of the senior committee member’s home, to welcome the judges for the show, who have travelled all the way from the United States of American. They are members of the American Orchid Society. 

Two excellent gin and tonics later, as the speeches were going on, I found myself pledging to take part in the show. I must ask the host what gin was served because the Dutch courage it gave me to participate in the nth hour was beyond audacious. Egged on by two other committee members, one of whom kept telling me that it’s never that serious, I felt I could take over the world. I got home and told my kids that I had decided to take part and my son said, “What level of impulsivity is this, Moxie?!”

The theme was from Batian to Kili and I chose the hiking aspect of it as a dedication to my children who have overcome a lot of odds in life and have hiked and climbedThere was no looking back now so I forged on, thriving on the stress I had suddenly created for myself, talking to my plants every day urging them to bloom in time for the show. . Imagine my delight when they actually paid heed and earned me three Highly Recommended awards! I was over the moon and rather pleased with myself for actually getting through the whole thing without collapsing of self-induced stress. 

As the show came to close, I was very determined that next year when I take part (please note I didn’t say “If”), I will have more plants in my repertoire and will enter them for the show. I lucked out because I was gifted four more gorgeous orchid plants to add to my collection. One is named after my friend (she’s constantly giving me bragging rights) and the three were a rather generous gift. 

With the same audacity I had post two gin and tonics when I signed up to participate in the show, I’m now going to try and prepare myself for next year’s annual Kenya Orchid Society’s show. Sans gin and tonic, of course…