How does the OSGB Online Table Show work?

Updated

The OSGB Online Table Show lets members enter blooming orchids for judging by OSGB judges without attending a physical meeting. It is aimed at people who can't get to meetings in person, or whose plants flower at times when no show is scheduled. To take part, follow the instructions on the Online Table Show page of osgb.org.uk and submit your plants there.

Who it is for

The OSGB describes itself as a club for anyone who grows orchids, "whether on a windowsill or professionally." The Online Table Show extends that to people who can't be there in person. The society's own framing of the problem is direct: if you can't get to physical meetings, or your orchids bloom when there are no events to show them at, the online show is the route in.

How it works

Based on the society's description, the process has three parts:

  1. Check the instructions. The Online Table Show page carries the entry instructions; the OSGB says to follow them as written.
  2. Enter your plants. Submit your blooming orchids through that page rather than bringing them to a hall.
  3. Get them judged. OSGB judges assess the entries, so your plants are put "through their paces" by the same judging pool used for the society's shows.

The site does not publish the entry deadlines, class structure, or fees on the pages summarised here, so treat the Online Table Show page itself as the authoritative source before you plan an entry.

What you need before entering

  • Membership. The site's call to action next to the online show information is "Click to become a member," which suggests entry sits within membership rather than being open to the public. Confirm this on the Online Table Show page.
  • A plant in bloom. The show is built around orchids flowering at times when nothing else is on, so timing your entry to a plant in flower is the practical prerequisite.
  • Willingness to follow the stated format. Because judging happens remotely, the instructions on the page are what make an entry judgeable; deviating from them is the most likely way to have an entry missed.

Where it fits in the wider society

The Online Table Show is one of several ways the OSGB supports growers. The same membership that opens the online show also gives access to lectures, a quarterly journal, a comprehensive library, exhibiting at shows, and cultural advice, plus care guides published on the site. If your main interest is learning to grow better rather than showing, the care guides and lectures may matter more; if you want your plants assessed, the online table is the low-travel option.

For anyone who grows on a windowsill and can't reach a meeting, the practical next step is to open the Online Table Show page, read the entry instructions, and time an entry to your next orchid in bloom.