Nicole Smith receives one of the orchids that Lindsay Owen is gifting to the Gardens

Lindsay Owen is a retired secondary school history teacher. Originally from South Africa and Zambia, Lindsay has had a lifelong passion for orchids, growing cymbidiums and leopard orchids while living in Africa. Cycads were another plant group of interest. Lindsay also taught in Saudi Arabia, and then in Waitara after they moved to New Zealand. Lindsay and Eileen moved to Whanganui, where Lindsay taught at Wanganui Collegiate School and Eileen was an anaesthetist at the hospital. 

In Whanganui, Lindsay picked up the interest again, and is currently growing a range of orchid species. The couple have been members of the Wanganui Orchid Society since 2005, and are involved in the various events, such as meetings and shows (Covid permitting). They enjoy the fellowship and shared interests of the members. 

Lindsay is keen on promoting and contributing to Bason Botanic Gardens. He said “It is such a lovely facility, and it’s great to see it used so well by the public. It’s nice to know that we have such an asset on our doorstep, and I’m keen to support it where possible”. 

As a result, Lindsay donated a number of his orchids to the Gardens, to be displayed in the Larsen Orchid House when in bloom. The plants include cymbidiums, cattleyas and coelogynes. Nicole Smith, who is employed by contractors Fulton Hogan to look after the conservatories, was thrilled to receive the plants, and commented how well they complement and add to the existing collection.