Walter Orchard : Disas of the Western Cape, South Africa 

Walter Orchard hails originally from South Africa. He became interested in disas through his father, who grew them successfully in his retirement. He and his wife Christine now live in Yachats on the central Oregon coast where the local climate and water supply are ideal for disa growing. Walter’s disa collection is hosted by Jim Rassmann, in nearby Florence. When not repotting disas he can be found uprooting invasive weeds, cycling on the forest roads around Yachats, playing bridge or baking artisan bread.

Orchard recently had a special orchid – a Disa hybrid that he created from two other Disa hybrids – registered with the Royal

Horticultural Society at the Kew Gardens. It’s called Disa Amanda, in honor of Amanda De-Cuys, a blind Native American who in 1864 was forced by U.S. government troops to leave her husband and daughter and walk from Coos Bay to a military camp in Yachats.

Orchard does more than grow orchids. He’s also busy as one of the organizers of the Yachats Trails Committee and president of the Quiet Water Homeowners Association. Christine Orchard is on the Yachats Planning Commission.

Website: https://afrodisa.weebly.com/