Time: Tuesday 1 August 2023 at 7.30pm (BST)
Ogie Placido has recently been featured in Garden News Magazine about the changing face of succulent collectors in the 21st Century. He was born in the Philippines and has been living in the UK since May 2008. As a young boy, as far back as he can remember, he was surrounded by plants on the family farm. His passion for cultivation and propagation was influenced by his grandfather who is an agriculturist/farmer. He was exposed to planting and cultivating crops and they have become second nature to him. When he was in secondary school, one of his favourite subjects was biology and the plants that he collected back then were orchids, bromeliads, small cacti and other succulents.
Last year he decided to concentrate on his nursery, propagating and breeding aloes together with carnivorous plants as a full-time career. This decision came after working as a head chef/catering manager for a rehabilitation and care home in Bristol.
Ogie’s talk will focus on recent trends in Aloe hybrids and why there is the need to have different gene pools to create his very own lines dedicated to achieving vibrant colours, varied textures, shapes and the size of the rosette. He will also share his experiences and details of the journey that has influenced him and his breeding program. Last year he visited notable aloe hybrid nurseries in The Philippines and Thailand.
The evolving fashion in plants and their spatial requirements will also be a part of the conversation; and why we need to provide small-sized aloes that appeal to everyone, especially the new collectors. These plants are perfect for windowsills in apartment blocks and provide needed character and colours all year round. And we’re not forgetting the greenhouses of the avid collectors of cacti and other succulents.