THE GRANTING OF THIS AWARD RECOGNISES THAT:-

As a child, Ted had an interest in orchids growing on trees and rocks, and before he was 10 years old, had established quite a collection of the native orchids of his area, the Gloucester Tops, NSW.

For over 50 years they visited Alum Mountain, NSW, looking for Dendrobium orchids.

Ted located the natural hybrids Den. Gillian Leaney on Alum Mountain,  NSW, Den. x suffusum from Doyles River, NSW and received a piece of the original Den. x delicatum, found in 1884 on Spring Bluff just outside of Toowoomba Qld.

Ted located many other natural Dendrobium hybrids from Alum Mountain that were described by Rev, Rupp in the 1930s as Dendrobium kestevenii and documented where the various forms were collected.

Ted and Barbara shared most of the natural hybrids with other native orchid enthusiasts.

In 1979 Ted and Barbara established a mail order nursery, Merrellen Orchids, at Eagle Heights, Mount Tamborine, Qld. and successfully produced a vast range of sibling seedlings of Den. kingianum and Den. speciosum, to name just a few, plus many hybrids of  both Dendrobium and Sarcochilus orchids for over 20 years.

Ted and Barbara produced the first coloured catalogue of Australian Dendrobium and Sarcochilus seedlings in 1991 and in 1992, a book: Ted Gregory’s Guide to Growing Native Orchids.

Ted and Barbara were members of numerous orchid societies and willingly shared their knowledge of Australian native orchids freely, with many articles written and published.