About Ratcliffe Orchids

A POTTED HISTORY:
Ratcliffe Orchids was begun pre-World War II in Chilton, Berkshire, England, by Ronnie and Edna Ratcliffe. In 1951 their elder daughter Mary joined them. In 1962 Mary married Paul Phillips who came into the family firm shortly before Ronnie's untimely death in 1965. Edna and Paul took up the reins (by now Mary was occupied in a different kind of nursery) and together spent the next 12 years vigorously promoting Ratcliffe Orchids world-wide. Mary returned in 1977 and Edna retired at the age of 70. In 1995 Claudia, the youngest of Paul and Mary's three children, and her husband Nik Whales, joined the company. In 1998 Paul and Mary came to Florida to open Ratcliffe Orchids LLC, leaving Claudia and Nik to run the UK nursery in Winchester, England's ancient capital city.

Thus, for the past 50 years we at Ratcliffe's have been hybridizing and developing the special complex hybrid Paphiopedilum for which we are known world-wide. That's not to say we are interested only in complex Paphs - we grow and love all kinds of orchid, as long as they have a slipper!

In England at the turn of the century, for several years previously and certainly for decades thereafter, Paphs were greatly sought-after. The war years intervened and interest in orchids understandably waned; when it revived other genera (Cymbidium, Odontoglossum, and cool-growing types) took their turn in the spotlight until Paphs, particularly complex hybrids, came back into fashion in the late 1950s and early '60s. In the 70s and '80s hybrids lost popularity again and species and primaries became all the rage. Vinicolors then caught the attention of the orchid public, followed by the introduction of the new, exciting Chinese species and their lovely progeny; but a wheel must always turn full circle and nowadays the interest in Paph hybrids is back again in full force.