Carol Beule is an EMMY award winning Costume Designer with a Master of Fine Arts in both Costume and Lighting Design from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She was a professional Costume Designer from 1974 until her retirement in July of 2017, and has designed for Film, Commercials, Theatre productions and TV shows. She lived in NYC for the first 15 years of her career.

Growing orchids in NYC was not considered possible, so she has grown orchids only since moving to Southern California in 1992. Growing outside with no greenhouse in Studio City at the edge of the San Fernando Valley was sometimes problematic. With temperatures ranging from 28 to 118 Fahrenheit, and humidity as low as 7%, it was usually a challenge. It has been her quest to find what will and will not bloom and prosper under these circumstances. Now however, she has 2 very small greenhouses to help.

In her search to find the perfect plant for her growing area, Carol discovered the Japanese orchid called Neofinetia (Vanda) falcata and various other species that thrive outside in Southern California, depending on the growing medium used. Carol grows various forms of Sarcochilus, Paphiopedilum, Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Laelia, Dendrobium, Lycaste, Zygopetalum and Asian Cymbidiums.

Carol is a Fully Accredited American Orchid Society Judge, the 1st VP of the Orchid Society of Southern California, and is on the committee that creates the Society’s display for the Huntington’s annual October Orchid Show. When she retired, she started making ceramic pots for the Japanese/Korean/Chinese orchid called the Neofinetia (Vanda) falcata, Asian Cymbidiums and other small plants.  She grows in 2 small greenhouses and outside in her yard in Studio City, CA.  She has grown orchids only since buying her home.

Carol wrote an article for the American Orchid Society magazine on the pots used to display the Vanda falcata in Japan and the plant’s cultural heritage in 2022. The 1st part was published in February of 2022, and Part’s 2 & 3 continued through the year.

Carol normally brings any of her blooming Neofinetia or their hybrids along for members to view and smell when she speaks, along with several Vanda falcata pots. For Zoom meetings, she has some plants & pots near her desk to show.

During her search, Carol has had the opportunity to see a wide variety of growers in Japan.  She has seen some of the best of the best and their techniques.  This will be a wonderful opportunity to learn new techniques from some of the best of the best.