Briefly

Triangle Orchid Show set for next weekend

Orchid fans, make some time Nov. 21-22 to get to Durham.

The Triangle Orchid Society is hosting a free “Fall for Orchids” show at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 21 and 1-4 p.m. Nov. 22.

Gardeners from orchid societies in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia will fill the main hall with orchids, all in peak bloom, as part of a flower competition. Society members will offer tours of the displays throughout the show.

The event also will include free orchid-growing workshops. There is no charge for the workshops, but preregistration is recommended because space is limited. Orchid plants and growing supplies will be available for sale.

For more information and workshop preregistration, go to triangleorchidsociety.org.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens is at 420 Anderson St., Durham.

Learn to grow mushrooms at home

Durham-based Bountiful Backyards will host its annual edible mushroom workshop on Dec. 5.

Bountiful Backyards staff will be joined by instructors from Duke’s Mycology Department to teach students the basics of home mushroom cultivation. All participants will drill and inoculate shiitake logs to take home with them as well as oyster mushroom spawn.

The class is 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Eastern Carolina Organics, 2210 E. Pettigrew St., Durham. The cost is $35. To register, go to bountifulbackyards.com and click on Workshops.

Worth noting: Bountiful Backyards will again be offering a “Landscapes You Can Eat Class” at Durham Technical Community College in February. Registration is not open yet, but you can get on the mailing list to be notified when it is by emailing bountifulbackyards@gmail.com.

Deck builder wins award

Raleigh-based Robco Deck and Fence won first place in a recent national deck competition.

The company won Best Alternative Deck ($21,000-$50,000) in the contest sponsored by the North American Deck and Railing Association. Owner Jay Robinson explained in an email that “alternative deck” is anything other than wood. His company built the award-winning deck on a Raleigh home using composite deck and rails.

Robco is a design-build construction company focused on decks, fences, screen porches, stone patios and fireplaces. Info: robcofenceanddeck.com.

This story was originally published November 11, 2015 at 1:07 PM with the headline "Briefly."