Since the mid-nineteen seventies HP has been actively involved in the culture, propagation and growing of phalaenopsis orchids. Since 1996, he has been propagating and growing phragmipediums, as well.  Please read The Birth of Blues, Our Introduction to Phragmipediums, and how HP strives for excellence on Reds or yellows, Phals or Phrags by Sandra Hardy.

H. P. Norton, owner of Orchidview, was best described by Greg at Carter and Holmes as 'a hobbyist out of control'. In 1976, after an early retirement because of health problems, HP bought his first phalaenopsis from Jemmco Flowers at St. George, SC. Mike Osborne, one of the owners, became a close friend and his mentor. Mike urged him to pursue hybridizing yellow phals, which he did.

Today, H.P. is one of the best known and respected  growers of phalaenopsis orchids in the world.  His crosses have won dozens of  American Orchid Society awards.  He is sure you will be pleased with your purchase.

A Little History of H. P. Norton

In 1980, he crossed two of his then very few plants, Phal. Golden Pride and Phal. Dos Pueblos, which produced Phal. Wappaoola, his first step. In 1984 he used Phal. venosa ‘Red Mahogany’, AM/AOS and Phal. Golden Sands ‘Canary’, FCC/AOS to make Phal. Golden Bells. To date there have been 63 crosses registered with Golden Bells as a parent by more than a dozen different breeders. Orchidview’s Camp Bells (Julia Wilson x Golden Bells) proves that you can get blood red by using the yellow of Golden Bells. One of its progeny has received an FCC/RHS award. Phal. Lemon Candy (Hausermann’s Candy ‘York’, AM/AOS x venosa ‘Red Mahogany’, AM/AOS) has received 3 AM/AOS and 3 HCC/AOS awards.

By 1986, he had purchased Phal. Hausermann’s Goldcup and began a long series of crosses using it. The first was Phal. Golden Daybreak (Wappaoola x Hausermann’s Goldcup). In 2002 Dtps. Don Lee (Jim x Phal. Golden Daybreak) bloomed and may be HP's best orange flower to date.  1987 was a banner year with Phal.  Orchidview Gold with its seven AOS  awards, Phal. Caitlin with five AOS awards, not to mention Orchidview Headliner with 7 AOS awards; King’s Ransom with 4 AOS awards. These have proved to be incredible breeders.

All this is just to mention a few of his superior crosses that played a major part in Orchidview’s breeding program. In the past few years, Phal. Katie Morris and Dtps.Abed-nego have received AQ/AOS awards for the cross. Katie’s clones range from bright orange to deep red, while Abed-nego is a true red with a multitude of flowers on branching inflorescences. Dtps. Abed-nego and Dtps. Lonnie Morris are good examples of the reds coming from Doritis pulcherrima.

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