I was waiting for this flower extravaganza for a while, as it signifies the arrival of spring and the flower show season. We are now at the end of the bleak season when snowdrops are in full bloom and crocuses with daffodils are just about to open, but it is still a long time until the Chelsea flower show. So today I will share with you an escape to the land of colour – Kew’s Alluring Orchids 2015.
This orchid festival happens each year, but year after year it manages to impress me, since the displays get ever more sophisticated. This year they presented a masterpiece and a total must see! – a spiral-floating arrangement of orchids. There is so much to discover: arches made out of orchids, exotic birds made out of leaves, unconventional flower arrangements just to name a few. Most visitors are truly impressed. I overheard quite a few conversations in which people tried to explain this sensational pleasure and astonishment to their friends.
The exposition center is divided into areas with different climates, these sectioned rooms create a maze, so be careful not to miss anything interesting. Rooms with variable climates allow all kinds of orchids to bloom, no mater where in the world they are from. To give you a head up there is a room which shows flowers in an ‘unexpected light’; see flowers the way insects see them. This installation uses UV light which makes pollen visible. It is a truly captivating experience to walk into a dark room with flower displays that change their colour and allow you to see flowers from a different perspective.
Kew is offering a wide selection of experiences so everyone can find something interesting for themselves. If you are a big orchid fan and want to learn more about this flower, then do not miss Kew experts giving orchid related talks during the weekend. If botanical talks are not your cup of tea, then you can try Kew Lates/Orchids after dark; Organisers promise a pop-up bar selling drinks with a botanical twist in addition to flower a exposition.
Enough words, let photographs talk.
Allow plenty of time as there is so much more to see after you are finished with the Orchids.
I was mesmerized by lovely snowdrops and colourful camellias.
And a view of the flower shop that is located outside the Kew Gardens tube station.
In case Kew is a bit too far there are also orchid displays in the Cambridge University Botanic Garden (7 February – 22 March) and the New York Botanical Garden (28 February – 19 April).
Check websites for details kew.org, botanic.cam.ac.uk, nybg.org
