AboutOrchids

The Chelsea Flower Show has celebrated its 100th birthday. London’s biggest gardening event welcomed its next century with typical pomp and floral beauty, and an added element: gnomes. As always, orchids were a big part of the show. Word spread early that one of Britain’s rarest orchids had its own team of bodyguards. The extraordinary Lady Slipper on display, Cypripedium calceolus, almost became extinct in Britain, and sadly, some orchid lovers just can’t be trusted. The plant is small enough for a thief to pocket, unlike a large, bronze Moth Orchid statue.

Orchid award winners included this gold-winning exhibit from the Eric Young Orchid Foundation, featuring orchids varieties from 100 years ago. More impressive exhibits from McBean’s Orchids and Akerne Orchids come courtesy of these two short videos from Jose Santos:

While you’d be forgiven for thinking the show is more about celebrity and fashion than plants, controversy has long been part of the event. News coverage from the past century shows plenty of thorny commentary among the praise. No matter your stand, any orchid lover can enjoy the video below showing the Queen admiring an orchid display. She even smiles a few times at the end. That’s Chelsea Flower Show gold.

 

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This entry was posted on Saturday, May 25th, 2013 at 9:00 am and is filed under Events, General Gardening, In the News, Videos.

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