Preparing for Kew’s Orchid Festival
In London, the world’s preeminent botanical garden invites you to escape winter by enjoying a tropical orchid festival. The Princess of Wales Conservatory at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is never colder than 70°F (21°C,) and it’s getting ready for “Orchids 2014: A Plant Hunter’s Paradise.” The festival runs Saturday, February 8th to Sunday, March 9th. You can buy tickets online at Kew’s website.
Go behind the scenes with Kew’s Tropical Nursery Blog to explore the festival’s preparations. Many of the exhibit’s plants are imported from greenhouses in the Netherlands, which is one of the world’s orchid-growing capitals. Kew’s horticulture team visits the Netherlands in December to look at the latest hybrid varieties. Moth Orchids arrive in London three weeks before the show, and continue to hold their blooms throughout the month-long display. On the other hand, Vandas arrive last. Since they need very strong light, Vandas need to stay in well-lit greenhouses until the week before the show. Other orchid varieties on exhibit come from Kew’s own Tropical Nursery. They include many rare and unusual species. This annual event promises to dazzle again, and it’s a great excuse to come in from the cold.
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