Orchids Abound at RHS Garden Wisley

Phragmipedium China Dragon, Phrag, Lady Slipper orchid hybrid flower, Glasshouse, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, UKBrassidium Yoshiichi Nakagawa, orchid hybrid flowers, Glasshouse, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, UKStanhopea dodsoniana, orchid species flower, weird flower, Glasshouse, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, UK

Coelogyne orchid flowers, Glasshouse, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, UKPaphiopedilum philippense dark x Saint Swithin, Lady Slipper orchid hybrid flower, Paph, Glasshouse, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, UKThe Glasshouse, large greenhouse next to pond in autumn, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, UK

RHS Garden Wisley doesn’t have Kew Gardens’ international reputation, or Oxford Botanic Garden’s ancient pedigree, but it does have plenty of amazing orchids. Wisley is located south of London in Surrey County. When Dave and I visited in early December, its large Glasshouse featured lots of elegant Lady Slippers, dazzling Stanhopeas, and other orchids in bloom.

Stanhopea shuttleworthii, orchid species flowers, side view of flowers, weird flowers, Glasshouse, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, UKStanhopea graveolens, orchid species flowers, weird flowers, Glasshouse, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, UKStanhopea orchid flower, close-up of strange flower lip, weird flower, Glasshouse, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, UK

In addition to the Glasshouse displays, we stumbled on orchids in one of the small Alpine Houses. The last two photos in this post show a delightful Pterostylis truncata, an Australian Greenhood species, flowering in the cooler temps.  It’s a good reminder that orchids may turn up in unexpected places.

Nageliella purpurea, AKA Domingoa purpurea, orchid species flowers, small purple flowers, , Glasshouse, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, UKDendrochilum flowers, orchid species flowers, Chain Orchid, Glasshouse, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, UKVanda orchid flowers, Glasshouse, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, UK

Paphiopedilum hybrid orchid flower, Lady Slipper, Paph, Glasshouse, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, UKPterostylis truncata, Greenhood flower, brittle greenhood, little dumpies, orchid species flower, Australian orchid, Glasshouse, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, UKPterostylis truncata, Greenhood flower, brittle greenhood, little dumpies, orchid species flower, Australian orchid, Glasshouse, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, UK

Wisley has lots more than its glasshouses. Much of the garden was dormant, but it surely must be spectacular during the growing season. Dating to 1878, Wisley covers 240 acres (97 hectares.) I’ll have another post soon about some of the winter interest and more floral highlights. There are multiple public transportation options from London to the garden, some in as little as 45 minutes. Wisley contains several cafes and restaurants onsite, making it easy to spend the day there.

Explore posts in the same categories: Botanical Gardens, Photos

Subscribe to the About Orchids Blog:
AddThis Feed Button

Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Comments are closed.