AboutOrchids

With his recent London visit, Dave was able to enjoy some of Kew Garden’s wonders, including the remarkable Temperate House. Dating to 1863, the glasshouse had closed for five years of upgrades and renovations, and reopened last May to much fanfare. It’s the largest Victorian glasshouse in the world, and houses many rare plants which Kew tries to safeguard from extinction.

The Temperate House is 628 feet (191 m) long. During its restoration, workers set up 112 miles (180 km) of scaffolding, replaced 15,000 panes of glass, and used 1395 gallons (5280 l) of paint. With many new, young plants, visitors can easily admire the architectural details of the interior. As its trees grow taller over the years, they will fill the space and obscure some of the views.

Leave the winter cold behind with these spectacular orchid exhibits at acclaimed botanical gardens. Find previous listings for ongoing events here and here.

February 9 – March 10
Kew Gardens in London presents Orchids: Celebrate the Colour of Colombia. Enjoy flora and fauna from one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. See photos from the event’s setup in my earlier blog post.

February 9 – March 24
Chicago Botanic Garden brings you out of the cold and In the Tropics. Warm up with radiant orchid blooms under palm trees in this incredible flower show. On Thursday evenings, savor Orchids After Hours with tropical drinks.

February 9 – April 7
Atlanta Botanical Garden features beautiful orchids and award-winning floral photography in Orchid Daze. The exhibit also includes special Orchid Market Weekends and Valentines in the Garden.

February 23 – April 28
New York Botanical Garden transports visitors halfway around the globe for The Orchid Show: Singapore. Created in partnership with Singapore Botanic Gardens and Gardens by the Bay, the exhibit promises to bring orchid displays to new heights.

From February 9th until March 10th, Kew celebrates the orchids of Colombia. Dave visited the Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew Gardens last weekend, and saw that even the initial preparations for this event are spectacular. He found remarkable Moth Orchid towers and arches full of brilliant colors.

Colombia is home to over 4200 orchid species, more than any other country in the world. From hot, steamy Amazon jungles to chilly cloud forests high in the Andes, there is incredible diversity. Kew will celebrate Colombia’s flora and fauna with surprises around every corner. Escape London’s winter cold in a warm, tropical display, starting this Saturday.

This month, I’ve found listings for 48 events from 13 different countries. That includes two of the largest orchid shows in the world in Tokyo and San Francisco. Don’t miss these opportunities to immerse yourself in orchids!

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In addition to the previous listing of botanical garden exhibits, the orchid displays listed below offer warm, tropical escapes from the cold. All of these events are perfect for Valentine’s Day excursions, too.

January 26 – March 3
Art & Orchids: Invisible Links features botanical artwork at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina. The show is free with garden admission.

January 26 – March 10
Cleveland Botanical Garden celebrates Orchid Mania with thousands of flowers. The event will include a botanically-inspired fashion display, special Wednesday evening hours to enjoy orchids after dark, and much more.

February 2 – March 24
Enter into a tropical oasis at the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Orchid Show. The renowned institution will display the best of its large orchid collection in the Orthwein Floral Display Hall.

February 2 – April 28
The US Botanical Garden is working with Smithsonian Gardens to present Orchids: Amazing Adaptions in Washington DC. Hundreds of orchids will be on display in the Kogod Courtyard at the National Portrait Gallery.

The Filoli Orchid Show spotlights great orchids inside a celebrated mansion. Filoli Historic House and Garden in Woodside, California is always worth a visit, and the orchids are a beautiful bonus. Even if you’ve never heard of Filoli, you may recognize the estate from its many Hollywood appearances, including the TV show Dynasty, and the films Heaven Can Wait, George of the Jungle, and The Joy Luck Club.

The orchid show features flower arrangements throughout the house, along with some orchids from Filoli’s own greenhouses. In addition, the kitchen contains blooming plants from local orchid societies. The estate was built in 1915, and has 16 acres (6.5 hectares) of formal gardens. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Don’t miss the Filoli Orchid Show, which continues for another month until February 22nd. And check here again soon for more photos from our visit to the estate.

Why is a weird, parasitic orchid from Japan growing near Philadelphia? The Asian species, Cyrtosia septentrionalis, has popped up on the grounds of Longwood Gardens, and nobody really knows why. This strange orchid is a parasite on a soil fungus, and is considered impossible to cultivate. It could be that some seeds hitchhiked with other Japanese plants being grown in Longwood’s experimental greenhouses. Even so, it’s remarkable that the seeds encountered the right growing conditions, and the right fungus, in the nearby forest. It’s not likely to become an invasive species in the area, but for now, Longwood’s scientists will monitor this misplaced orchid.

During our recent visit to Buenos Aires, it was great to see lots of vertical gardens. We spotted green walls above stores, banks, and inside office buildings. With ongoing efforts to add green spaces to the city, it’s certainly an effective way to include more plant life in crowded neighborhoods. Ferns, vines, and even Split Leaf Philodendrons happily climb towards the sun in these photos.

There are so many benefits to adding greenery to cities. Plants improve air quality, save energy, and ease stress for city residents. That’s why sights like these vertical gardens are increasingly common around the world. During this trip, we didn’t spot any orchids hanging from the walls, but I’ve blogged how they’re well suited for vertical gardens, too. They’re all great antidotes for an excess of concrete and steel. Check out more green spaces in Buenos Aires at the city’s Botanical Garden and Japanese Gardens.

Unlike the shows in this blog’s monthly listings, these events are long-term winter exhibits. Prominent botanical gardens show off their tropical collections, and visitors enjoy welcome respites from the cold weather.

January 6- February 22
In the San Francisco Bay Area, Filoli’s Orchid Show highlights floral beauty at the historic Filoli Estate & Gardens. Local orchid societies will augment the garden’s plant display. An accompanying photo exhibition will use large prints to magnify delicate flower details.

January 10 – February 17
Escape the winter cold at Denver Botanic Gardens’ annual Orchid Showcase. Among the hundreds of flowers will be some rare orchids from the garden’s collections.

January 12 – March 10
Marvel at the Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show at Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The floral eye candy will be complemented by many deliciously fragrant blooms.

January 19 – March 24
Connect with nature at Longwood Gardens’ Orchid Extravaganza near Philadelphia. Thousands of orchids, large and small, will fill lush, warm glasshouses.

Ring in the new year with orchids! This month, there are big events in Tokyo and Miami, but even the smallest show is full of fantastic flowers. They’re all great opportunities to take pictures, talk to experts, buy plants, and fall in love with orchids.

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