The Spring Orchid Show at Kew Gardens started last Saturday and will continue until the 9th March – a great celebration of exotic and colourful blooms in the tropical splendour of the Princess of Wales Conservatory.
I’ve had a fascination with orchids since working for two years in Papua New Guinea with “Voluntary Service Overseas”. An elderly nun, at the school where I taught, spent her spare hours tending to orchids in coconut husks suspended from trees. How I wish I had taken more of an interest from someone who had a lifetime of experience.
My knowledge of growing orchids is limited by comparison but, in the spirit of Kew, this is simply a celebration of the symmetry, colour and beauty of orchids.
Moth orchids. (Phalaenopsis)
This is the type most commonly sold in stores; most are unnamed hybrids. Beautiful and easy to grow with long-lasting flowers; they prefer some humidity and an east or west facing windowsill. Looking at their form, it’s easy to understand why they are compared to a floating moth.
Boat orchids (Cymbidium)
The name is derived from kumbos, meaning hole or cavity and refers to the lip at the base of the orchid. Boat orchids come in a fabulous array of colours and have very decorative flower spikes.
Slipper orchids (Paphiopedilum)
These are a little more unusual with interesting flowers, sometimes mottled.
The delicate exotic beauty of Orchids conjures up tropical locations, even though they are found in widespread habitats.
For me they will always be associated with my first introduction to them in Papua New Guinea.
I’m going in March! My best experience of orchids was in the Singapore Botanical Gardens – it was lovely to see them growing in the open air!
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I remember once a hotel room in Singapore awash with orchids – would love to have seen the Botanical Gardens.
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Just stunning! They are living art sculptures that just float in the air + I can see how one would compare them to a floating moth! Hindsight is our worst enemy! I have some of my husbands grandmothers garden books + many of her black and white photos, but oh how I wish I would of spent more time with this great gardener when I had the chance for she was in her 90’s (back in 1980)when I met her + boy could she of taught me a lot! I do have her 1920’s stove in my garden + her gardens was where she spent most of her days:-)
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I think she would be very pleased to know you valued her as a gardener; how lovely that you have her old stove in your garden.
Thank you for your comment.
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Gorgeous!
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Thanks!
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Beautiful photos
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Thank you Christopher, they’re such beautiful flowers.
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