The Allure of Orchids... and Photography

Some of the orchids making up this year's Alluring Orchids exhibition at Kew Gardens

Many moons ago I organised some volunteer weekends at Kew's herbarium (which you can read about here). The first year coincided with their inaugural orchid festival and it was a real treat to be given a guided tour after we'd finished our fern work.

Fast forward 20 or so years and it was great to see the festival's gone from strength to strength. Most of the exhibits (and the most spectacular ones) are in the Princess of Wales Conservatory, but keen-eyed orchid spotters will find them scattered throughout Kew's other buildings. For instance, I spotted some at the International Garden Photographer of the Year exhibition (IGPOTY) in the Nash Conservatory.

Admiring the IGPOTY winning photograph in the Nash Conservatory at Kew
Admiring the winning photograph: The Ballerinas by Magdalena Wasiczek

Alluring Orchids runs until 8th March and the IGPOTY exhibition until 6th April.

Comments

  1. Sue Garrett25 February 2015 at 09:00

    I just wish that I could get my moth orchids to flower again. I've tried all advice given and nothing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP25 February 2015 at 09:13

      I treat mine dreadfully and they respond by blooming again. Try utter neglect - as soon as I switch to treating them the way you're supposed to, they die on me

      Delete
    2. Sue Garrett25 February 2015 at 18:18

      I've tried neglect too

      Delete
    3. VP25 February 2015 at 19:32

      Oh dear, then there's no hope!

      Delete
  2. CJ25 February 2015 at 10:05

    Love the top photo, what a beautiful greenhouse, complete with water, wonderful. I should like to have seen the photography exhibition, as well as the orchids.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP25 February 2015 at 13:33

      When I was organising the volunteer weekends, the Princess of Wales Conservatory had only just opened and from what I recall, the orchid festival was designed to encourage people to go there. It also helped to raise awareness of it and provided an attraction to the Gardens at a time of the year when its miserable outside and we all need cheering up. The photography will go on tour after its stint at Kew - it's been to Westonbirt and Lacock Abbey in previous years, so hopefully there'll be an opportunity to see it closer to home.

      Delete
  3. klaraau0125 February 2015 at 20:01

    Thank you for the wonderful pictures and visiting Kew's orchids would be such a treat!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP25 February 2015 at 20:32

      You would love it, because I know you love orchids :)

      Delete

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