Step into the sounds smells and sights of Colombia, starting off in a desert area with all the cactus and then into the jungle. Prepared to be amazed at the variety of orchids there are here. It was the last week of the Colombian inspired Orchid Festival at Kew Gardens. The crowds have been visiting in their droves. When I visited on Saturday a week before it closed there was a queue of 1 hour and 20min!! But it definitely was worth the wait. If you weren’t able to go then add it to your list for 2020.
This is the 24th Orchid festival and this years theme was Colombia, with over 4000 varieties in the country there are lots to choose from. The festival takes place in the Prince of Wales Conservatory, which is near the centre of Kew Gardens. It takes about 20min to walk from the entrance past some of the old greenhouses towards the conservatory.
On display are 6200 orchids from across the diversity of Colombia’s species mixed in with the carnival of wildlife making a wonderful display. When you step in you are greeted to the sounds, smells and sights of Colombia. Starting off in a desert area with all the cactus and then into the jungle. The animals that are on display are made up of the orchids and they look beautiful even when we arrived at the end of the display.
Photographs
Below are some of the photographs that I took of the displays there are more on the Flickr link, plus I explain what constitutes an orchid.
What is an Orchid?
A plant which is showy with complex flowers and bizarre shapes. They have large specialised lips called laburnums and are one of the two largest plant families on the planet. The Latin name is Orchidaceae. An orchid flower mimics a female bee by its appearance, touch, and scent. The smell is close to the bees pheromones.
Over 6,000 endemic plant species, found nowhere else on Earth, have been identified in Colombia (the UK has fewer than 100).
Kew has worked closely with the Colombian Embassy in London and Procolombia to bring to life some of Colombia’s rich culture at the festival. The Ambassador of Colombia to the UK, Néstor Osorio Londoño says:
Links
Instagram – http://www.instagram.com/alalchan
Flickr – https://www.flickr.com/photos/alalchan/albums/72157705733241261
Kew Gardens – https://www.kew.org
Flickr – https://www.flickr.com/photos/alalchan/albums/72157705733241261
Kew Gardens – https://www.kew.org
