Orchids at Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival 2019

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Orchids at Kew

The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew hold a special place in my heart.  These accessible gardens have so much to offer visitors, whatever the season or time of year.

I thought you might like to see some of the orchids on display at Kew’s 2019 Orchid Festival.  If you’d like to visit this festival, make your arrangements now, as you don’t have long – Kew’s Colombian themed Orchid Festival closes on Sunday 10th March 2019.

The designer and creator of the 2019 Kew Orchid Festival is the Princess of Wales Conservatory Manager, Elisa Biondi. Elisa is pictured with Kew Science Diversity and Livelihoods Research Leader, Mauricio Diazgranados Cadelo, whose Colombian heritage and expertise have informed this year’s event. Elisa and Mauricio are pictured inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory, at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
The central display at the Kew Gardens Orchid Festival features Colombian animals made from plants.
Kew Diploma Student, Michael Antonetti adding the finishing touches to one of the central pond displays, inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory, at Kew.

Phalaenopsis

Visitors can see a wide range of coloured Phalaenopsis orchids at Kew.

A huge pillar of peach, burnt orange, and purple coloured Phalaenopsis orchids, as seen at Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival.
Kew Diploma Student, Sal Demain adds the finishing touches to a glamorous arrangement of Phalaenopsis plants, which are positioned in the centre of the pond, inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory.
Burnt red coloured Phalaenopsis flowers at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
The pond inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory has been transformed into an orchid paradise for Kew’s Orchid Festival!
Pretty pink flowered Phalaenopsis orchids.
Kew Diploma Student, Michael Antonetti tending to the plants inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory, at Kew.
Master Florist Henck Röling has created this Jaguar, especially for Kew Gardens’ Colombian Orchid Festival.
‘Sid’ the Giant Sloth, pictured in the central display, at Kew Gardens Orchid Festival.

Vanilla orchids

Master Florist Henck Röling tending to a Vanilla orchid, at Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival.
I think this Sloth, made by Master Florist, Henck Röling, is amazing! This creature has been crafted from natural materials and draped in Vanilla orchids. Pictured at Kew Gardens’ Colombian Orchid Festival.
Master Florist Henck Röling has also made this woven willow tapir, pictured at Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival.

Cattleya trianae

Cattleya trianae is a large sized orchid species, that thrives in the warm temperatures of Colombia.
Cattleya trianae’s large flowers feature the colours of Colombia’s flag.

Restrepia contorta

Restrepia contorta can be grown in a container in a free-draining, speciality orchid compost mix comprised from cork bark, or mounted onto a piece of cork bark.

Paphiopedilums

These complex Paphiopedilum hybrids produces large flowers. Due to the flower’s shape, they’re often known as slipper orchids.
These Paphiopedilum orchids produce attractive green and white striped flowers, which are complimented by the plant’s mottled leaves.
Visitors can enjoy seeing lots of Paphiopedilums inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory, at Kew Gardens.
Complex hybrid Paphiopedilum orchids, pictured inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory, at Kew Gardens.
Visitors can see a number of different Paphiopedilum orchids inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory, at Kew Gardens.
One of many Paphiopedilums pictured at Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival.
More Paphiopedilums inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory, at Kew Gardens.
A beautiful white Paphiopedilum at Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival.
A group of Paphiopedilum plants, pictured during Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival.
More Paphiopedilums at Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival.
A complex Paphiopedilum hybrid, pictured at Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival.

Vandas

These plants are orchids, they are known as Vandas. These plants are epiphytes, they grow atop another plant, taking their nutrients from the air, any moisture around the plant’s roots, and the rain.
If you love orchids, you’ll love Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival! These are Vanda orchids, they like to grow in bright, indirect light. If you wanted, you could grow Vanda plants suspended from the ceiling or along a wall, inside your home.
Caño Cristales is a famous river in Colombia; it’s known as the most beautiful river in the world! These Vanda orchids have been arranged as a tribute to this river and it’s interesting and colourful aquatic plants.
Colourful Vanda plants, pictured at Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival.
Vibrantly coloured Vanda orchids, pictured inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory, at Kew Gardens.

Tolumnia

Tolumnia ‘Genting Yellow’, at Kew Gardens.

Cymbidiums

The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew hold a large collection of Cymbidiums.

Cymbidium ‘Gaddon Loch’

Cymbidium ‘Gaddon Loch’, pictured in the temperate orchid zone, during the Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival.
Cymbidiums bloom during the late winter and early springtime, making them a fabulous choice of houseplant to brighten up your home during the colder months of the year.
This Cymbidium is growing inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory, at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Cymbidium Cliff Hutchings ‘New Horizon Dark Leaves’ produces these rather wonderful yellow flowers with very attractive, red markings. Pictured at the Orchid Festival at Kew Gardens.
A closer look at one of the individual Cymbidium flowers, at Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival.
Cymbidium orchids produce these large, rather glamorous flowers, which are complimented by the plant’s strap like leaves.
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, have a large collection of Cymbidium orchids.
Cymbidiums and Dendrobiums mingle with ferns, inside the Princess of Wales conservatory, at Kew.

Oncidopsis

x Oncidopsis Nelly Isler

x Oncidopsis Nelly Isler produces these rather fun, cheerfully coloured flowers. Pictured at Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival.

Miltonias

Miltonia Goodale Moir “Golden Wonder”

Miltonia Goodale Moir “Golden Wonder” pictured at the Orchid Festival at Kew Gardens.

Miltonia ‘Sunset’

Miltonia ‘Sunset’ pictured inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory, at Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival.

Dendrobiums

Dendrobium nobile

Dendrobium nobile, pictured at Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival.

Dendrobium ‘Stardust Firebird’

This Dendrobium is a good choice of plant for a cool porch. Dendrobium ‘Stardust Firebird’, pictured at Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival.

More Dendrobiums……….

A pretty white Dendrobium pictured inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory, at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Exotic plants

You’ll find all kinds of exotic plants at Kew’s Orchid Festival, as well as orchids you might spot a pineapple or two!

Pineapples and other exotic plants are planted among the orchids at Kew Gardens.
Pineapples are from the plant family Bromeliaceae.
A closer look at one of the pillars which has been decorated with Phalaenopsis orchids and Bromeliads, for the Orchid Festival, at Kew Gardens.
Kew Diploma Student, Michael Antonetti finishing one of the hanging Tillandsia arrangements.
At Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival, the central pond display features a toucan and a Tapir, which have been constructed from flowers and plant materials.
The central display at the Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival, which includes a bromeliad turtle, a willow tapir, and a large toucan in flight.

Oncidiums

Oncidium flowers at Kew Gardens Orchid Festival.
Oncidium flowers at Kew Gardens Orchid Festival.

Coelogyne

Coelogyne cristata

Coelogyne cristata in bloom inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory, at Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival.
Coelogyne cristata is a small to medium sized orchid that makes a wonderful choice of plant to grow in a cool conservatory.

Oerstedella

Oerstedella centradenia

Oerstedella centradenia is a charming orchid species that produces these very pretty rose-pink coloured flowers.
Miltoniopsis orchids in the foreground and Oerstedella centradenia growing on the tree behind.

Dendrochilum

Dendrochilum glumaceum

Dendrochilum glumaceum is a small to medium sized orchid species. This orchid is a wild flower, from the Philippines.
Dendrochilum glumaceum orchids produce these beautifully fragrant flowers which produce a sweet scent, with fragrance notes of vanilla, hay, and musk.
Dendrochilum glumaceum is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid species – plants can be found growing on the branches of trees, or on rocks.

Masdevallia

Masdevallia amabilis

Masdevallia amabilis growing at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Miltoniopsis

Miltoniopsis ‘Herr Alexander’

Miltoniopsis ‘Herr Alexander’ is a hybrid orchid that produces these huge, rather glamorous flowers. This orchid is often known as the ‘Pansy orchid’.
If you like these rather glamorous Miltoniopsis ‘Herr Alexander’ flowers, you’ll be pleased to know that this orchid can be grown at home. Choose a spot in a bright room, where your plants can enjoy bright, but indirect light – a soft light that will not scorch the plants or their flowers.
Miltoniopsis ‘Herr Alexander’ produces very large, fragrant flowers, which produce a scent with a honeyed floral character. These orchids will be most fragrant during the day, when gentle, but warm, sunlight streams in through the window to warm the plant.

Miltoniopsis Red

This striking red Miltoniopsis orchid displays attractive markings on its blooms. Pictured at the Orchid Festival, at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Kew Diploma Student, Michael Antonetti adding the finishing touches to one of the central displays, in the pond, inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory, at Kew.
The Orchid Festival at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a super place to visit. You’ll find orchids and other plants from all over the world, at Kew.
The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew are holding their Colombian Orchid Festival from Saturday the 9th February 2019 until Sunday the 10th March 2019.

To find out more about Kew’s Colombian Orchid Festival and see more photographs of the plants inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory, at Kew, please click here.

Other articles that may interest you…………….

To see photographs of the largest orchid in the world, please click here.

To see my Rainforest Terrarium as it was built and discover the thinking behind my design, please click here.

To see photographs of the 2018 Orchid Festival at Kew Gardens, please click here.

To see photographs of the 2017 Orchid Festival at Kew Gardens, please click here.

To see a planting list of orchids, ferns, and other terrarium plants, please click here.

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One thought on “Orchids at Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival 2019”

  1. Anne Liem

    March 7, 2019 at 3:32pm

    Absolutely fabulous. Brava. I can only imagine how enthralled you were at Kew. I would be mesmerized. Thank you for sharing.

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    • Author

      Pumpkin Beth

      March 7, 2019 at 3:44pm

      Thank you so much Anne. Your kind comments often make my day. I hope you’re having a super week. Sending you my warmest wishes, Beth

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