Kew Gardens’ Orchid Festival 2024 is a beautifully curated burst of amazing colours, inspired by the incredible island of Madagascar with spectacular horticultural displays.
Orchids remain a powerful vector of cultural symbology. In the western context in the past, orchids often represented the effete lives of the idle rich. In literature and in films in the 20th century they could be alluring exotic sometimes unobtainable yet dangerous. More recently orchids have come to symbolise the fragile beauty of nature’s ecosystem which need protecting. In other cultures, especially Asian cultures orchids have been part of symbiotic respectful relationship with nature. For example the moon orchid (Aphrodite’s phalaenopsis) derives its name from Indonesian ‘Anggrek Bulan’ where it is revered as the national flower. The boat orchid (Cymbidium orchid) have symbolised morality, beauty, and love in many Asian cultures for centuries. Showcased at the festival, these extraordinary orchids even inspired Confucius to mention them in his famous writings, naming them “the Kings of Fragrance.”
Kew Gardens’ Orchid festival is a sumptuous homage to these elegant rare beauties. This year the theme is around the island country of Madagascar with its unique flora and fauna. The Princess of Wales Conservatory is beautifully decorated with some water based orchid installations. Several orchid arches festoon the path. The orchid collection is a colourful bunch covering species from across the globe. It includes the Clamshell Orchid (Prosthecea cochleata ) from Central America and West Indies, the Moon and Boat Orchids from South East Asia as well as the European and North African origin Sad Stock (Mathiola fruticulosa ). The slender and colourful aptly named lady Slipper Orchid ( Cypripedium calceolus) also hailing from Europe add some tender beauty to the decoration. We cannot have an orchid showcase without a reference to the Himalayas where many orchid species originate. The lightly scented pink and purple flowers of the Dendrobium Nobile is the state flower of the mist laden Himalayan Indian state of Sikkim. At the show they are juxtaposed with the beautiful orange blooms of the Dendrobium Lindeyi.
The Orchid Festival heralds early spring in Kew where the cherry trees are budding and early crocus starting to appear in the grasslands. The festival is not only a colourful flower show but also a beautiful art installation. It showcases an ecology which has a powerful hold on human imagination across many cultures. The Orchid Festival is as much sense satisfying as it is effective in delivering a message of responsibility- for the urgent need of conserving all fragile ecosystems.
Festival ends on 3rd March, which leaves us with the weekend to visit. A not-to-miss family experience-make your way to Kew this weekend. More information HERE
Featured Image: Orchids at Kew Gardens, celebrating the remarkable biodiversity of Madagascar. (c) RBG Kew
Review by Koushik Chatterjee – a generous volunteer supporting Abundant Art.
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