The OrchidExotic beautiesThere are many different types of orchids, each with their own scent and color. Each orchid must be cared for in a different way.
The Orchid
Visit the orchid show at Keukenhof 2025 in The Netherlands
Keukenhof is the perfect place to celebrate spring in the Netherlands. The flower park in Lisse will be open from March 20, 2025. It’s one of the most beautiful attractions in The Netherlands and is visited by people from all over the world.
Keukenhof will be open from Thursday 20 March to Sunday 11 May 2025. The 15 km hiking trails are laid out in such a way that you have a spectacular view of the fragrant flower gardens and flower greenhouses. During your walk, you will see unique, weekly changing flower shows, beautiful ponds and various pavilions with restaurants and terraces. In addition to the flower gardens, Keukenhof is also home to the largest sculpture park in the Netherlands. You can admire many images here, made by national and international artists.
Keukenhof displays flowers and blooming plants not only outdoors, but also indoors. In the Beatrix Pavilion, you can enjoy orchids in a wonderful colourful ambiance!
Photo: Keukenhof | Treffend Beeld
Photo: Keukenhof | Treffend Beeld
Photo: Keukenhof | Treffend Beeld
Practical information
Keukenhof is open from Thursday 20 March to Sunday 11 May 2025, from 8:00 am – 7:30 pm. More information and tickets can be found on their website.
Orchids are among the most beloved and fascinating flowers in the world. With no less than 25,000 different species and an unparalleled variety of colors, shapes, and scents, they continue to captivate people everywhere. It is no surprise that orchid shows are immensely popular worldwide. These events attract thousands of enthusiasts every year, who are inspired by the beauty and diversity of these long-blooming plants. In 2025, there will once again be several stunning orchid shows in Europe and beyond. We have listed them for you!
Orchids | London, United Kingdom
Kew Gardens hosts the annual Orchid Festival, this time with a theme focused on the flora and fauna of Peru. The festival takes place in the Princess of Wales Conservatory and highlights Peru’s rich biodiversity, which includes more than 3,000 orchid species and diverse ecosystems.
Date: February 1 – March 2, 2025
Location: Princess of Wales Conservatory, Kew Gardens
The exhibition Mille et une Orchidées is an annual event held in the Grandes Serres of the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. For the 12th edition, taking place from February 6 to March 10, 2025, the focus is on the natural habitats of orchids. Visitors can admire a lush scenography that highlights the diversity of this fascinating plant family.
Date: February 6 – March 10, 2025
Location: Grandes Serres du Jardin des Plantes, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
Every year, Keukenhof hosts an impressive orchid and anthurium exhibition in the Beatrix Pavilion. This show is known as the largest orchid show in Europe and offers a colorful and surprising display with thousands of different orchid flowers. Keukenhof is a world-famous attraction and the perfect place to celebrate spring in the Netherlands.
Date: March 20 – May 11, 2025
Location: Keukenhof, Stationsweg 166A, 2161 AM Lisse
This summer, the unique orchid show Orchid Extravaganza will take place at the iconic Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. Covering approximately 101 hectares, the park is famous for its futuristic Supertree Grove, impressive conservatories (such as the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest), and beautiful gardens. Gardens by the Bay aims to transform Singapore into a “City in a Garden” by combining greenery with innovation. Orchid Extravaganza celebrates their national flower, the orchid, and takes visitors on a floral-themed journey through Singapore’s cultural heritage and community spirit.
Date: August 1 – August 31, 2025
Location: Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953
Glowing Garden: a fascinating show by Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde
Glowing Garden is a concept by Studio Roosegaarde and invites people to step into a surreal world seen through the eyes of a butterfly. With hundreds of orchids and other carefully selected flowers, Glowing Garden uses specific lighting technology to make these flowers glow, revealing an invisible aspect of nature. The show is not yet available to visit in real life, but here’s a preview:
Glowing Garden: a fascinating show by Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde
Glowing Garden is a concept by Studio Roosegaarde that invites people to step into a surreal world, seen through the eyes of a butterfly. Featuring hundreds of orchids and other carefully selected flowers, Glowing Garden utilizes specific light technology to make these flowers glow, revealing an unseen aspect of nature.
It’s probably no surprise that orchids can bloom for weeks or even months. Since their impressive, lush flowers grow along the stem, it’s easy to compare them to a bouquet. With orchids, you essentially have a living bouquet of flowers in your home. Read on for inspiration on how to style orchids, just like a beautiful bouquet!
A living bouquet of orchids
Orchids bring not only color but also the charm of a living bouquet that you can enjoy for a long time. They are both durable plants and true style icons for your home. With no less than 25,000 different orchid species, there’s plenty to choose from.
A bouquet of happiness
With orchids, you also experience a moment of happiness from nature. Research shows that orchids enhance the feeling of happiness. For some, it’s the beautiful addition to the interior; for others, it’s the long-lasting nature or the satisfaction of getting the orchid to bloom again.
Months of bloom
There are many different types of orchids, each with its unique characteristics, blooming periods, and care requirements. How long an orchid blooms depends on the species. Some can bloom for up to three months! And depending on the climate and care, some orchids can even bloom several times a year.
Of course, you can surprise your loved one on Valentine’s Day with an original do-it-yourself like scented sticks with Cambria, or even more fun: a kokedama with special orchids. But do you want to put your Valentine in the spotlight? Then surprise them with an orchid bouquet: flowers that last for months! If that’s not eternal love!
A bouquet of happiness
With the orchid, you not only bring a stylish addition into your home; you also experience a moment of happiness from nature. That orchids make people happy is proven by consumer research, with the orchid once again reaching the top spot in the list of houseplants that promote happiness. For some because of the beautiful addition in the interior, for others, it is in the long shelf life or getting the orchid to bloom again.
Foto: Dendrobium
Photo: Thejoyofplants.co.uk
Months of flowering
The orchid is known as the queen of the plant kingdom. And did you know that the flowering period of orchids lasts longer than most other types of flowering plants? Phalaenopsis – the best-known orchid – easily bloom for eight weeks to months. Paphiopedilums are also sometimes called venus slippers (in English lady slipper or slipper orchid) bloom for six to 10 weeks. The average flowering time of Cambria orchids is six weeks.
Since ancient times, flowers and plants have been used to make something clear to others. In the Middle Ages, but also in times before, great value was placed on symbolism. In Europe, the orchid is known for its beauty, richness and power.
How nice is it to take your orchid out of its pot and turn it into a kokedama? This is very well possible since orchids have aerial roots and can therefore grow without potting soil. The pot is really only used to place orchids. Pack the root ball as a kokedama (moss ball) for an even more beautiful styling and natural look. A trendy indoor mini garden with exclusive orchids. Easily done, and a beautiful effect!
The Phalaenopsis orchid is a slender plant with shining leaves, whose flowers emerge charmingly from the top of long stems. Also known as the moth orchid, this may be the prettiest species in your plant collection.
Colors and shapes of the Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis’ nickname of moth orchid is derived from the shape of its flowers which resembles fluttering, elegant moths. The plant is popular with fans of pastels because it comes in purple, pink, salmon, white and yellow varieties. If you see a bright blue version, know that the colour effect has been created with dye. There are also patterned varieties, which produce petals boasting pretty spots or stripes. You can also spot Phalaenopsis by its fleshy roots, thick, shiny leaves and tall flower stems.
Photo: Thejoyofplants.co.uk
Photo: Thejoyofplants.co.uk
Symbolism
Phalaenopsis isn’t just lovely to look at, its symbolism is also charming. It’s almost a given that this flower stands for elegance, femininity and attachment.
In the wild, Phalaenopsis orchids grow on trees and rocks in the tropical rainforests in Asia and Australia. It makes this plant an epiphyte, a plant that lives on other plants but without drawing nutrients from them. In the 18th century Europeans abroad brought Phalaenopsis back home with them, where it was quickly and successfully established as a houseplant.
Photo: Thejoyofplants.co.uk
Phalaenopsis care tips:
The plant likes light, but not the bright summer sun.
Immerse the roots weekly in water.
Spritz the leaves with water during the dry winter.
Feed once a month in winter, and twice a month during the rest of the year.
Sculpted edges – sometimes with small frills – and large flowers with an enormous lips – these are what make Cattleya one of the most recognisable orchids.
Colors and shapes
Cattleya is a distinctive houseplant with a pseudobulb on which there are just a couple of thick leaves. There are large and small-flowered Cattleyas: the small-flowered species have more flowers per stem than the large-flowered ones. The flowers are usually ten to twenty centimetres in diameter, and range in colour from white through yellow, orange, green, pink, and purple to fabulous pastels. Some are beautifully scented, which has earned Cattleya the nickname ‘Queen of the Orchids’.
Photo: Thejoyofplants.co.uk
Photo: Thejoyofplants.co.uk
Symbolism
English orchid collector William Cattleya gave the Cattleya its name. The orchid has no specific symbolic meaning but is associated with fertility and virility. The expression ‘to catleya’ (‘faire catleya’ or ‘arranger les catleyas’) is a euphemism for amorous goings-on between Odette and Swann in Marcel Proust’s ‘À la recherche du temps perdu’.
Cattleya is a tropical orchid which only occurs in South and Central America. It’s an epiphyte, which means that it lives on trees and bark without drawing nutrients from them. As ecological competition in the jungle is fierce, Cattleya often opts for height and establishes itself high up in trees. Of all the orchids, Cattleya has the most varied appearance. All Cattleyas also have fairly hard leaves. This indicates that they get a reasonably large amount of light or sun in their natural environment, and therefore need it indoors as well.
Care tips:
Position: preferably light, but no direct sunlight.
Immerse the pot for half an hour with a small dose of orchid food once every 10 to 14 days, then allow it to drain thoroughly.
Cattleya thrives on high humidity: place the pot on a kind of island of damp clay beads.
If the air indoors is very dry, e.g. because of central heating, it’s best to mist an orchid’s buds every day. This prevents them from drying out and not opening.
The orchid will keep looking its best with some ‘benign neglect’. Remove wilted flowers, but otherwise leave the plant alone.
