From birth to maturity

The search for perfection requires patience. Breeders produce thousands of new hybrids every year. The period from the initial selection to the inclusion of an orchid in the range covers some 8 to 10 years. So it takes a while before a particular orchid variety ends up in the living room!

This year we will follow the orchid from selection through to cultivation into a beautiful mature plant. We would like to use video images to show how the orchid is born and grows into a magnificent houseplant.

Phase 6: delivery and in store

A flowering orchid that has been grown with care is a valuable asset. Two years has passed from the time of arrival at the nursery to the departure. So it makes sense that the final step, the journey from the nursery to the customer’s home, is also the subject of care and attention.

And that requires a human touch, as this film shows. If an unsightly leaf has been left on, it’s neatly removed. And plenty of care is also paid to the packaging. Every plant is placed into a sleeve individually. That’s particularly to protect the vulnerable flowers.

The orchids go onto the truck on special shipping trolleys. Those trolleys are wrapped in film, again for protection. Without wrapping the branches would extend outside the trolley and get damaged or broken.

The orchids grown in the Netherlands make their all over Europe in trucks.
There are many sales channels. You can find orchids in garden centres, at supermarkets and – of course – at specialist florists.

For its journey from the shop to the home it is again important that the orchid is properly packaged. Once at home, the main thing is to enjoy the plant. An orchid does not require much care. Just immersing it – preferably in tepid water – once a week is enough. Some food once a month improves the lifespan. Which means that you can spend even longer enjoying this peerless plant.

Top photographer Kristian Schuller photographs orchid models

Completely natural, with no model being plastered with make-up and none of the images having been photoshopped. The natural beauty of the orchids that Kristian Schuller works with is more than enough. This top photographer shot lovely images of orchids in Berlin last year. The collaboration with these models went so well that another photoshoot took place in April 2012, this time in Munich and Hamburg. The images are on display in Hamburg (Colonnaden) from 1 to 10 April and in Munich (Riem Arcaden) from 20 to 30 April.

Livestream with orchids.

The first ‘tweetjam’ with pot orchids will take place on Thursday May 31^st. It will take place in the theatre in Villa Flora at Floriade 2012 in Venlo. The Dutch arrangers Tim van Leipsig and Ruud Hazelaar will be working with two international colleagues to improvise with orchids and create arrangements. From this local event they will inspire people around the globe with orchids via Twitter and Facebook.

The event will take place between 1.00 p.m. and 3.00 p.m. and can be followed direct all over the world via a live stream on the website www.orchidsinfo.eu.

Tweetjamming is a new phenomenon. Experts and creatives – they can be musicians, but also chefs and in this case flower arrangers – give a demonstration of their skills and share it with one another and with interested onlookers via social media.

Arranger Tim van Leipsig has been appearing on stages around the world for more than 25 years, but this is still something special even for him. In his column on www.orchidsinfo.eu he talks about how he is looking forward to ‘jamming’ with his colleagues.

Visitors to Floriade on that day can enjoy this unique demonstration free of charge. The theatre can seat 250 visitors.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.nl/orchidsinfo
Twitter: @orchids_info

Upload your photo and win!

Upload your photo to Facebook and win a € 100 jewellery voucher. Orchids are must-have accessories in the home. The beauty and colours of these remarkable plants inspired the Floriade’s arrangers to create THE JEWELS ROUTE in the Villa Flora Pavilion. Imagine you’re in a life-size jewellery box and stroll past Nature’s Jewels.

You can also wear and immortalise these jewels by posing for a photo in a magnificent Orchid dress or bespoke suit on the Jewels Route. Upload this photo to Facebook and you could win a jewellery voucher worth € 100.

TweetJam with Orchids.

The OrchidJam was fantastic. There was an enthusiastic response from visitors both on social media and live at Floriade. Enjoy the spectacular orchid show again by viewing the video and the photos.

Delft, 31 July 2012 – Footwear designer Jan Jansen today presents the first sketch for his 2013 spring collection. This sketch shows the ‘Orchid Shoe by Jan Jansen’, inspired by the pot orchid. The ‘Orchid Shoe by Jan Jansen’ is easily recognisable because the shoe is covered with orchid flowers. In addition, the extremely high heel in the design is a reference to the powerful, elegant and timeless nature of the pot orchid. The shoe will be presented officially at the beginning of October.

Jan Jansen says about his design, ‘The orchid has always fascinated me, and when I heard that there is a genus of orchid called the Lady’s Slipper I knew I wanted to design a shoe inspired by that elegant plant. There are so many species and varieties of orchid, and each species has its own individually shaped flower, colours and unique markings. In the past few months I have surrounded myself with as many different orchids as possible in order to design this unique shoe. I think that in the Orchid Shoe I have managed to create a wearable work of art.

About Jan Jansen
Full of character. Self-willed and distinctive. This is the essence of Jan Jansen. His exceptional designs, based on a knowledge of traditional shoemaking and created with passion, are a source of inspiration. Jan Jansen has been designing unique footwear since the early 1960s. His designs are often ahead of their time and yet timeless, each one based on the correlation between last, sole and heel. After training at the renowned studios of Follie, D’Alco and Albanese in Rome, he started to develop his own collection, going on to work at various times for fashion houses such as Dior and Charles Jourdan. Every season, Jan and his team present a sparkling new collection. Jan Jansen’s shoes were even shown last July at the fashion show of Marga Weimans on the opening night of the Amsterdam Fashion Week.
Jan Jansen is one of the Netherlands’ best known footwear designers and has his own shops in Amsterdam, Heusden-Vesting, Nijmegen and Maastricht. His shoes are also sold in many outlets in the Netherlands and elsewhere. Visit www.janjansen.com for more information about Jan Jansen and his work.

London, Thursday 6th September 2012 – Karren Brady has today revealed a new breed of Orchid which has been named The ‘Karren Brady Orchid’ to mark the International ‘Day of the Orchid’. An initiative of Art of Life, a collection of 40 Dutch growers of pot orchids, the ‘Day of the Orchid’ aims to celebrate the strength and elegance of women and Karren Brady, as a female who epitomises these values, was a natural choice to lead such celebrations.

The ‘Karren Brady Orchid’ belongs to the Phalaenopsis species, the perfect example of a powerful and elegant plant. This orchid blooms for months and creates a sea of beautiful flowers, making it a very popular variety.

Karren’s Orchid has been created through a thorough selection process. Years ago, a grower started breeding this specific variety of the  Phalaenopsis Orchid, resulting in the creation of the ‘Karren Brady Orchid’ today. Only the strongest and most beautiful varieties are allowed to be sold as a new Orchid variety after a long and strict procedure.

Karren Brady commented: “I absolutely love orchids and so when I was offered the chance to have a new breed named after me, I was thrilled. The Orchid is such a striking plant which adds a touch of elegance to my home, it is almost more of a must have home accessory than just a flower. There are so many different varieties that you can find one to match every room and style you could want!”

It’s a common misunderstanding that Orchids are hard to care for, when in fact just a few simple tips can help your orchid to flower several times a year.

• Orchids like light, so find a well-lit spot to keep your Orchid
• Room temperatures of between 18 and 20ºC are the optimum for keeping your Orchid healthy
• Orchids don’t react well to draughts, direct sunlight, or being stood near to heaters
• Fruit bowls are also bad for Orchids, as they produces gases that cause flowers to age prematurely
• Never water the plant, just water the soil
• Keep orchids drier in winter than in summer. They rest in winter, so only water occasionally

We have a limited selection of the ‘Karren Brady Orchid’ available, so if you would be interested in receiving one, please get in touch. We do, however, have other Orchid samples as well, so please do get in touch if you would like to feature.

Pinterest, the social online pin board for sharing images, is hot. The focus here is on visual communication through attractive images and artistic pictures. From now you can also follow Orchidsinfo on Pinterest. You can view our orchid images here on the various theme ‘boards’. And of course you can share photos by ‘repinning’ and also upload your own finest orchid pictures.

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/orchidsinfo

Delft, 16 October 2012 – Jan Jansen today presents his Spring/Summer collection 2013 at his shop on Rokin in Amsterdam. The absolute showstopper is the ‘Orchid Shoe by Jan Jansen’. This shoe is inspired totally by orchids and has been created in cooperation with Art of Life, comprising 40 pot orchid growers. The orchid can be seen clearly as the source of inspiration not only in the design of the shoe but also in its choice of material. The limited edition shoe will be available from February 2013.

Colours
The ‘Orchid Shoe by Jan Jansen’ is a striking, elegant shoe that will come to the market in a variety of colours: fuchsia, red, terracotta, purple and cognac. These colours are based on existing orchid tints and are present in several genera of orchid, such as Phalaenopsis, Vanda, Oncidium and Dendrobium.

Sources of inspiration
The orchid as a source of inspiration can be seen in all the facets of the shoe. The shoe is luxuriant, showing the feminine side of the orchid by using an explosion of orchid flowers. These embrace, as it were, the foot of the shoe wearer. The soft characteristics of the plant can also be seen in the design, because the orchid’s velvety flowers inspired the use of suede. The straps show the strength of the orchid and refer to its sturdy roots. The extremely high heel is a reference to the elegant, feminine nature of ‘the Queen of Plants’.

Jan Jansen says about his design, ‘The orchid has always fascinated me, and when I heard that there is a genus of orchid called the Venus Slipper it seemed to me a wonderful idea to design a shoe inspired by that elegant plant. There are so many species and varieties of orchid, and each species has its own individually shaped flower, colours and unique markings. In the past few months I have surrounded myself with as many different orchids as possible in order to design this unique shoe. I think that in the Orchid Shoe I have managed to create a wearable work of art.’

The ‘Orchid Shoe by Jan Jansen’ is to be brought to the market as a limited edition and can be purchased online and at Jan Jansen’s shops in Amsterdam and Maastricht. The recommended retail price of the shoe is 495 euro.

About Jan Jansen
Full of character. Self-willed and distinctive. Ahead of his time yet timeless. This is the essence of Jan Jansen. His exceptional designs, based on a knowledge of traditional shoemaking and created with passion, are a source of inspiration. Jan Jansen has been designing unique footwear since the early 1960s. His designs are often ahead of their time and yet timeless, each one based on the correlation between last, sole and heel. After training at the renowned studios of Follie, D’Alco and Albanese in Rome, he started to develop his own collection, going on to work at various times for fashion houses such as Dior and Charles Jourdan. Every season, Jan and his team present a sparkling new collection. Jan Jansen’s shoes were even shown last July at the fashion show of Marga Weimans on the opening night of the Amsterdam Fashion Week.
Jan Jansen is one of the Netherlands’ best known footwear designers and has his own shops in Amsterdam, Heusden-Vesting, Nijmegen and Maastricht. His shoes are also sold in many outlets in the Netherlands and elsewhere. Visit www.janjansen.com for more information about Jan Jansen and his work.

When the sun comes out in all its glory, we want to be ready for it. You want to get outside and enjoy the peace and beauty of your own garden. In recent years, gardens have gradually been getting the attention they deserve. The garden is also increasingly becoming an extension of the home. Did you know that you can place most species of orchid outdoors in the spring and summer? It’s a great way of brightening up your garden table. You should therefore pick an orchid that fits with the latest garden trends. We’ve found them for you.

Orchidee trend 1: Asia Mania

Be inspired by the mysterious atmosphere of the Far East and transform your garden or patio into an oasis of peace and cosiness. Many orchids originate from Asia. The power and atmosphere of those countries is ingrained in the flowers. For example, Cymbidiums offer wonderful earthy colours such as dark red and brown, and look great in an anthracite patio pot.

Orchidee trend 2: Raging Romance

A veranda or covered patio is perfect for creating your own outdoor room. This rustic romantic mood soon has you thinking that you’re on holiday in a sunny spot. Outdoor lanterns, cosy cushions and wicker baskets with orchids such as Dendrobium on the patio help you bring the romantic feeling from indoors outside as well.

Orchidee trend 3: Très Tropicana

Whether the sun is shining or not, with the right decorations you can create a tropical atmosphere on your patio. Bright accents in fuchsia, purple, yellow and green liven up rugged garden furniture to create a cheerful mood. Choose a pink decorative pot with a Cambria in a brilliant pink. Nothing creates the holiday feel better than that, surely?

A number of orchid species such as Cymbidium, Dendrobium and Cambria can happily be placed outside in spring and summer in order to bring colour to your garden table. But do keep a close eye on the outdoor temperature, especially in the evening. It should not be less than 9â—¦C or more than 25â—¦C. Choose a spot out of the wind and in the shade of a tree or shrub, for example. Avoid bright midday sunlight and enjoy the milder morning and evening sun. Do water your plant a bit more often when it’s outdoors!

Images
Click to enlarge.