Orchids grow and are sold in Singapore, England and worldwide - you can find orchids everywhere. In Singapore Orchids feature on t-shirts, other clothes such as caftans, wrap around beach skirts. jewelery, and are grown in posts for you to take home.
I am wearing a tee shirt with orchids and the words Singapore Orchid. Silhouetted against my skirt are magenta orchids growing in a pot.
Growing Orchids
At my feet is a pot of orchids and you can see them against my skirt. They were grown on the balcony of a condo in Singapore. I didn't even know I was growing orchids.
Orchids are surpisingly easy to grow. They just need water and a hot climate. These orchids were rescued, a bedraggled drooping, dying plant which I thought was a bit of bamboo. I watered it every day. Eventualy white buds appeared. Now I have these magnificent magenta orchids.
The same coloured ones were all over the five star Sheraton Towers hotel. Before Covid-19 I used to go to meeting of Toastmasters and enjoyed seeing the orchid displays in the huge entrance hall, on the display beside the lifts (Americans say elevators) and in the upstairs ladies toilet.
You see orchids everywhere on jewellery and t-shirts.
Orchid design on adjustable ring. From Botanic Gardens shop.
You can buy cheaper orchid jewlelery from small shops in the big complexes such as Lucky Plaza and Far East Plaza in Singapore. If you are buying one or two or
Singapore's National Flower
The national orchid is Miss Vanda.
Wiki explains
Miss Joaquim, also known as Vanda Miss Joaquim, the Singapore orchid, or the Princess Aloha orchid, is a hybrid orchid cultivar that is the national flower of Singapore. For its resilience and year-round blooming quality, it was chosen on 15 April 1981 to represent Singapore's uniqueness and hybrid culture.
The orchid was known for a long time by its synonym Vanda Miss Joaquim. Ashkhen Hovakimian (Agnes Joaquim) hybridised this orchid which bears her name.
A wonderful collection of groups of coloured orchids is in the Botanical gardens in Singapore. I spent ages photographing the different colours. Each orchid type has a plaque.
Some orchids are named after famous people. One is named after a Korean actor I did not know.
Another is named after Princess Diana.
Another was named after Margaret Thatcher.
Orchid Margaret Thatcher. (Botanical name Dendrobium.) Botanical Gardens, Singapore. Photo in Wikipedia . Public Domain.
Orchid in Botanical Gardens, Singpore.
At the end of the one way tour you reach a shady open sided hall which has huge boards telling you all about orchids and the Botantic Gardens.
Botanical Gardens Palm Grove.
The Orchid house is at the and of the Palm Valley.
The Botanical Gardens in Singapore is free. It is huge. On a sunny day you can spend at least a couple of hours walking from one end to the other. Longer, if you stop for a meal and go round all the shops.
The Orchid House makes a charge. But if you qualify for one of the reductions the cost is quite modest.
Orchids In England
You can see orchids in Kew Gardens, London.
In England you can buy orchids in supermarkets such as Tesco and Marks & Spencer (which I read this week is closing some stores). In August the prices come down. If you are taking a car trip, you might be able to bring some back home.
The time I failed with orchids was when I bought a ready to grow orchid in a flask. A glass flask. it never grew. It cost a lot. I bought it because it was easy to pack and something to take back to the UK fro England when ggoing to a bridge party 9table of four with cold smoked salmodn and bagel and cheesecake dinner.)
The orchid never grew and was a disappointment to the recipient and to me. Of course I could not take it back to Singapore for a refund. In any case they would have said I failed to water it properly. (I used to get better service in the early days from Morrisons supermarket in the UK. Just show them something wrong and they change it immediately. All they want is the receipt or label and your signature to say you got the refund.) So I would rather buy a full grown plant from a local supermarket.
Yes, blue orchids, any orchids. My favourite are real full size orchids from Singapore, or supermarkets in the UK, or silver or gold plated orchid jewellery from Singapore.
Odd Facts About Orchids
City of Orchids - Peru
Moyobamba (Spanish pronunciation: [moʝoˈβamba]) or Muyupampa (Quechua muyu circle, pampa large plain, "circle plain") is the capital city of the San Martín Region in northern Peru. Called "Santiago of eight valleys of Moyobamba" or "Maynas capital". There are 50,073 inhabitants, according to the 2017 census.[2] Some 3,500 species of orchids are native to the area, which has led to the city's nickname of The City of Orchids.
VISITORS' GUIDE
Places which have orchids as their city nickname or national flower are:
BELIZE
CHINA
COLOMBIA
COSTA RICA
GUATEMALA
HONDURAS
INDIA (Assam)
ITALY
PANAMA
PERU
SINGAPORE (Visit Botanical Gardens. Many souvenir shops.)
VENEZUELA
(UK - visit Kew, London, UK.)
CHINA
The orchid is the City Flower of Shaoxing, China.
CHINA
COLOMBIA
COSTA RICA
GUATEMALA
HONDURAS
INDIA (Assam)
ITALY
PANAMA
PERU
SINGAPORE (Visit Botanical Gardens. Many souvenir shops.)
VENEZUELA
(UK - visit Kew, London, UK.)
CHINA
The orchid is the City Flower of Shaoxing, China.
VENEZUELA
Cattleya mossiae is the national Venezuelan flower,
Cattleya mossiae is the national Venezuelan flower,
GUATEMALA
Lycaste skinneri has a white variety (alba) that is the national flower of Guatemala, commonly known as Monja Blanca (White Nun).
Lycaste skinneri has a white variety (alba) that is the national flower of Guatemala, commonly known as Monja Blanca (White Nun).
PANAMA
Panama's national flower is the Holy Ghost orchid (Peristeria elata), or 'the flor del Espiritu Santo'.
Panama's national flower is the Holy Ghost orchid (Peristeria elata), or 'the flor del Espiritu Santo'.
INDIA
Rhynchostylis retusa is the state flower of the Indian state of Assam where it is known as Kopou Phul.[31]
Rhynchostylis retusa is the state flower of the Indian state of Assam where it is known as Kopou Phul.[31]
ITALY
Orchids native to the Mediterranean are depicted on the Ara Pacis in Rome, until now the only known instance of orchids in ancient art, and the earliest in European art.[Note 2]
Orchids native to the Mediterranean are depicted on the Ara Pacis in Rome, until now the only known instance of orchids in ancient art, and the earliest in European art.[Note 2]
Quick Quiz
1 Where can you see orchids in Singapore? ............. .............
2 Where can you see orchids in London? ..... ......................
3 Name two cities or countries which have the orchid as their flower. 1.................2....................
Challenging Quiz
(Hint: Choose from China, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Italy, Panama, Singapore, Venezuela,
4 Which country has a white orchid?
5 Which country has a black orchid?
6 Which country displays an orchid named after Margaret Thatcher?
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Answers
1 Singapore: Botanical Gardens - Orchid exhibition house
2 Kew Gardens, London, England, UK
3 Singapore; Shaoxing, China
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6 Singapore, Botanical Gardens.
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Useful Websites
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=orchids+by+post
More expensive rings, bracelets, pendants and cuff links with orchids
https://www.tangs.com/productlist/brands/risis
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