Kew Gardens’ Orchids 2022: Costa Rica

Returning for the first time in two years, Kew Gardens’ much-loved annual orchid festival takes place from Saturday 5 February to Sunday 6 March 2022. Orchids 2022, takes inspiration from the rich and colourful culture of Costa Rica, allowing visitors the perfect opportunity to escape the UK’s winter weather and embrace the sights and sounds of this internationally recognised biodiversity haven.

The displays

For 2022, the route around the Princess of Wales Conservatory will be designed to recreate the varied and verdant landscape of Costa Rica, transporting visitors through the wonders of this biodiversity hotspot, from the tropical dry forest of the north Pacific, to the rainforests of the southern coastline. Throughout their journey around the glasshouse, visitors will encounter an assortment of native animals replicated across a series of stunning horticultural displays. Monkeys, sea turtles, toads and hummingbirds- all intricately hand-crafted from plants- will burst into colourful life for the duration of the festival. The central display in the glasshouse pond, a highlight of the festival, will be filled with brilliant vibrant orchids and bromeliads.

RBG Kew and Costa Rica

Kew’s focus on Costa Rica for Orchids 2022 will highlight the country’s unique position as a biodiversity hotspot, as recently recognised by the country being awarded the inaugural Protect and Restore Nature Earthshot Prize.

Home to 5% of the world’s biodiversity, despite covering just 0.03% of the planet, Costa Rica is a role model for the conservation of biodiversity; with around a quarter of its land part of a protected forest or reserve. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has many collaborative scientific projects located in Costa Rica, which include constructing a ‘family tree’ for all of its orchid species to learn how to better protect them, and documenting plants in La Amistad Biosphere Reserve - one of the richest places on Earth for plant diversity.

Alberto Trinco, Acting Supervisor of the Princess of Wales Conservatory at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew says: 'Every year we enjoy brightening up the gloomy winter months with creative, vibrant and beautiful displays for Orchids, and this time around feels all the more pertinent after last year’s closure – the first ever in the 26-year run of the festival. Costa Rica is a major orchid habitat with so many interesting species, and has much to teach us about conservation as the world faces such huge threats from biodiversity loss. Visitors will be able to safely enjoy a coast-to-coast journey across this tropical paradise that we’re aiming to recreate inside the Princess of Wales Conservatory, and learn a thing or two about its diversity and cultural wonders along the way.'

Rafael Oritz Fábrega, Ambassador of Costa Rica adds: 'We look forward to welcoming visitors to the Orchid Festival – to both celebrate our Costa Rican heritage and our policies that encourage sustainable land use practices. Today, Costa Rica is one of the only countries in the world to reverse its deforestation, stop biodiversity loss, and increase forest cover to over half its total territory, whilst increasing economic growth. Ultimately, we want to build a better future for the planet – an ethos we are proud to share with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.'

RBG Kew received support with the interpretation from Lankester Botanic Garden (Jardin Botanico Lankester) in Costa Rica, from Director Adam Karremans and JBL Scientist Diego Bogarin. The orchid back drop (in the temperate orchid case) was commissioned by Lankester and painted by Deirdre Hyde. Lankester also sent a collection of orchids to Kew Gardens.