Journey through a colourful Costa Rican Paradise: Kew Gardens’ orchid festival returns for 2022

Saturday 5 February – Sunday 6 March 2022 at the Princess of Wales Conservatory.

Release date: 2 December 2021

  • Kew Gardens’ 2022 orchid festival celebrates biodiversity hotspot, Costa Rica
  • Vibrant displays and accompanying soundscapes inspired by flora and fauna of Central America
  • Experiencing Orchids at Kew Gardens is a perfect Valentine’s Day gift
  • Showcase of RBG Kew’s collaborative scientific projects to protect Costa Rica’s diverse species

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 6% 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. RBG 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 Trico, Acting Supervisor of the Princess of Wales Conservatory, said: “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 27-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.”

 

What we are doing to keep visitors safe 

The safety and wellbeing of our visitors is of the utmost importance to us and we are continually monitoring and responding to the Covid-19 pandemic as it evolves. We are adhering to government advice in our planning to ensure visitors and staff remain safe while enjoying Orchids 2022. Safety measures will reflect government advice at the time of the exhibition run and will be clearly communicated across RBG Kew’s channels and onsite.

ENDS

Orchids admission:     

  • Entry to Orchids is included when purchasing a ticket to Kew Gardens.
  • The best value tickets can be booked in advance via kew.org.
  • Visitors must book separate timed entry slots for Orchids 2022.

For more information or images, please contact the Press Office at pr@kew.org / 0208 332 5607

Notes to Editors

About Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a world-famous scientific organisation, internationally respected for its outstanding collections as well as its scientific expertise in plant diversity, conservation and sustainable development in the UK and around the world. Kew Gardens is a major international and a top London visitor attraction. Kew Gardens’ 132 hectares of landscaped gardens, and Wakehurst, Kew’s Wild Botanic Garden, attract over 2.5 million visits every year. Kew Gardens was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2003 and celebrated its 260th anniversary in 2019. Wakehurst is home to Kew's Millennium Seed Bank, the largest wild plant seed bank in the world. RBG Kew receives approximately one third of its funding from Government through the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and research councils. Further funding needed to support RBG Kew’s vital work comes from donors, membership and commercial activity including ticket sales.