Discover an Orchid Garden of Pure Beauty at 8 Top Shows

In the depths of winter, sometimes the spirit needs a reminder of the glories of spring. Surely that’s why so many of the best luxury orchid shows in the world happen in February and early March. For those who love gardens and are becoming deeply weary of cold and snow, here’s our list of the best orchid shows in the world, with their dates and themes for 2024 – including the famous New York Botanical Garden show and the one in Kew Garden London. Plus some fun facts about orchids to make your visit even more enjoyable. Even if you only travel to these in your mind, we hope it’ll leave you feeling restored.

six fun facts about orchids

Before we begin, a few fun facts that will make a visit to an orchid show even more special. Experts report that orchids have been around for at least 80 million years, based on the pollen found stuck to the backs of bees fossilized in amber.

Fun fact #1: What are the key characteristics of an orchid?

Depends on who you ask. Botanists describe orchids as perennials that lack a permanent woody structure and have flowers with bilateral symmetry. Orchids generally feature one petal (the labellum) that is different than the other two. They’re popular in the lab because they take well to genetic experimentation. Charles Darwin wrote extensively on orchid cross-pollination.

Fun fact #2: Orchids are essential to the perfumers’ trade

Orchid scents vary from beguiling floral scents to odors like dung and rotten meat. That’s because the fragrance of orchids evolved to attract the pollinators needed—bees and butterflies like sweet scents. But flies like the odoriferous ones. Find the right orchid, and the resulting fragrance will be a hit. Black Orchid was Tom Ford’s first fragrance, and 10 years later the bestseller has spawned a family of scents, including Velvet Orchid and Orchid Soleil.

Fun fact #3: Brides love them

Wedding planners would add that orchids are in the top 10 favorite flowers globally. Along with poinsettias, they’re the most popular houseplants in the world. Perhaps surprisingly, orchids are viewed favorably as Valentine’s Day flowers by millennials.

Fun fact #4: many cultures view orchids as symbols of renewal and healing

In Chinese culture, orchids are one of the “Four Gentlemen.” The group also includes bamboo, plum trees, and chrysanthemums – each represents one of the four seasons. Orchids, in this case, represent spring. To the ancient Greeks, orchids suggested virility. Several cultures believe that orchids have healing and protective properties. For example, the Aztecs were said to drink a mixture of vanilla orchid and chocolate to give them power and strength, and the Chinese believed orchids can help cure lung illnesses and coughs.

Fun fact #5: orchids have a history of being crazy-making

For natural beauty, the loveliness and elegance of orchids are hard to surpass. Small wonder that they’ve inspired passionate and sometimes bad behavior.

If you’re in any doubt about that, just read The Orchid Thief. Susan Orlean’s 1998 book recounts her reporting on the arrest of John Laroche and a group of Seminoles in South Florida for poaching rare orchids (including the Ghost Orchid) in the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve.

The plot of the subsequent film loosely based on her work – the 2002 Spike Jonz film Adaptation (in which Meryl Streep plays Orlean) – is largely driven by the difficulties of capturing on film the nuances of these flowers and their effect on people.

Fictional detective Nero Wolfe was an orchidophile. In real life, “orchidelirium” was the ailment suffered by wealthy orchid fanatics in the Victorian era, who sent explorers and collectors to almost every part of the world in search of new varieties. These expensive expeditions were often shrouded in secrecy and it was not unusual for collectors to spread misleading information about the locations where new orchids were found (new exotic orchids were most often sold at auction in London at sky-high prices).

Fun fact #6: Orchids are not as rare as you might think

Elusive, desirable, gorgeous, complex, delicate, and refined, one could argue that these hothouse flowers are the very embodiment of luxury.

So you might be surprised to learn that while considered exotic, orchids are not all that rare. They’re classified by botanists as members of the Orchidaceae family, one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with almost 28,000 currently accepted species. That’s four times the number of mammal species. They’re the national flower of many countries, including Venezuela, Columbia, and Singapore.

the best luxury orchid garden shows in the world

Ready to fall under their spell? Here are the best orchid shows in the world, including the famous New York Botanical Garden and Kew Gardens in London, in which you can experience their beauty, styled and curated by the most talented floral artists in the business.

1. The Kew Gardens London Orchid Festival:  February 3rd to March 3rd 2024

The Kew Gardens London Orchid Festival will again be held in the Princess of Wales Conservatory. This year the festival is inspired by the beauty and biodiversity of Madagascar.

Become immersed in a land of striking contrast, from spiny forests to succulent woodlands; and a vast variety of the most unique wildlife on Earth as you travel within the Princess of Wales Conservatory.

Be sure not to miss the extraordinary giraffe weevils! You can explore installations of extinct species while keeping an eye out for ring-tailed lemurs high up in the trees above you.

2. The New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show: February 17th to April 21st, 2024

This year’s New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show will be a display of fashion-inspired celebrations of all things orchids. Become enchanted by the fresh new bold designs of New York’s rising stars with work by Dauphinette by Olivia Cheng, Collina Strada by Hillary Taymour, and FLWR PSTL by Kristen Alpaugh.

During the evenings of Saturdays, March 30, April 5, 6, 12, 13,19 & 20, 7–10 p.m., step into a world of color and style with evening performers on stage, signature cocktails, and local flavors from the Bronx Night Market.

3. The Pacific Orchid and Garden Exposition, San Francisco: February 15th – 18th, 2024

The Pacific Orchid and Garden Exposition in San Francisco will be held in the County Fair Building in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. The theme for the 2024 Exposition is “Timeless Orchids, A Journey Through History” and will showcase the historical significance of orchids in various cultures and time periods. It highlights how these orchids were vital in their role in medicine and art.

There will be a preview night event on Thursday, February 15th from 6:00 – 9:00 PM for any adult over the age of 21 (since alcohol will be served).  These guests will be the first to see the orchid displays and have the first pick from show vendors.

4. The Orchid Extravaganza at Longwood Gardens, Philadelphia

The Orchid Extravaganza at Longwood Gardens in Philadelphia is held annually in the 4-acre Conservatory. It is a beautiful homage to some original orchid shows, like the one at Kew Gardens in London.

This year’s presentation will be the largest and most show-stopping display of orchids ever, featuring more than 4,500 vibrant orchids.

5. The Chicago Botanic Garden Orchid Show: February 10th to March 24th, 2024

This year’s annual Chicago Botanic Garden Orchid Show is called “The Orchid Show of Wonders”  where your favorite circus and carnival attractions come to life.  Some of these installments will be walking under ferris wheel seats, or gaze up at unicycles on tightropes.Expect the unexpected and explore the brighter side of winter at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Be whisked away with 10,000 fresh and vibrant flowers.

Take a first look at the Orchid Show and enjoy lights, a cash bar,and live music on Friday, February 9th 2024 from 5:00 – 7:30 PM.

6. The Japan Grand Prix International Orchid and Flower Show: Feb 7th – Feb 14th, 2024

The annual Japan Grand Prix International Orchid and Flower Show takes place in the Tokyo Dome and is one of the world’s most significant floral events.  This event started back in 1991 and now over 1000 exhibitors will display their flowers during the eight-day program.

Besides the display of flowers, this event will also include a Flower Café and Bar, where visitors can enjoy something to eat and drink.

7. The Paris Jardin des Plantes: February 8th to March 24th, 2024

In Paris, “Mille & Une Orchidées” (A Thousand and One Orchids) will feature over 1,000 blossoming orchids in the tropical greenhouse of the magnificent Jardin des Plantes.

Visitors can also purchase beautiful specimens of orchids from specialists, thanks to the pop-up shop near the greenhouse.

8. The National Orchid Garden in Singapore

Finally, the National Orchid Garden in Singapore is located on the highest hill in the Singapore Botanic Gardens and is a year-round opportunity to surround yourself with these lovely blooms.

The garden is home to over 1,000 orchid species and 2,000 hybrids. What is unique about this garden is that its plants are displayed in four separate color zones: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

the best luxury orchid garden shows in the world

That’s everything you need to know about some of the best orchid shows in the world, including the New York Botanical Garden and Kew Gardens in London, and their dates and themes for 2024. If you go, have a wonderful time. Just remember, you’ve been warned: orchidarium is real. It’s catching, and it’s pretty hard to cure. Which one of these will be on your must-see list, dear reader?