Held in the beautiful and historic Kibble Palace glasshouse in the Gardens, with the support of the Scottish Orchid Society and the Friends of Glasgow Botanic Gardens, there will be displays of flowering tropical orchids by regional orchid societies.
Alan MacKenzie, Chair of the Scottish Orchid Society, said, “We are delighted to welcome a large range of orchid societies and traders this year, there really will be something for everyone. The way people keep orchids is changing, and there are so many options now. Growing tropical orchids indoors is increasingly popular, on the windowsill, or under lights, and there are even hardy orchids that can grow happily outside in the garden, as well as those suited to traditional greenhouse-growing.”
Alongside displays of flowering orchids, there will be educational stands with cultural advice and other information - all you need to know about these intriguing wonders of nature. Members of the Scottish Orchid Society will be on hand and delighted to answer any questions from budding orchid enthusiasts.
Orchids and rarely available tropical plants, along with accessories and supplies to grow them, will be on sale from highly reputable and ethical British orchid nurseries and traders. Alan adds, “We place vital emphasis on ensuring that all the plants are ethically sourced and legally imported, which sadly isn’t always the case when buying from individuals over the internet. As amateur orchid-growers, we can help in conserving orchids by making sure that none of the plants we buy are taken from wild stocks, and by cultivating and sharing our own plants through orchid societies.”
The Scottish Orchid Society was originally founded in 1959 and caters for orchid lovers from all over Scotland and beyond as the only orchid society based in Scotland which supports those passionate about growing and caring for our orchid plants.
Glasgow Botanic Gardens hold the National Collection of Dendrobium orchids, and on Saturday afternoon there will be an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Glasgow Botanic Gardens greenhouses, led by Orchid Propagator Christine Nicholson. Places will be limited and on a strictly first-come, first served basis, so be sure to head to the Scottish Orchid Society stand early to book your place. There will be plenty of time to absorb the tropical ambience in the Kibble Palace, surrounded by the National Collection of huge Australian tree ferns, as well as visiting the Gardens’ own orchid house to see what is currently in flower there.
Entry to the Glasgow Botanic Gardens and the Orchid Fair is free of charge so a great way to indulge in a tropical escape, right in the heart of Glasgow’s west-end. Doors open at 10am until 5pm on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th May, at 730 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 0UE.
Find full details of the Glasgow Botanic Gardens Orchid Fair and get in touch with the Scottish Orchid Society at www.scottishorchid.org.