Tropical Extravaganza | Exhibition review

by Fernando Augusto Pacheco

Feeling the winter cold? Beat the chill by warming yourself in the glass houses of Kew Gardens, and the name of the festival couldn’t be more appropriate: Tropical Extravaganza.

The main display at the Princess of Wales Conservatory is colourful and it takes us into a tropical botanical trip.

Colourful orchids and exotic tropical plants will delight the eyes of Londoners.

Besides the main conservatory, there is another display at the Waterlily House, where you will see a stunning pond display of Cymbidium orchids, which have been supplied by McBean’s Orchids, the country’s leading specialist orchid nursery.

Potting demonstrations

If you are looking for something more practical, then do not miss the Tropical & Orchid Nursery tours, including a tour with potting demonstrations.

And it is not all about the plants, on Wednesdays and Sundays (2pm-4pm), Kew Gardens' volunteer guides will show a display of tropical foods.

Maybe you could even drink a lovely fresh passion fruit juice.

For those who are interested in knowing more about how to look after orchids and tropical plants, or who want to know basic tips about gardening, expert advice is available during the period of the Tropical Extravaganza Festival.

It may sound slightly boring to a student to go and see a tropical plant festival, but it will sure calm you down during the stressful days before the end of term.

Go, have a cup of tea at the very good White Peaks Café (inside Kew Gardens), and the chances are that you will leave there as calm as the Dalai Lama.

Price: £11 (concessions)

Tropical Extravaganza Festival runs from: February 6 – March 7, 2010, check www.kew.org for more information