The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens welcomes visitors to enjoy a flower-filled event like never before during their Orchid Exhibit and Orchids After Dark.
Visitor can enjoy more than 2,000 orchids of all colors, shapes and sizes in an exciting tropical escape this winter. The Orchid Exhibit is open daily through March 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The exhibit will also be open in the evening with special lighting during Orchids After Dark on select nights and during several other special events. Orchids After Dark is open Feb. 13-15, 17, 19-21, 26-28, and March 5-7 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. The exhibit will close out with a special event, Orchid Fest, in partnership with the Niagara Frontier Orchid Society where an additional several hundred exotic and award-winning orchids will be added to the show.
With more than 2,000 stunning orchids, and quadruple the number of blooms, there are incredible sights to see at every corner. The exhibit is made up of several different varieties, colors, shapes, and sizes of orchids. They are arranged into incredible displays using several different methods of hanging and wrapping. Visitors will not only enjoy the warmth and the views, but will also learn about the intricacies of orchid structures and their features.
New this year will be a mobile hanging from the center of the iconic Palm Dome. Another special feature includes the Kokedama orchid displays. Kokedama is the Japanese word for, “moss ball” and refers to the practices of planting orchids and other types of plants in a sphere of soil and moss. These floating orbs take on a new design this year and are sure to amaze returning and new visitors. Those interested in Kokedama can learn how to create their own, custom kokedama during the Orchid Kokedama Workshop on March 14.
Another exciting feature of the Orchid Exhibit is the inclusion of Watercolor Orchids. These unusually colored orchids have been manipulated by horticulturalists and growers to produce uniquely colored flowers. These striking hues of teal, green, purple, peach and multi-color are nothing like the colors that would be found naturally in the wild.
To create this effect, colored dye is carefully injected into the stem of a white-flowering orchid. The dye is a special, water-based formula that does not harm the orchids. The dye gradually makes its way through the stem to the flower and new colors will appear on the bloom. The flowers will retain the dye through the end of their current bloom cycle. These whimsical orchids are incredibly saturated and are strikingly different from the average orchid.
As a grand finale to the Orchid Exhibit, the annual Orchid Fest features a weekend where the Botanical Gardens and Niagara Frontier Orchid Society join forces for an orchid extravaganza. The Niagara Frontier Orchid Society will bring hundreds of exotic and award-winning orchids to nearly double the size of the Orchid Exhibit. Special displays will be added for visitors to enjoy throughout the entire conservatory. Orchid vendors and experts will also be on site during the Orchid Fest to talk about their specialized orchids and sell products for aspiring orchid growers and orchid lovers.
Tickets can be pre-purchased online for all exhibits and events at buffalogardens.com.