“Orchids in the Wild — the Beauty of Nature,” one of the displays at the Royal Horticulture Society’s recent Chelsea Flower Show in London, featured two species of orchids that are native to Humboldt County. “The exhibit focused on three orchid regions this year, U.S.
, UK and India — all locations with some relation to the Commonwealth. Two species were grown here at the Humboldt Botanical Garden (in Eureka) to be included in the display, Epipactus gigantea and Goodyera oblongifolia,” said Benjamin Crain, Humboldt Botanical Garden’s operations manager and also a research associate at the Smithsonian Institution specializing in orchid ecology and conservation. “Plants we used in the exhibit were initially cultivated at HBG before being transferred and (added to) a collection for the exhibit at another garden,” Crain said.
“Subsequently, the plants were permitted under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), inspected and sent to England for the show, after which they were donated to the permanent collection at Kew Gardens.” The Humboldt Botanical Garden was also part of several coveted honors given to the “Orchids in the Wild — the Beauty of Nature” display at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show, which took place May 21 to 25. Firstly, two special visitors — King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla — viewed the award-winning orchid display during a visit to the 2024 show.
“It’s pretty impressi.