So Many Flowers, So Little Time: Photos From London's Orchids Festival

Allergy

Escape to the tropics with these stunning orchid displays.

March 14, 2016

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Anne Rostek, a Kew Diploma Student in horticulture, arranges an orchid in Kew Gardens' 'Tropical Extravaganza Festival 2011' on February 3, 2011 in London, England. The exhibition of tropical flora in the Princess of Wales Conservatory at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew opens to the public on February 5, 2011. The Tropical Extravaganza marks the UN International Year of Forests and features over 7000 tropical plants including over 3000 orchids which have taken over 2270 man-hours to arrange. (Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

The annual Orchids festival at the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in London is a colorful spectacle that has earned international notoriety.

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Each year the festival designates a theme. For Orchids 2016, the gardens' horticulturalists drew inspiration from Brazil. In particular, the festival was inspired by the South American nation's carnivals.

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"This year the pond display will be a true explosion of color – a real carnival," Elisa Biondi, display horticulturalist for Kew, said in a statement. "We want to capture the essence of Brazil; take visitors on a journey through the biomes of this incredible country, while showing the range of conservation and science work that Kew is doing with South America."

While there may be a chill in the air, the Prince Wales Conservatory, which houses the annual festival, is climate controlled at approximately 70 degrees Fahrenheit at all times -- the perfect temperature to give guests a tropical experience featuring a kaleidoscope of colors.

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And allergy sufferers rejoice! Dr. Clifford Bassett, founder and medical director at Allergy and Asthma Care of New York, told weather.com that orchids are generally safe for those with pollen allergies to be around since few varieties of orchids are known to trigger pollen allergies.

The festival is held from February 6 to March 6. Start the gallery to get a behind-the-scenes look at grounds keepers putting the finishing touches the Orchids festival through the years.