Orchids Forever Opens at the Cleveland Botanical Garden

Orchids, orchids everywhere! There is nothing like the wonder and beauty of orchids and once again the Cleveland Botanical Garden will spotlight their grandeur at the 16^th annual flower show Orchids Forever opening Saturday, January 29th, 2022. The show will run through Sunday, March 13th. Orchids Forever is generously supported by Just Add Ice®.

Tickets are now available online.  Advance reservations are strongly recommended for all visitors and members. Ticketing is timed with limited capacity. Walk-up sales are permitted, but certain times may be sold out. Providing a safe and comfortable experience was top-of-mind for the Orchids Forever design team. Face masks and social distancing are required.

This year’s theme is Synergy and Survival, focusing on the special relationship between orchids and their pollinators and why this relationship is vital for survival and longevity.

“The mystique and elegance of orchids highlights the wonder and beauty found in nature, and experiencing these plants up close showcases the importance of protecting them from increasing threats of climate change,” said Jill Koski, president and CEO of Holden Forests & Gardens. “I encourage you to escape the grey, cold winter weather and find joy in a visit to Orchids Forever.”

Thousands of orchids will fill the interior garden and create a vibrant tropical escape from the Northeast Ohio winter.

• The Ellipse (Main Lobby) will transport visitors into the world of orchids with towering  vertical art installations and beautiful artist-renderings of pollinators suspended from the ceiling and flying around orchids.
• The Glasshouse will feature stunning horticultural vignettes and graphic panels that tell the story of the biomes as the source of ecosystem-focused information and how the pollinator/orchid relationship supports the ecosystem function.
• Eppig Gallery will bring the incredible science of pollination to life. Large graphics featuring pollinators, interpretation, and plant displays will explain the concept of pollination. The relationship of the pollinator and orchid is essential to understanding the preservation of orchids in the wild.

Orchids are part of one of the largest families of flowering plants on Earth. They live on every continent and in most ecosystems including rainforests, grasslands, bogs, and even our front yards. Orchid survival is connected to the success of other living things in their ecosystem, such as trees, fungi, and animal pollinators.

To help conserve wild orchids so that we can enjoy them for years to come, scientists and plant lovers must learn all we can about orchid species and the special relationships they have with their ecosystem.

Continue learning about and loving orchids:

Silk paintings by Gunter Schwegler will be featured throughout the exhibit.

In the Eleanor Squire library: Visit the garden library to see books about orchids and more in our adult and children’s collections. This special horticultural library is open on a limited basis. Check holdenfg.org for hours and additional information.

In the Garden Store: Orchids, including some exotic varieties, will be available for purchase at the Garden Store along with orchid soil, fertilizer, and orchid pots.

In-person and online classes:

• Ask the Orchid Doctor – this popular FREE orchid clinic will have virtual and in-person sessions.  Ask the Orchid Doctor will allow participants to interact with orchid experts and diagnose problem plants.  On select Saturdays throughout the course of the show. Check holdenfg.org for updates.

• Orchid Photography Workshop – Sunday, February 27, 9AM – 3PM – This exclusive workshop provides an intimate opportunity to get up close and personal with the plants on exhibit. Following a brief discussion of photography tips, participants will head into the exhibit for a few hours before the doors open to the public. The afternoon portion of this class will include hand-held photography practice where participants can continue photographing orchids or move outdoors to explore additional subjects.

• Orchid Growing & Care for Beginners – This class simplifies orchid growing by giving you a common-sense orchid grower’s checklist that can lead to blooming success with almost any orchid. A Q&A session will take place at the end of the program. Please check holdenfg.org for updates.

Orchids Forever hours are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m.– 8 p.m. and Sundays Noon – 5 p.m. The Botanical Garden will be closed on Mondays. Please note hours are subject to change, check holdenfg.org for updated information.

Orchids Forever admission is $16 per adult, $12 per child ages three to 12 (free for children two and under). Admission is free for Holden Forests & Gardens members. The Botanical Garden is located at 11030 East Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio.  Indoor parking is available for a fee based on availability. For complete details about Orchids Forever, visit holdenfg.org.

About Cleveland Botanical Garden and Holden Forests & Gardens

Cleveland Botanical Garden, located in Cleveland’s University Circle cultural district, is an ever-changing 10-acre urban oasis where visitors find enrichment and inspiration through fabulous gardens, an exotic Glasshouse, and seasonal events. The Cleveland Botanical Garden is part of Holden Forests & Gardens along with the Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio.  Holden Forests & Gardens is making an impact in Northeast Ohio through urban greening and forestry initiatives, environmental research, educational programs, and world-class visitor experiences at its two campuses. For more information, visit holdenfg.org.