SINGAPORE – Singapore Expo Hall 2 was transformed into a verdant orchid wonderland on Tuesday with several hundred showy blooms on display for the 14th Asia Pacific Orchid Conference (APOC) 2023.
Known for bringing plant hobbyists, professionals and botanists from the region together, APOC 2023, held for the first time in Singapore, will also showcase blooms and creations by HDB residents and students.
Among them are resident gardeners under the National Parks Board’s Community in Bloom (CIB) programme, who created a display of orchids grown in community gardens.
The blooms were from 10 community garden groups, including schools like Xishan Primary School and United World College of South East Asia (East), Jamiyah Nursing Home (Darul Syifa), and West Coast Community Centre.
Madam Elsie Chua, the leader of West Coast CC’s orchid garden, learnt to garden as a young girl from her grandmother, who grew orchids to sell in their kampung in Henderson Road.
The CC’s garden, which she calls Lorong Orchid, was first planted in 2017 as an initiative by her orchid interest group, many of whom are seniors. The group grew to later become part of the CIB.
Madam Chua, who is in her 60s, told The Straits Times that she wanted to bring orchids to the heartland through this initiative, and encouraged anyone in the area to enjoy and tend to the garden.
A rare species at the CIB showcase is the Bulbophyllum phalaenopsis, an imposing-looking plant with large hanging leaves and putrid-smelling flowers, which was grown in the Nanyang Zone 1 Residents’ Committee’s community garden.
Also among the exhibits was a display of orchids incorporated into fashion design. Second-year Nitec in Floristry students from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College Central showcased a line of fashion pieces, with one male mannequin sporting a beard dripping with hair-like Tillandsia leaves and long Amaranth flowers, and shoes dotted with bright green pom pom chrysanthemums.
“This concept is for a man who is outgoing and creative, and wants to express his aesthetics at a ball or a dance,” said student Lee Jing Hui, 19, who designed the flamboyant mannequin with three classmates.
Another mannequin wore a gown inspired by one that Princess Diana wore in her bridal shoot, and was created with bouquet wrapping paper and adorned with wire, dried plants and high-quality fresh orchids.
On till Aug 20, APOC is the largest gathering of orchid researchers, professional growers, and hobbyists in the Asia-Pacific region.
There are more than 8,000 orchid plants belonging to close to 1,000 different orchid species and hybrids at the Orchid Show.
It is a ticketed event featuring landscape displays, rare orchid species and hybrids brought in from countries such as Indonesia, Japan and Thailand, photography, flower embellished fashion design, and a marketplace, which is free entry, where visitors can purchase orchids and related products from international retailers.
Its main highlights include the Orchid Plant Competition and Orchid Landscape Competition, whose winners will be announced on Wednesday, and awarded by guest of honour President Halimah Yacob.
