Kath and I went to Kew Gardens today to see the Orchids exhibition in the Princess of Wales Conservatory. It opened on 4 February and runs until 5 March. It’s an annual show, but it was the first time we’ve been. The plant life in the conservatory is amazing at any time, not least the cactii and the tropical gardens; but with the additions of the orchids, it was truly stunning. So many types, colours and shapes – extraordinary. This year – maybe all years, I don’t know – the focus was on the orchids of Cameroon. There are around 450 documented species in the country, and no doubt more that are unrecorded. The exhibition included some interesting information about the eco-system of Cameroon, its wildlife and society, embellished with photographs of village life. And I discovered that the name of the country is derived from the Portuguese for prawns!

But the orchids were the stars of the moment. Here are a few of my favourite photos from the visit. One or two aren’t orchids, but I liked the colours!

My camera lens in the tropical area was steaming up, especially for this one.