Visiting Orchid Gardens in the Barbados

What better thing to do on a honeymoon then tour orchid gardens hand in hand with the one you love? My husband and I visited Orchid World and Andromeda Botanical Garden on Barbados and here's a few of the fine specimens we saw.


Species and varieties of Vanda were popular, probably because of their affinity for full sun and heat. The climate of the island is perfect for orchid proliferation - frequent short rain showers keep the humidity high and the temperature barely drops below 30 degrees Celcius.








This beauty is Epidendrum ciliare, which is found naturally on the Barbados and other islands of the West Indies.













I was told this was the notorious Vanda Miss Joaquim (the national flower of Singapore), however I think it is actually a variety, var. Josephine. Vanda's easiIy hybridize both by natural means and when cross-bred, for instance Vanda Miss Joaquim has been bred into 440 hybrids!