TIL FEB 9

6
Photos: RBG Kew
KEW’S THAI-INSPIRED ORCHIDS
FESTIVAL
Thailand’s vibrant colours, culture,
and magnificent plant life will be the
centrepiece of Kew Gardens Orchids
Festival in February. Inside the tropical
paradise of the Princess of Wales
Conservatory, visitors to Kew’s 23rd
annual Orchids Festival will get a chance
to shake off the winter blues and get
creative through a host of exciting new
events and activities designed to appeal
to all ages.
Colourful floral displays will welcome
visitors as they enter the tropical
glasshouse and wander through a
magnificently colourful Vanda tunnel,
with three arches delicately covered with
hanging orchids. Beautifully handcrafted
floating Thai umbrellas will lead to an
exquisite Bang Pa-In-inspired orchid
palace. A traditional Thai market boat
and rice paddy are central to this year’s
water display, representing a typical
bucolic scene, complete with a special
Thai cart on loan from the Royal Thai
Embassy in London.
As well as the stunning visual
displays, visitors will be immersed in
the sounds of Thailand’s everyday hustle
and bustle via four different specially
commissioned soundscapes playing
inside the glasshouse. From the
grinding of ingredients and the sizzling
of spices in a pan, to the tranquil sounds
of an exotic spa and the regal stirrings of
a palace, all aspects of Thailand’s culture
are captured throughout the diverse
soundtracks.
The Princess of Wales Conservatory
film room will be transformed into a
versatile Thai themed activity area, where
visitors can take a seat, put their feet up
and learn about the beauty of orchids,
and the important science work Kew is
doing through a specially commissioned
film. During the half-term week the film
room will turn into a hive of activity for
families.
This year’s festival is hosted in
partnership with the Royal Thai
Embassy, London and partners. Entrance
to the festival will be included in the
daily entrance ticket. After Hours tickets
can be purchased separately.
WOMEN ARE SET FOR BATTLE OF
BRITAIN AT THE VITALITY BIG HALF
The elite women’s race at The Vitality
Big Half is set to be a true Battle of
Britain with the country’s best distance
runners going head-to-head in London’s
brand new half marathon on 4 March.
Lily Partridge, who won the Seville
Half Marathon last week in a course
record time of 71 minutes and
9 seconds, heads the list of British
women. Partridge, 26, is the fastest
athlete in the field over the half marathon
distance and will be using the race to
prepare for her London Marathon debut
in April.
Charlotte Purdue, who is also
preparing for the London Marathon, will
be on the start line along with Alyson
Dixon and Sonia Samuels – who are
both running the marathon at the
Commonwealth Games on the Gold
Coast, Australia, in April.
The bronze medallist from last year’s
World Championships marathon and
Britain’s fastest marathon runner in 2017
have been added to the stunning elite
men’s field that already features Sir Mo
Farah, Callum Hawkins and 2017 Virgin
Money London Marathon champion
Daniel Wanjiru.
t h i s i s l o n d o n m a g a z i n e • t h i s i s l o n d o n o n l i n e