Discover the fascinating journeys of explorers at the orchid exhibition in the Troja Botanical Garden

Orchids are one of the most attractive collections in the Troja Botanical Garden, and their annual exhibition attracts great interest. Botanists have been cultivating them since 1995. Currently, this unique collection includes approximately 2,300 species, and visitors can see many of these beautiful plants at popular exhibitions that have been held in the Troja Garden since 2006.

The annual orchid exhibition offers visitors not only the pleasure of beautiful flowers after a long winter, but also a wealth of interesting information about these fascinating plants. This year’s exhibition is not only focused on the plants themselves, but is also a journey through time, introducing visitors to a period when brave explorers risked their lives in tropical jungles and aristocrats paid enormous sums for a single seedling. You will also learn about important botanists such as Tadeáš Haenke, Jan Vilém Helfer and Benedikt Roezl, as well as the aristocrats who devoted themselves to growing orchids on their estates.

Orchid expeditions and the history of their cultivation in Czechia

One of the first tropical orchids known to Europeans was vanilla. This plant species originates from southern Mexico and was considered a gift from the gods by the Totonaco Indians. The Spanish first brought it to Europe as a rare spice and later as a living plant. The scientific name for vanilla was introduced in 1754 as Notylia vanilla and Epidendrum vanilla.

The Orchidaceae family boasts a wealth of more than 28,000 species of orchids. These beautiful plants are found almost all over the world, from tropical regions to the Arctic Circle.

The atmosphere of the exhibition will be enhanced by original arrangements created by florist Klára Franc Vavříková with students from the Czech Horticultural Academy in Mělník.

Their work refers to historical expeditions in search of orchids – visitors will have the opportunity to enter the ship’s hold with Ward’s cabinet, in which tropical plants were transported, or visit the historic castle orangery with its remarkable flowers. These decorations combine the beauty of flowers with the fascinating story of their discovery and cultivation, thus enhancing the educational and visual experience. In addition to the breathtaking view, the exhibition also offers a weekend programme with workshops during which those interested can make their own mini greenhouse – a florarium. The event will also include a wide selection of orchids and other indoor plants for sale, with expert advice. During the orchid exhibition, you can also look forward to a series of interesting lectures. Admission to these lectures is free and included in the admission fee to the botanical garden, including admission to the Fata Morgana greenhouse and the Orchid Exhibition.

The 2026 season in Troja, already the 57th

The year 2026 at the Prague Botanical Garden will be called Plant Odyssey. This main theme will take visitors on a fascinating journey through the evolution of plants, culminating in the opening of a new interactive exhibition that will map the origin and development of the plant kingdom throughout Earth’s history. The spring orchid exhibition will be followed by a tropical butterfly show focusing on their impressive survival. Fans of Eastern aesthetics can look forward to the traditional Bonsai and Japanese Culture Festival. The summer months will be enlivened not only by the opening of the evolutionary exhibition, but also by a series of themed events, which will be replaced in autumn by the popular pumpkin arrangement exhibition and the interactive Exhibition for

all the senses. At the end of 2026, the garden plans to prepare a light show called the Crystal Garden. The year-round programme will also be complemented by expert curator tours, a geranium exchange and popular wine events and celebrations, led by the Wine Harvest at the St. Clare Vineyard.

The Orchids: Paths of Discovery exhibition will run at the Prague Botanical Garden until 15 March and invites all nature lovers to discover the beauty that truly fascinates both experts and laymen around the world.