Orchid Delirium
Wednesday – Sunday | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Member Opening: March 2-6, 2022
Public: March 9-27, 2022
Orchid Delirium, a new exhibition at Powell Gardens, draws inspiration from the Victorian-era fascination with the flower that led to a collecting hysteria appropriately named Orchidelirium. The exhibition showcases select blooms from a 600-piece orchid collection (43 of which have protected conservation status in the wild), cared for right here at Powell Gardens.
Orchid Delirium highlights the natural habitats in which the flowers are traditionally found and invokes the feeling of being immersed in a lush tropical greenhouse.
The exhibition marks the opening of Powell Gardens’ spring season allowing Garden-goers to enjoy an indoor tropical oasis, where the vibrant colors of the collection collide with rich history to put the awe in education. Visitors can expect to learn about one of the most numerous flowering plant species through educational programs, interpretation, and curated tours.
Come for the stunning display and leave with a deeper understanding of why the beauty of this plant has enamored humankind for centuries! Click the button to explore the digital exhibition guide.
Engage with the Exhibition
Saturday, March 19 | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$75 | Members receive 10% off
Powell Gardens
Join Powell Gardens to celebrate the first annual Orchid Delirium exhibition with Orchid Symposium. You will enjoy presentations about a variety of topics: the history of Orchidelirium with Education Manager, Caitlin Eckard; Top 10 Orchids for the Home with Master Gardener Carol Gravens via Zoom; and Paphiopedilum: An Introduction and Culture with Lead Horticulturalist Brent Tucker.
A boxed lunch and non-alcoholic beverage are included with your ticket. Attendees will also take home their very own moth orchid (Phalaenopsis).
Registration cutoff is March 15th, 2022.
Thursday, March 24 | 8 p.m. – midnight
$30 | $20 for designated drivers
Experience Delirium, an exclusive neon nightclub event, is bringing a black-lit jungle to Johnson County in celebration of Orchid Delirium 2022.
This one night rave will include access to Orchid Delirium, a cash bar, and a dance floor filled with neon lights and jungle themed décor. Don’t miss photo opportunities, too! Climb into the jungle and leave with memories that will last you a lifetime.
Tickets include one complimentary alcoholic beverage or mocktail (depending on ticket selected), access to the Orchid Delirium exhibit, and unlimited minutes on the dance floor.
Must be 21+ to attend. Registration cutoff is March 15th, 2022.
Saturday, March 26 | 10-11 a.m.
$25 | Members receive 10% off
Powell Gardens
Join Education Manager, Caitlin Eckard, to discuss Susan Orlean’s book, The Orchid Thief. This fascinating first-hand account explores the eccentric world of orchid fanatics in Florida. Immerse yourself in the text and discuss with other readers before viewing Orchid Delirium at Powell Gardens.
Book club attendees will enjoy light snacks and drinks and can view the Orchid Delirium exhibition after the session.
Saturdays, March 12, 19 & 26 | 8 – 9 a.m.
Price: $15 | $5 for members
Conservatory (Visitor Center)
Are you a photographer or member of a local photography club interested in visiting and photographing the amazing variety of blooming plants featured in Orchid Delirium when the exhibition is closed to the public? Purchase a ticket to visit Powell Gardens before public hours any Saturday throughout March.
Those with these special tickets will gain early access prior to the exhibit opening to the public, allowing you to enjoy the exhibition in near solitude. Photographing the orchids and their companion plants is the perfect way to sharpen and flex those macro skills. Get up close and personal to this special collection that boasts of color and fun textures.
Please purchase tickets to register. Contact exhibitions@powellgardens.org for group rates if you are planning to visit with a club.
Take home a part of the exhibit!
Four orchid arrangements (on display in the Conservatory) are available via auction. Visit the live auction site to place your bid today.
The auction closes March 27, 2022. Winners will be notified via email. Orchids can be picked up March 28-April 1, 2022.
Pictured: Phalaenopsis Golden Tree.
Work from Powell Gardens (#WFPowell)
March 9-27, 2022
Wednesday – Friday | 9 a.m. – noon
Visitor Center’s Perennial Lounge, and Grand Hall and Terraces
Included in general admission
Wednesday through Friday, Powell Gardens invites those working remote to #WFPowell. All who visit between the hours of 9 a.m. and noon will receive a free cold-brew and an Orchid Delirium souvenir.
While working from Powell Gardens, visitors can enjoy pastries available for purchase in the Marketplace, tour the tropical oasis that is Orchid Delirium and take walking meetings while strolling throughout the grounds. Wi-Fi is complementary for all guests and available in the Visitor Center’s Terraces, Perennial Lounge and Grand Hall.
Visit, plugin and break from the monotony of remote work by enjoying a different office setting away from home at Powell Gardens.
Orchid Delirium is supported in part by the generosity of the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust.