London, England: The Orchids Festival At Kew Gardens in Richmond

When it's been really cold and gloomy all you want to do is find somewhere warm and colorful to refresh. Mid-February is that time of year when winter is starting to drag and you need something to keep you going. Lucky for us—and you—the Orchids Festival is currently taking over the Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew Gardens. It was a no brainer to add it to our list to check out this past weekend knowing we had some free time on Sunday. After an easy ride over on the overground and a short stroll to the elaborate greenhouse, we were finally in what felt like a tropical paradise. The Orchids Festival comes around every year but with a different theme to make it unique. This years displays are "inspired by the vibrant colours, culture and magnificent plant life of India."

As you stroll through the many layers of the conservatory, you pass by the beautiful installations all made of the orchids. Some where simple tall posts full of different colored blooms and others more intricately detailed like the peacock or elephant. We wove through every single path possible to get a glimpse of each from every angle. There were even spots that the orchids where delicately hanging from sections of the ceiling (perhaps my favorite part). The colors were incredibly vibrant and beautiful filling the room with a new light energy. We had been to Kew Gardens once before (though also during some cold weather—we really need to see it in the spring/summer) but this time was more intentional and it was fun to see others gathering here for the same reason. Its hard to put into words the beauty of it all so hopefully these photos are doing it some justice.

I could stroll through there again and again—and probably find something new every time. So, if you are looking for a little escape from the winter blues in London I recommend making your way to the Orchids Festival. The beautiful installations will be on display until 5 March and you can snag your ticket(s) online. Hopefully it will do your soul some good just like it did mine—enjoy!