A COSTLY BOUQUET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5961, 28 August 1897, Page 3

A COSTLY BOUQUET.

Orchid lovers will be interested in the details of a marvellous bouquet presented to the Queen, by permission, at Buckingham Palace, on the occasion of the Stato dinner in Jubilee week. The details are given by the Globe. Over 50,000 orchids were grouped together in its composition, some of the spikes being almost priceless, as the names, did our space permit of enumerating them, would convince the reader. The pure white spikes of the Princess of Wales Odontoglossum were prominent, and also the yellow and maroon blooms of Lord Dalhousie's Dendrobe. And, to show from what far away lands this goodly company of exquisite orchids were collected, we may mention the sprays from Table Mountain, called " Flower of the Gods," Stenoglottis from South Africa, the Moth-flowered Dendrobe from Australasia and New Guinea, as well as specimens from the East Indies and Guiana. These were most gracefully arranged by the florists in a gilt wickerwork basket in trefoil shape, the three branches of the handles forming a dome with the Royal crown on the top. Beneath this the letters V.R.I, appeared written in hundreds of the blossoms of the orange orchids, which were Millais's favourites. This unique and admirable bouquet stood eight feet high, and measured six feet in diameter. ,