On February 27, an Orchid naming ceremony dedicated in honor of Mrs Kaneko Ikeda, wife of the Soka Gakkai International President Daisaku Ikeda, was held at the National Orchid Garden.
At the ceremony, a new Orchid hybrid named Dendrobium Kaneko Ikeda, is officially named after Mrs Kaneko Ikeda in recognition of her ceaseless efforts for world peace. This event was held to coincide with the occasion of her 75th birthday. The naming ceremony was personally conducted by National Parks Board Chairman Professor Leo Tan, together with SSA Vice General Director Ms Sandra Sin.
The new orchid hybrid is a cross breed between Dendrobium Singa Kagoshima and Dendrobium phalaenopsis. It is a free-flowering plant, bearing flowering sprays of up to 35cm long, with 6 to 10 regularly arranged flowers. The delightful flowers are rounded and measures 6 cm across. They are light pink in colour with darker shades on the petals and lip.
This new orchid will henceforth be placed at the Celebrity Garden of the National Orchid Garden, and the new hybrid will also be registered under the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in London, the international appointed Register for Orchid hybrids.
Among the 80 people audience were distinguished guests Professor Leo Tan, Chairman of the National Parks Board; Mr David Tay, President of the Photographic Society of Singapore; Mr Wu Ee Lung, President of San Yi Finger Painting Society; Mrs Rosy Nakhooda, Past President of the University Women’s Association of Singapore and Mrs Liu Kang, wife of the late renowned artist.
[About National Orchid Garden
The National Orchid Garden, a 3-hectare National Orchid Garden that opened in 1995, is situated within the Singapore Botanic Gardens, and is managed by the National Parks Board.
Since 1859, orchids have been closely associated with the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The products of the Gardens’ orchid breeding programme, which begin in 1928, are displayed in their full splendor at the National Orchid Garden. Over 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrids are now found in the Garden’s collection, and every year, more vibrant and enduring hybrids will be added on.]
[About Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society is founded in 1804, in London, England. Since the establishment of International Registration Authorities for plants in 1955 the RHS has acted as the Registrar for certain groups of cultivated plants. It is now the Registrar for nine categories – conifers, clematis, daffodils, dahlias, delphiniums, dianthus, lilies, orchids and rhododendrons. It also publishes The International Orchid Register, the central listing of orchid hybrids.]
(SSA Times issue 263)
