Pride and joy: Tan with her winning orchid that is on display at the Penang Orchid Show 2025 at Straits Quay in Tanjong Tokong, Penang.
GEORGE TOWN: For retiree Tan Kim Lean, growing orchids is a labour of love. She strives to grow perfect and beautiful blooms. And after 20 years of perseverance and dedication, her efforts paid off.
Her Vanda Chuliee Classic, clinched the grand prize in this year’s Penang Orchid Show.
She recalled all those years of near misses, finishing either first or second runner-up.
“There were times I came very close, but ended up just short. It was always disappointing,” she admitted.
This year, however, her entry won the hearts of the panel of judges from 34 countries.
“Getting it right on the 20th attempt is such a joy and relief. It feels like a long wait is finally over,” said the 60-year-old.
Tan shared that she spent 40 days painstakingly nurturing the orchid at her nursery, checking on it daily to ensure every petal unfolded in perfect form.
“I have to be extremely patient and give it careful attention before the blooms are ready to enter the competition,” she said.
The Vanda Chuliee Classic is a showy decorative hybrid that grows upright with aerial roots.
Its petals stand out with a blue-and-white background, deep violet spotting and sepals edged with a violet blush.
Tan described orchid exhibitions as showcases of passion rather than mere contests.
“Most of us are collectors. Exhibiting here is about sharing our labour of love. Winning is recognition of the effort we put into nurturing these plants,” she said.
Deputy Finance Minister and Tanjung MP Lim Hui Ying launched the show at the Straits Quay Tanjung Tokong yesterday.
She described the show as one of the most inspiring events the state has ever hosted.
“This is because of the dedication of the Penang Botanic Gardens Department, the Penang Orchid Society, community partners and many volunteers who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes,” Lim said.
She said the festival was more than a showcase of flowers, evolving into a driver of tourism, a platform for conservation education and a celebration of Penang’s identity where heritage and green living co-exist in harmony.
She also announced that her ministry would allocate RM20,000 to further support the event.
The Penang Orchid Show 2025 saw some 800 orchid pots on display, spread across 75 categories.
Many were rare hybrids and species that drew enthusiasts from near and far.
Visitors were treated to dazzling displays of Vanda hybrids, newly-bred Dendrobium varieties, native Malaysian orchids, and exotic species such as slipper orchids (Paphiopedilum).
The show will run for a week until Sept 28.
