Flowers for Obama

17:05 15th December 2008

The inauguration ceremony held for Barack Obama next month will see the newly-elected president sworn in with the beautiful Disa orchid featuring heavily.

The cool-temperature orchid likes climates of between seven and 20 degrees Celsius and is native to South Africa.

It can be grown in the UK but would benefit from the protection of a greenhouse in winter.

It is a New Zealand couple who have won the right to supply the orchids for President-elect Obama's big day.

Kathleen and Barney Coils run Riverton Horticulture - one of only two horticulture companies in the world to produce the orchids, according to the New Zealand Herald.

Mrs Coils explained to Taranaki Daily News that she hoped the deal would mean that her husband could retire from his day job to concentrate on their business fully.

"I thought, 'Oh wow, this is what we've been working towards for the past six years'," she said.

Barack Obama was recently elected ahead of John McCain to replace George Bush as president of the United States of America.