Elton John, husband and baby son at 20th World Orchid Conference in Singapore

Описание: This news clip was broadcast over Channel News Asia's Singapore Tonight bulletin on Friday, 18 November 2005 at 10pm.
It has a striking magenta pattern, and large white petals with a golden forked lip, and it's named Doritaenopsis Sir Elton John.
The orchid was named after the singer-songwriter, who in his early years was just as colourful as he gave the world hit after hit, from Crocodile Rock to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Philadelphia Freedom.
In Singapore for a one-night-only concert on Sunday, the openly gay 64-year-old put in a stop to the 20th World Orchid Conference, to have the phalaenopsis hybrid orchid named after him.
Sir Elton who didn't outshine the orchid by appearing in a comfortable, dark-coloured track suit, did deliver megawatt smiles that challenged the dazzling flash bulbs of the waiting media.
"We've had orchids in our home all the time, so it'll be great to grow our own, so we're going to do that" said Sir Elton at the occasion which was also attended by his husband David Furnish with their son Zachary.
The self-confessed avid garden lover called it a great honour to have the orchid named after him.
"I have had a lupine named after me and even a rose but never an orchid and this is a great honour as I am an avid lover of gardens" said Sir Elton.
"Thank you for your kindness for this as it is an eloquent list of people I seem to have joined and this is indeed the most beautiful specimen of orchid."
Sir Elton's close personal friend, the late Princess Diana has had an orchid named after her in the National Parks tradition along with Queen Elizabeth and other visiting VIP dignitaries such as Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan, US First Lady Laura Bush and celebrities like Jackie Chan.
The orchid-naming ceremony at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, saw Dr. Kiat W. Tan, Chairman of 20th WOC Organising Committee, removing the sign with the plant's parentage before Sir Elton John replaced it with one bearing his name.
To mark the special occasion, Marina Bay Sands which is presenting the Elton John concert, created a special all-orchid arrangement modelled after the iconic three towers and topped off with the picturesque Sands SkyPark.
The 80cm tall model was built over 24 hours by the Marina Bay Sands in-house floral team.
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