Spring is in, and with it come a host of exciting events in the city along with, of course, flowers. It is time to pay a visit to the refreshing New York Botanical Gardens for their 9th annual Orchid Show, which is being launched on March 5. Orchids are said to be the most delicate, temperamental and beautiful of all flowers, but thy never miss their date with the New York Botanical Gardens, and according to Todd Forrest, the vice president of horticulture out there, they are in full bloom at the moment, in all their blazing and extravagant splendor.
The theme for the Orchid Show this year is Broadway, and a variety of arrangements and displays have been created in likeness of some of the most famous symbols of the world’s most famous theater street. Broadway set designer Scott Pask, who has won a Tony Award for his work, is the exhibition designer, and he says that visitors are in for a real visual treat.
One of the specially designed orchid displays here, The Promenade, is inspired by an early 20th century photograph of a series of columns backstage at the famous New Amsterdam Theater. In this display, six metallic columns are draped in hundreds of orchids, and connected by orchid arches overhead. The effect, according to Forrest, is one of ‘being enclosed in this tunnel of orchids.’ Some of the most prominent species here are Darwin’s Star and South American Slipper.
Another prominent display that should leave visitors gaping in admiration is The Chandelier. This one is set in a room and as the name suggests, it is a large chandelier of orchids, displaying a dazzling range of colors. This creation is inspired by the Art Deco chandelier in the Al Hirschfield Theatre. The major orchids featured in this display include Dancing Lady, Cane and Moth. As Forrest puts it, ‘the overall effect is of a shimmering cloud of color.’ In his estimate, The Chandelier is ‘the scene-stealer of the whole exhibition.’
There are other enthralling displays featured at the show, and it promises to be an all-out visual spectacle. For people who are not familiar with orchids, the first experience of setting one’s eyes upon these large, artistically intricate and brightly colored flowers, is hard to put into words.
The exhibition is on till April 25, and the tickets are priced at $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and students and $8 for children between 2-12 years old. The admission hours are 10 am – 6 pm, Tuesday – Sunday. More details of the show are available at the New York Botanical Garden website, www.nybg.org.