Though February isn't an ideal time for garden parties, two major flower-centric events are happening this month: The New York Botanical Garden's orchid show runs February 28 to April 19, while the Chicago Botanic Garden's orchid show is currently running through March 15. The New York garden kicked off its event with the annual Orchid Dinner earlier this month; the Chicago institution hosted a preview party for its orchid show on February 13. The two events featured plenty of fresh ideas for giving wintertime events a lush, flowery feel. Here's a peek inside both.
The Chicago Botanic Garden hosted a preview party for its Orchid Show on February 13. The evening's four-sided bar was positioned in the center of four giant planters with towering orchid displays.
The New York Botanical Garden's annual Orchid Dinner took place at the Mandarin Oriental at Columbus Circle on February 10. In keeping with tradition, the evening featured large-scale orchid installations on its tabletops. One such arrangement, designed by Bowman Dahl Floral & Event Design, combined deep pink orchids with moss, twigs, and small white accent flowers.Â
Another arrangement featured white orchids in glass terrarium-like vessels with earthy accents of ferns and dirt. The designer was Ray Booth of McAlpine Booth & Ferrier Interiors.
Ethereal strings of white orchids cascaded above another table at the New York event. The arrangement, created by Anthony Brownie Flowers & Events, also had a ring of white orchids clustered at its base.
A particularly colorful display saw orchids sprouting out of paint cans, and linens had painterly designs. Roric Tobin designed the table for the high-end interior design firm Geoffrey Bradfield.
Orchids were also used to garnish the fruity cocktails that the bartenders doled out that evening.
Event Creative handled decor for the evening and decorated tabletops with orchids in unusual holders—such as a piano-theme planter—instead of in traditional vases.
Culinary Landscape, the in-house caterer at the Chicago Botanic Garden, served shrimp and papaya salad on trays decorated with bright orchids.
