After a long, dark winter, the lighter mood of spring—and the cheerier, more colorful decor of its events—is nearly here. Take design inspiration from Las Vegas casino properties’ well-known conservatories and botanical gardens, which regularly rotate installations to include over-the-top displays of fragrant blooms and kinetic props. From live butterfly gardens to carnival rides rendered in flowers, see what the Wynn, Venetian and Palazzo, and Bellagio have created in recent years.
The hot-air balloon stands 20 feet tall and weighs 4,000 pounds, while the carousel is 13 feet tall, 16 feet wide, and weighs 6,000 pounds. Both installations feature theatrical lighting and are accompanied by festive music. Bailey said he looked to childhood inspirations to complement the existing whimsical theme of the Wynn atrium.
Photo: Jeff Green
Late last year the Wynn Las Vegas unveiled two floral installations conceptualized by Preston Bailey—a hot-air balloon and an animated carousel, which will live in the property’s atrium indefinitely. The installations were crafted by Wynn Design and Development and Forte Specialty Contractors. Constructed with a core made of fiber-reinforced plastic, the sculptures are adorned with more than 110,000 flowers, arranged in a vibrant color palette.
Photo: Jeff Green
At Bellagio's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens' spring display last year, more than 800 live butterflies fluttered inside a 36-foot-long greenhouse. Around its perimeter, four live monitors showcased the metamorphosis of the pupae living inside as they transformed into butterflies. Species came from around the world, including Costa Rica, the Philippines, and Kenya. A 26-foot-tall windmill, weighing approximately 9,000 pounds, drew guests into a garden filled with tulips, mums, and poppies, as well as a larger-than-life display of 17-foot-tall tulip decor pieces. Overhead, 40 oversize blue raindrop-shaped pieces sprinkled spring showers throughout the garden.
Photo: Paul T. Stocum
For its spring 2013 installation, the Palazzo Las Vegas suspended 60 floating cherry blossoms from the glass dome in the Waterfall Atrium, making it look like the pieces were falling from a tree. The sun passed through different positions throughout the day, offering different shades and shadows—and photo ops for guests. The waterfall and infinity pond complemented the falling blossoms, and knotted grape vines (recycled from fall decor) along with cherry blossoms added to the branches to give a Japanese feel to the gardens.
Photo: Courtesy of Venetian/Palazzo
The Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens’ spring 2012 exhibit had a Dutch village theme with a rotating windmill and a floral exhibition showcasing tulips, azaleas, hibiscus, and lilies. A carousel, waterfall, and ceiling-hung hand-painted parasols completed the look, while live harp and violin performances added to the experience.
Photo: Courtesy of MGM Resorts International
For spring 2012, a combination of 6- and 10-foot hand-painted canvas magnolias and butterflies decked the Palazzo Waterfall Atrium. Thousands of stems of forsythia were used on the waterfall and gardens, and thousands of hyacinth plants in purple, pink, and white filled the entire atrium garden with fragrance.
Photo: Courtesy of Venetian/Palazzo
Giant six-foot tulips and 10- and 6-foot flowered butterflies created photo opportunities throughout the Waterfall Atrium and Gardens at the Palazzo Las Vegas for Spring 2011. The centerpiece of the garden was a 25-foot gently flapping butterfly that used motion-sensor technology to blink at passersby.
Photo: Courtesy of Venetian/Palazzo
The spring 2011 installation at the Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens brought bright blooms and a playful carnival. Four gardens were filled with scents of tulips, hydrangeas, and daisies, and the look included a colorful Ferris wheel, moving carousel, and greenhouse full of butterflies. The moving 11-foot-tall carousel weighed more than 8,600 pounds, and was adorned with 330 clear bulbs and colorful acrylic balloons with a cedar ticket booth. The 40-foot full-scale Ferris wheel was decorated with animated lighting, and a stone-based rustic greenhouse housed more than 500 live butterflies from around the world.
Photo: Courtesy of MGM Resorts International
For Summer 2011, the Waterfall Atrium at the Palazzo Las Vegas was transformed into a bog garden. It featured three hand-sculpted frogs that sat in the center of the water feature, accented by water lilies, cobra lilies, mosses, ferns, and water reeds. Whimsical jeweled dragonflies dotted the gardens in vibrant oranges, hot pinks, and chartreuse greens.
Photo: Courtesy of Venetian/Palazzo
