The New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show
The New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show
The New York Botanical Garden Orchid show is one of the best things to do in NYC in the springtime. For the past twenty years, the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory is transformed into a wonderland of orchids. Kids and adults revel at the splashes of color and cascading orchid show designs. Artists and photographers come to capture this favorite ephemeral floral moment. You will want to capture it as well before it disappears on April 23, 2023.
WHAT IS THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN
The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) is New York City’s largest botanical garden. The New York Botanical Garden is 250 acres in size and contains over one million different plants. The Greenhouse at NYBG is called the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.
The NYBG actually dates back to 1877, when the Torrey Botanical Society first had the idea to create a botanical garden in NYC. On April 28, 1891, the NYBG was finally established. With the help of Cornelius Vanderbil, J.P. Morgan, and Andrew Carnegie, necessary funds were raised, and the Conservatory opened in 1902.
Today, the NYBG welcomes over a million visitors annually, 90,000 of which are children. Education is an important aspect of the NYBG, with many community outreach and development programs helping educate the public daily. If you are located outside of NYC, check out the NYBG virtual events, which include everything from lectures to cooking classes.
When you visit NYC, the NYBG is an easy commute from midtown Manhattan. Simply hop on the D train uptown to the Bedford Park Station. When you arrive at the NYBG, you’ll be able to explore the Enid A. Haupt Consercatory, LuEsther T. Mertz Library, William & Lynda Steere Herbarium, Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, and much more. Also enjoy the rotating exhibits, including the annual orchid show!
THE 2023 ORCHID SHOW: NATURAL HERITAGE
Each year, the NYBG Orchid Show is designed by a different artist or landscape architect. This year, the landscape artist chosen is Lily Kwong. In an article published in Forbes Magazine, Kwong’s word was described as reconnecting “people to nature through transformative landscape projects and site-specific botanical art installations.”
Lily Kwong, a graduate of Columbia University’s Urban Studies program, has designed landscape art for the Highline, Grand Central Terminal, and the Taipei Night Market. She also studied Landscape Design at the NYBG, which makes her a natural fit for the task of designing the prolific NYBG Orchid Show. It is also worth noting that she is also the first woman and the first person of color to helm the NYBG Orchid Show.
Kwong’s Asian heritage, played an important role in her concept for the 2023 NYBG Orchid Show: Natural Heritage. She was inspired by a piece of art depicting a mountainous Chinese landscape that hung in her childhood home. Lily Kwong said that, as a child, she would stare at these mountains and get lost in a fantasy about her grandparents’ homeland. It was these fantasies that called her to create lush mountains of orchids, with colors reminiscent of Chinese landscapes.
While you explore the winding pathways lined with orchids, be prepared to discover waterfalls, ponds, cactuses, and even a handful of carnivorous plants, as well. There are surprises around every corner. If you’re lucky, you may also stumble upon a class, teaching how to care for orchids, and the environments in which orchids thrive.
This year, the Orchid Show is completely immersive, with a soundscape, created by Gary Gunn. Gary Gunn created the sound from field recordings in the countries where orchids naturally grow.
While at the NYBG Orchid Show, you’ll also learn a lot about orchids. The most stand-out fact is that there are over 30,000 different types of orchids in the world! Orchids range from very large to very small, and appear in virtually every color. Keep an eye out for an orchid variety called “Chocolate Chip.” The “Chocolate Chip” orchid is white with brown spots, resembling a chocolate chip cookie. The “Chocolate Chip” orchid appears many times throughout the NYBG Orchid Show: Natural Heritage.
ORCHID NIGHTS
One of the best things to do in NYC in the Spring, is to visit the NYBG Orchid Nights. Select Saturday Nights, starting at 7p.m. the NYBG invites those 21 and older to experience an after-dark orchid experience. There will be twinkling lights, calligraphy classes, cocktails, and of course, tons of orchids. If you are looking for an “adults-only” way of experiencing the NYBG Orchid Show: Natural Heritage, check out Orchid Nights! Entry starts at $29 for members and $39 for non-members.
ORCHID EDUCATION
To dive even deeper into the world of orchids, check out the NYBG Orchid Classes. Classes include: Hardy Orchids, Hanging Orchid Basket (you, you make your own hanging orchid basket), Phalaenopsis Care, Orchid Floral Design, and special photographer’s hours!
AFTER THE SHOW
The NYBG Orchid Show is one of the most beautiful and picturesque things to do in NYC. You’ll want to bring a camera and take hundreds of photos. Post them on social media, send them to family and friends, and check out the Welcome To Times Square Billboard. Let the whole world see how well you and your family/friends pair with thousands of orchids. For just $150, you can out your NYBG Orchid Show Photos onto a giant Times Square Billboard. The photo will appear for 15 seconds and repeat every hour for 22 hours. Seeing your photo on a giant Times Square billboard is a true unique New York experience.
We have the unbeatable price of $500 per day for your Billboard:
Option 1: Your 60 second video/photo will be shown, 60 seconds per hour 22 times a day.
Option 2: Your 30 second video/photo will be shown, twice an hour, 44 times a day.
Option 3: Your 15 second video/photo will be shown 4 times per hour 88 times per day.
Please let us know which option you would like to choose. Remember that we have a response time of 72 hours.