The New York Botanical Garden’s (NYBG) popular orchid exhibition will return for its 19th year with The Orchid Show: Jeff Leatham’s Kaleidoscope, from February 26 through May 1, 2022. Lifestyle icon and floral designer to the stars Jeff Leatham designed the 2020 Orchid Show, which was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He is set to reinvent his dazzling creations, transforming each gallery of the exhibition in NYBG’s historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory into a different color experience, like the turn of a kaleidoscope.
Orchid towers of orange, yellow, and green, undulating fields of white, and overhead plumes of purple, together with artistic embellishments and a kaleidoscopic tunnel of lights, will captivate and enthrall visitors. Leatham worked with horticulturists from NYBG, including Senior Curator of Orchids Marc Hachadourian, to assemble orchids from its collections as well as from some of the finest growers in the world. Orchids of seemingly every conceivable shape and provenance, including rare and iconic specimens, will be on display in breathtaking configurations.
“I am thrilled to bring Kaleidoscope back to The New York Botanical Garden in 2022—much like when you look into a kaleidoscope, the view is never the same,” Jeff Leatham said. “My reinvention of Kaleidoscope will be totally different installations than two years ago. Every turn will display a new vision, while maintaining the thematic element of every gallery focusing on a different color experience. With this design, visitors will appreciate the beauty of orchids and see NYBG’s Conservatory in exciting new ways.”
Jeff Leatham is the award-winning artistic director of the Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris, with studios also at the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center and the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. He has been creating a sensation with his floral installations since he began his career in 1994. His work is a combination of his love for flowers and passion for design. Using shape, color, and simplicity, his creations are dramatic, bold, unforgettable statements that are always an integral part of the setting. Leatham has produced spectacular displays in Paris for two decades, and in 2014, he was knighted with the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres—the highest honor for artists and others who have made a significant contribution to French culture. His clients include Dolly Parton, Tina Turner, Cher, Oprah Winfrey, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and many others. His publications—Flowers by Jeff Leatham, Flowers by Design, and Jeff Leatham: Visionary Floral Art and Design—remain best-selling design books worldwide.
During Orchid Evenings on select dates to be announced throughout the run of The Orchid Show: Jeff Leatham’s Kaleidoscope, adults 21 and over can experience the exhibition at night with music, cash bars, and food available for purchase.
At NYBG Shop, Orchid Show visitors may select from thousands of top-quality orchids, from exotic, hard-to-find specimens for connoisseurs to elegant yet easy-to-grow varieties for beginners available for purchase, along with orchid products and books.
Click here for ticket alerts and here for more information.
Major Support: Janet Traeger Salz Charitable Trust
LuESTHER T. MERTZ CHARITABLE TRUST: Providing leadership support for year-round programming at NYBG
Exhibitions in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory are made possible by the Estate of Enid A. Haupt.
The New York Botanical Garden is located at 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York 10458. For more information, visit nybg.org
The New York Botanical Garden is located on property owned in full by the City of New York, and its operation is made possible in part by public funds provided through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. A portion of the Garden’s general operating funds is provided by The New York City Council and The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. The Bronx Borough President and Bronx elected representatives in the City Council and State Legislature provide leadership funding.
Backstage Pass with Lia Chang 