All Photos By Gail

There are certain long-running cultural attractions here in NYC that you can ‘sit on’ a bit before making a definitive plan to check it out in person, but the annual Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden  (NYBG) is not one of those the things; this year’s exhibit ends May 1st, which means you have less than one week to get there. Here are some reasons why you should go.

This year’s theme, Kaleidoscope, may sound familiar because it was created by Jeff Leatham, the same artist who designed the 2020 show that closed-down prematurely due to the onset of the Covid Pandemic. Leatham is the famed artistic director of the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris and floral designer to the stars. So you know the garden trusted the show to the right hands once again.

For the Orchid Show’s 19th year, Leatham’s bold and colorful vision unfolds through captivating installations and designs, transforming each gallery of the historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory into a different color experience and visual effect, like the turn of a kaleidoscope.

You may think that all the purple-hued Orchids look alike. But as you can see by these photos, that is not the case as all.

The same can be said for those orchids that combine shades of pale yellow and violet. What are they all called? Who can keep track!

There are lots of varieties of orchids that look like they have little angels or dancing ladies in the center.

Hello!

This one looks a little bit dirty, and for that reason (plus, it’s pink) it is one of my favorites. Here’s one of its naughty relatives also, below.

Lets throw some white ones in as a palate cleanser.

It is no secret that the garden will try to get you to think that there are a lot pink orchids, but that did not seem to be the case for me; a person who does not see pink and purple as the same color (because it’s not).

Like this one, which is sort of a peachy-violet color with pale yellow and raspberry accents. Not pink.

This fun rainbow light tunnel was part of the 2020 exhibit as well. It links the dessert gardens with another tropical garden, and is fun to walk down, because who does not love being in a tunnel of changing rainbow light? Answer: No one.  No one does not love it.

Depending on how high you are, it is probably not hard to imagine that these guys want to start a conversation with you.

These varieties are (understandably) called Pitcher Orchids or Lady Slipper Orchids. There are more varieties of them than you can count.

Nature is far out!

The Orchid Show at the NYBG comes  to an ends on Sunday, May 1st, and you should not miss it, but if you’re going in its final week, expect the show to be crowded and the lines to get into the Enid A Haupt Conservatory to be long.  Get tickets and more information at