[title]
Need a vacation? Head to The Bronx for The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism at New York Botanical Garden. The sprawling floral exhibition, with its vibrant colors, flowing waterfalls and thousands of orchids, makes for a transportive tropical escape.
This year's show, presented in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, was inspired by the art of the Mexican modernist architect Luis Barragán. Throughout your floral adventure, you'll learn about the late artist's ethos as you stroll through meditative spaces, explore minimalist designs and notice contrasting details. The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism is open from February 15-April 27. Don't miss Orchid Nights, 21+ events on select nights that feature cumbia music, dancing, and drinks.
RECOMMENDED: The Orchid Show in NYC guide
Quite presciently, Barragán envisioned gardens of magical places for peace and contemplation—necessary for the well-being of busy urban dwellers. New York Botanical Garden brings his vision to life for New Yorkers, offering quiet, cozy corners for reflection throughout the show.
Orchids—thousands of them in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors—steal the show here, but other plants such as cacti and agave are featured as well. Visitors can wander through room after room admiring everything from ruby red paphiopedilum to towering cacti. In each lush landscape, take time to engage your senses: listen to the water cascading from a fountain, breathe in the floral aromas, and allow your eyes to focus on the intricate designs of each flower.
Barragán was known for his careful use of color to bring his minimalist designs to life, just as NYBG's gardeners did for this show. For example, the muted green tone of a spiky agave plant pops against a purple wall. A riot of purple orchids grows off of a blue tree branch. A dozen orchids fill a section of yellow lattice.
"The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism presents the fusion of tradition and contemporary designs with an explosion of orchids that you have come to expect from this annual tradition," Jennifer Bernstein, the garden's president, said at a grand opening event.
Mexico has a particularly interesting relationship with orchids. Its wide-ranging ecosystems contain 10–12% of the world's species, making it one of the largest biodiversity hotspots on Earth. This includes more than 1,300 orchid species, about 40% of which are endemic, meaning they are not found anywhere else in the world, NYBG officials explained. You can now explore Mexico's paradise of tropical beauty for just the cost of admission to the garden ($39 for adult daytime admission; $45 for Orchid Nights).
In addition to exploring the orchid show, also check out the display of photography by Mexican American visual artist Martirene Alcántara. Her show, titled “Homage to Luis Barragán: An Act of Poetry,” features photos that capture the essence of the architect's colorful and geometric works. Find the exhibit in the Arthur and Janet Ross Gallery at NYBG.
If the exhibitions make you feel inspired to try to grow your own orchids at home, there are several events exploring orchid care and others featuring orchid experts. Here's the full lineup of programming.