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Purple orchids, white lilies, brown magnolia leaves, blue delphiniums and more have been transformed into magnificent floral creations depicting the sumptuous clothing of television series Downton Abbey. More than a dozen local florists exercised their creativity to create these impressive floral mannequins as part of a new Fleurs de Villes exhibition at Hudson Yards.
Even if you're not a fan of the TV show, this free exhibition is definitely worth seeing while it's on view through May 4. Each display is made of fresh flowers and botanicals. As Fleurs de Villes co-founder Karen Marshall says, "This is perishable art. Perishable art is must-see art."
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Find the displays inside on the main floor of the Hudson Yards shopping complex and be sure to grab a ballot to vote for your favorite (and enter for a chance to win a $500 Hudson Yards gift card). It's pretty tough to choose a favorite, though, as each one exudes its own charm.
For example, the team behind Polycarp Flowers designed an homage to Lady Mary Crawley riding on horseback. They even depicted her riding sidesaddle, just as she did on the show. Hydrangeas, roses, delphinium and leucadendron make up this exquisite display.
In another installation, you'll notice a stunning depiction of the show's character Matthew Crawley created by Dana Baron of Baron Floral. With a WWI military uniform as her guide, she wove together cedar bark, magnolia leaves, date berries and banana leaves to create a structured suit and hat. She also designed a wheelchair and a stuffed animal for the character, pieces that are a part of his life during the show.
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Other displays depict Carson Butler with a black tux made of preserved rose petals, chauffeur Tom Brandon with cedar boughs making up his collar and the no-nonsense cook Mrs. Patmore depicted in an apron of ferns with preserved orange slices in her hair.
This is perishable art. Perishable art is must-see art.
Each display took hundreds of hours to build. The florists not only had to be creative in their designs, making lavender, pampas grass, palm leaves and moss bend to their will. They also had to find ways to keep the flowers fresh—and still do: there's a hidden water source beneath each creation, providing nourishment to the art piecews. Florists are also asked to visit every two days to refresh the flowers as needed.
International flower company Fleurs de Villes gives each florist an honorarium to participate. Marshall said she and her co-founder, Tina Barkley, started the company seven years ago because they noticed a lack of spaces where people could truly appreciate the artistry of floral design.
"Flowers create a real sense of joy, a real sense of happiness and we bring flowers to the people in a very unique way," Marshall said at a press preview of the show. "We celebrate florists as artists, not as suppliers."
Flowers create a real sense of joy, a real sense of happiness.
In addition to admiring the flowers and voting for your favorite installation, also check out workshops and special offers at the shops in Hudson Yards. Here's the full round-up.
This is the fifth Fleurs de Villes flower installation at Hudson Yards. Past iterations have centered on the arts, travel and remarkable women. The Downton Abbey floral show is presented in partnership with Focus Features and Carnival Films. The highly anticipated third film in the series will hit theaters on September 12, 2025.