Orchid Evenings
By Alexandria Mandry
“Sometimes when I’m working, I feel like I’m walking in a grand hall, like I’m at a ball,” says Francisca Coelho. She has been the master-mind for the Orchid Show at The Bronx Botanical Garden since its conception 13 years ago.
This year, the show features over 6,000 types of orchids draped in baskets to resemble chandeliers. On select nights, the garden presents Orchid Evenings, an adult viewing of the plants, complete with cocktails, a DJ, and live music. Orchid Evenings run every Saturday until April 18.
Unlike the past year, the orchids have taken over the entire conservatory. At the center of the show, hangs a three tiered chandelier that resembles an upside-down wedding cake.
“It’s all about impact,” said Coelho. She said putting the show together came naturally. “I try to picture how people will feel in the space when they come,” she said. Last year, Coelho was in Florida with her boss when he noticed a hanging fern. He said, “Look at the wonderful chandelier.” At that moment, Coelho knew her next orchid show would be chandelier themed.
Clint Lopez, a Bronx Botanical Garden member, never misses an orchid show and tries to bring his friends and family along whenever possible. This year, both Lopez and his friend Konstancja Linowr traveled from Long Island City to “see what the hype was about.” Lopez compared the show to one from 2012, he said, “This reminds me of the vertical garden show, I like the aspect of aerial, when you’re going upwards, the sky is the limit.”
Linowr enjoyed the orchids but was more interested in the specialty cocktails. Her drink of choice was the Royal G, the most popular cocktail of the night. Similar to a French 75, the Royal G is made of lavender, gin, lemon, and club soda.
Jason Hills and Haley Feldman-Hills drove from Jersey City to indulge in a landscape that did not remind them of the concrete jungle. “We kill every plant in our home, so I think we can appreciate it more when we can see the magnificence that other people could pull off,” said Feldman-Hills.