Tickets for the exhibition, which has been called “the most Instagrammable event,” are on sale now at nybg.org/orchidtickets.

The Orchid Show explores the diversity, adaptability, and cultural significance of these amazing flowers. Inspired by classic paintings of Chinese mountainscapes passed down through her family from Shanghai, Lily Kwong utilizes an extraordinary array of orchids enveloping visitors in towering mountainous forms that blend ecology, culture, and fantasy. Inspired by Kwong’s own heritage, medicinal traditions, and her artistic interpretation of nature as a healing force, the resulting experience beckons visitors into an immersive, natural world.

Working in collaboration with Kwong, horticulturists at NYBG have assembled orchids from the Botanical Garden’s collections, as well as from some of the finest growers in the world, with a specific focus on Asian countries. These flowers are assembled to create visually dramatic and dynamic displays . The exhibition’s installations evoke ancient mountain landscapes and invite visitors to experience the boundlessness of nature’s creativity.

“I am deeply honored by the invitation to be the guest designer of NYBG’s historic, 20th annual Orchid Show. The Garden’s Conservatory, greenhouses, and educational programs inspired my early career. This exhibition’s design is my most autobiographical work to date, and the piece took shape through meditation and exploration of my ancestral roots stretching back generations to Shanghai,” said Kwong. “As the first woman of color to step into the role as guest designer, it felt urgent to celebrate an Asian-centered perspective in the midst of this charged and precarious moment,” she said. “The piece is meant to offer a bridge of cultural understanding across the valley between us, and act as an invitation to celebrate the diverse lineages that make up our country.”

“We are thrilled to have Lily Kwong join us as the guest designer for The Orchid Show, sharing her artistic insight and perspective with our audiences,” said Jennifer Bernstein, Chief Executive Officer and The William C. Steere Sr. President of The New York Botanical Garden. “Orchids are one of the largest families of flowering plants and the second most diverse plant family in the world. Lily’s meditative and captivating designs will reveal the importance of plants in reconnecting people to nature and as a powerful source of healing and self-discovery.” Bernstein added, “One of our major goals here at this beloved green space in the Bronx is to inspire visitors and learners of all ages to appreciate, respect, and care for nature. This exhibition gives us an opportunity to showcase orchids, which are among the most celebrated and most beguiling of our unparalleled living plant collections, and to educate the public about NYBG’s plant research and conservation work, and it is our pleasure to be able to partner with Lily Kwong in that endeavor this time.”

On select nights during The Orchid Show, adults 21 and over can experience the exhibition through Orchid Evenings, with music, cash bars and food available for purchase.

At NYBG Shop, visitors to The Orchid Show may browse thousands of top-quality orchids, from exotic, hard-to-find specimens for connoisseurs to elegant yet easy-to-grow varieties for beginners, along with orchid products and books.

Founded in 1891, The New York Botanical Garden is the most comprehensive botanical garden in the world and an integral part of the cultural fabric of New York City, anchored in the Bronx. Visitors come to the Garden to connect with nature for joy, beauty, and respite, and for renowned plant-based exhibitions, music and dance, and poetry and lectures. Innovative children’s education programs promote environmental sustainability and nutrition awareness, graduate programs educate the next generation of botanists, while engaging classes inspire adults to remain lifelong learners. The 250-acre verdant landscape—which includes a 50-acre, old-growth forest—and the landmark Enid A. Haupt Conservatory support living collections of more than one million plants. Unparalleled resources are also held in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library, the world’s most important botanical and horticultural library with 11 million archival items spanning ten centuries, and William and Lynda Steere Herbarium, the largest in the Western Hemisphere with 7.8 million plant and fungal specimens. Committed to protecting the planet’s biodiversity and natural resources, Garden scientists work on-site in cutting-edge molecular labs and in areas worldwide where biodiversity is most at risk.

For more information about The Orchid Show, please visit: https://www.nybg.org/event/the-orchid-show-natural-heritage/