Macy’s Flower Show Journey to Paradisios Explores Space

Macy’s Flower Show is in bloom until April 7th and is exploring flora in space.  

Titled “Journey to Paradisios,” the design sensibility is less “Star Wars” and more kiddie fun. Furry aliens are scattered in flora that includes more than 5,000 plants and flowers.

 

It’s a lot of fun looking at all the flora that includes calla lilies – the purple were my favorite –  tulips, hydrangeas, roses, yellow dogwood, crab apples, frosted Angel Ears, freesias, celosia, fire stocks, rare bromeliads and succulents, azaleas, orange and yellow star flowers, blue fireworks bromeliads, yellow Rieger begonias, ghost cactus and cineraria forsythia. Also weaved into the floral displays was sloppy painter crotons. Just hearing that name makes me laugh. This spiny green filler is wonderful in between the flowers.

This marks the 45th year Macy’s has invested in their flower show in New York- though it actually started 70 years ago in San Francisco.

Along with the floral sculptural displays are fashion pods lined up in the main floor featuring looks designed by FIT students. According to Macy’s, the students were challenged to create original designs using the following themes: Shining Stars, Big Bang, Anti-Matter, Zero Gravity, Comet Couture, Lunar Landing, and Interstellar Explorer.

 

Although only four of the winners are displayed at the store, FIT  in New York is showcasing the winning participants at their school.

Flower Show visitors can enjoy in-store events including floral and fashion demonstrations in addition to the floral displays.

Free tours are given every half hour with guides in spacesuits. (Why Macy’s could figure out spacesuits for women but NASA couldn’t is a perplexing reality.)

The Macy’s guides were knowledgeable and friendly. Customers clearly appreciate all the attention to detail and the discussions on the floral origins. 

“It is so beautiful,” says Dilruba Bilkis, who comes annually with her friends and family. “It’s a special garden each year.”

Like Bilkis, others put this flower show on their calendar since many visitors are not from the neighborhood.  There were people from England snapping pictures, as well as Asian and Bulgarian tourists.

They all shared one thing in common – besides having iPhones. The smiles. The bright beaming smiles that this flora generated.

Florists take care of the displays every day. Some flowers are pilfered. Other flowers may lose just a little bit of luster. Those are donated to a local church to bring joy to many. Macy’s replaces any flower that is not at its peak.

This is a considerable investment of time, money and effort, but clearly worth it. Sales and smiles have been known to increase as a result of Macy’s Flower Shows.

Here is the video of the show: