Jeff Leatham Creates Epic Flower World for Genesis House

By Jill Brooke

Since flowers are catnip to everyone, Genesis House wisely partnered with celebrity florist Jeff Leatham to create a New York immersive floral world. The end result?

Thousands more will know of the Korean car company as a result of having Leatham design this free floral extravaganza titled “Bloomtanica” which will run until June 9th.

Located at 14th and 10th Avenue in NYC at Genesis House, visitors can see 125,000 flowers along with an extraordinary video experience that feels both immersive and special. Inspired by a Korean garden, it is destined to become the best New York City spot for either a date or even a proposal.

Among the people who got a sneak preview was Whoopi Goldberg. Upon entering the floral world Leatham created, she gasped with delight. “I could live in here,” she said. Her “View” co-host Sunny Hostin also smiled as she entered the room filled with towers of Leatham’s orchids expertly assembled with masses of dyed euculyptus leaves and plumosa ferns.

Walking along the pathway, immersive videos of Vanda orchids, cherry blossoms and canary colored sunflowers envelop the visitor to enhance the feeling of the beauty and serenity of a Korean garden. The videos show florals growing, blooming and fading away in an ever-evolving cycle that has visitors waiting breathlessly for the next wave of beauty.

Although Leatham is known for his signature purple Vanda orchids and masterful modern monochromatic designs, this marks the first time he has done a multi-media installation.

“Blurring the lines between nature and technology was an exciting new challenge for me, and I’m beyond proud of the world we’ve created together combining the beauty of our floral designs with the rich cultural ambience at Genesis House,” says Leatham, whose clients range from Barbra Streisand to Taylor Swift.

As organizers explained, BLOOMTANICA is a physical and digital floral experience that evokes elements of Korea’s natural beauty creating  a sensory experience, evoking “a sense of harmony, regeneration, and transformation.”

Leatham took cues from Korean heritage and the gardens of Seoul to create this installation.

Using colors that “capture the rich pinks of Korea’s national flower, mugunghwa, and the striking oranges and yellows of the Jeju Island magma tubes,” he helped transport the New York space, as organizers hoped, to “the heart of Seoul.” Hues of deep purple, lavender and plum and pops of orange drew inspiration from both Jeff Leatham’s signature Vanda Orchid and the Korean night sky.

Leatham is now one of a handful of master florists whose name evokes greatness. Not only has he created sensational designs for every major event from the Philadelphia Flower Show to New York’s Botanical Garden Orchid Show, but his weddings and long running designs at the Four Seasons Hotels around the globe are epic and inspired.

Aside from his immense talent, he is also known for his kindness and affability. “He’s the nicest guy and people love him,” says deejay Marjorie Gubelman. I concur. In fact, it’s no surprise that Leatham is so drawn to the Vanda orchid which dominates this  spectacular installation. In the language of flowers, the Vanda orchid is known not only for elegance and a respect for cultural traditions, but also as a messenger for long lasting friendships.

 

Jill Brooke is a former CNN correspondent, Post columnist and editor-in-chief of Avenue and Travel Savvy magazine. She is an author and the editorial director of FPD and a contributor to Florists Review magazine. She also won the 2023 AIFD (American Institute of Floral Design.) Merit Award for showing how flowers impact history, news and culture