Orchid Dinner Wows Guests

Posted in Exhibitions, Programs and Events, The Orchid Show on March 5 2009, by Plant Talk

Amanda Gordon writes about the New York City social scene.

The New York Botanical Garden is not only skilled at cultivating orchids, it also knows how to keep its annual Orchid Dinner fundraiser blooming.

“In this difficult time, we’ve raised almost $600,000,” announced gala chair and Botanical Garden board member Mary Davidson at the February 24 event at the Rainbow Room in Manhattan.

The steadiness of support is owed to the loyalty the Botanical Garden inspires. “The finest in the USA, The New York Botanical Garden deserves support in the best of times and the worst of times and at all times,” Fernanda Kellogg, president of The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, said. Orchids are of particular interest to the Foundation because in 1900 Tiffany & Co. won its first international award at the World Exposition in Paris with a collection of jeweled orchids.

Guests also enjoy buying tickets to this event because it offers such a beautiful spectacle of orchids, as featured in 28 centerpieces—one for each dinner table—created by top designers at the invitation of Veranda magazine editor-at-large and design maven Carolyn Englefield.

“My favorite part of the evening is walking into the dining room for the first time and seeing the incredibly creative centerpieces. They are amazing!” said gala chair Gillian Miniter, who in keeping with the theme wore an Angel Sanchez gold cocktail dress with flowers on the torso.

Gala chair Deborah Royce formally thanked the designers at the podium for their extraordinary effort. Among their feats: Alan Tanksley designed a cornucopia of purple orchids in a handcrafted black-and-white vase. Elise Cullman and Lee Cavanaugh wrapped orange orchids around a gold wireframe. Barclay Butera used white orchids and driftwood to transport guests to a beach setting, complete with sand dollars at each place setting. Darren Henault placed a disco-sized ball of white orchids atop a Chinese vase and made it glow by placing battery-operated lights inside.

Guests also had the opportunity to purchase orchids to take home. Many noted that the orchids were of the highest quality. In fact, they were hand-picked by The New York Botanical Garden’s Manager of the Nolen Greenhouses for Living Collections and Curator of The Orchid Show, Marc Hachadourian, who was on hand to answer questions about their care.

The dinner was a brief break from his busy schedule working on the Garden’s 7th annual Orchid Show, which opened on Saturday. A dramatic mosaic by the late Brazilian landscape architect and artist Roberto Burle Marx takes center stage in the Palms of the Americas Gallery in the landmark Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.

“It will be like nothing you’ve ever seen,” the president of the Garden, Gregory Long, told guests at the dinner, describing the design for the show by landscape architect Raymond Jungles as “architectonic.”

As for tending orchids at home, that’s another story. Fernanda Kellogg leaves the orchid care to her husband. “Kirk has the orchid green thumb,” she said. “He lived in Florida and learned to grow and nurture these quirky plants, so we always have orchid plants blooming at home. The orchids are off-limits to the housekeeper and the same goes for me!”

“I have tried to resuscitate orchids many times,” said Jane Pauley, the former Today Show co-anchor, as she walked across the dance floor in the Rainbow Room with Alan Tanksley. She got better results with less effort. “After sheer neglect, one plant gave us six more flowers,” she said.

Elise Cullman said orchid care is worth learning, especially in a recession. “Orchids are good value; they last much longer than fresh-cut flowers,” she explained. And she shared an orchid tip from a friend, author Patrizia Chen: “She sings to her orchids.”

For tips from Botanical Garden experts on caring for your orchids, check The Orchid Show blog regularly, visit the Home Gardening Online Web pages, or come to the many on-site demonstrations, Q&A sessions, and classes at the Garden.