BizBash | Designers Build Their Visions of Paradise at Flowers & Design Gala

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EVENT REPORT 04.30.09 11:56 AM

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Versions of Paradise

Designers looked to the sea and the Garden of Eden to create bold, lush looks at the Horticultural Society of New York's flower-filled fund-raiser.

On Tuesday night the Horticultural Society of New York held its Flowers & Design gala at 583 Park Avenue. While the harsh reality of the economy is on everyone's mind these days, this year's flower-laden event incorporated an escapist theme and did what it does best—show off elegant and sometimes wild floral creations. The theme, "This Side of Paradise," brought a preponderance of bold, lush designs—as well as designers' takes on what they view as paradise, with many beach and sea-inspired looks, as well as some riffs on the Garden of Eden.

Maureen Ferry, the society's director of special events, coordinated the event with longtime design chair Chris Giftos, former floral designer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. "This year more than ever, we hoped Flowers & Design would be an occasion for our guests to celebrate, relax, and escape reality for an evening. To achieve this we enlisted the designers to transform the space into paradise," Ferry said. Honorees were renowned interior designer Mario Buatta, gardener Suzy Bales, and landscape architect Thomas Balsley. There were five fewer tables this year, and 27 participating designers, compared to 31 in 2008. The gala raised approximately $250,000, down from $375,000 last year.

PHOTO GALLERY

Bridget Vizoso for the Designer's Co-op found inspiration in poppies and created an installation of striking oversize flowers out of recycled fabric, mixing in real blooms as well.
Photo: Emily Gilbert for BizBash

Flora New York recreated coral shapes with flowers submerged in cylindrical vases, and included nautilus shells filled with bouquets at each place setting.
Photo: Emily Gilbert for BizBash

Bardin Palomo created an homage to interior designer Tony Duquette with abalone shells, coral-like red branches, and napkin rings.
Photo: Emily Gilbert for BizBash

David Beahm put together a sleek and colorful garden for the center of his table, using an array of flower-filled glass containers.
Photo: Emily Gilbert for BizBash

Susan Edgar of Flowers, Sticks, and Stones mixed live trees and potted flowers with faux birds, hemmed in by four towering shelves filled with plants to create a sumptuous garden setting.
Photo: Emily Gilbert for BizBash

Colin Baer's exotic urban garden included ferns, moss, flame lilies, and flamingo flowers, accented with silver beetles.
Photo: Emily Gilbert for BizBash

Interior designer Scott Snyder went for a beachy look, with a shell-printed tablecloth, a seashell-encrusted urn, and beach towels with shell ornaments on each chair.
Photo: Emily Gilbert for BizBash

Chestnuts in the Tuileries used a giant vase covered in seashells, fashioned napkin rings from strands of pearls, and completed the look with golden coral sculptures.
Photo: Emily Gilbert for BizBash

Shadowboxes filled with different nature scenes supported the clear tabletop at Susan Edgar's dining space and acted as chargers for each place setting.
Photo: Emily Gilbert for BizBash

Bowman Dahl had an ocean-inspired look, with a crinkly blue table linen, beach glass, candles shaped like sea urchin shells, and fish-shaped sculptures fashioned from palm fronds.
Photo: Emily Gilbert for BizBash

Horticultural Society of New York Flowers & Design Gala

Catering,Venue 583 Park Avenue DJ DJ David Chang Lighting, Sound BML Blackbird Melon Carving Hugh McMahon Security Stone Security Service Table Design Designer's Co-op Table Design Denise Fasanello Floral Design Table Design Colin Baer Events Table Design Bardin Palomo Ltd. Table Design Bowman Dahl Table Design Celebrate Flowers Table Design Chestnuts in the Tuileries Table Design David Beahm Design Table Design Bill Kocis Important Flowers Table Design Flora New York Table Design Gotham Gardens Table Design Sebastian Li Events Table Design Renny & Reed Table Design Castle & Pierpont Table Design Flowers, Sticks and Stones: Designs by Susan Edgar Table Design Posies

—Lisa Cericola & Mark Mavrigian
Horticultural Society of New York, Flowers & Design, Chris Giftos

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