The Horticultural Society of New York's annual gala gives designers a chance to show off and go wild with a tabletop design—without the restraints that come from needing to make several copies of the same table. Planned by the society's director of special events Sally Nelson, the event filled Cipriani 42nd Street with 47 one-of-a-kind tables that ranged from minimalist to extravagant and monochromatic to rainbow-colored (it's sort of an all-flower version of Diffa's Dining by Design event). Jennifer Klopp, the society's director of development, based this year's theme, Branching Out: Celebrating Greenbranches, on the nonprofit's Greenbranches program, which plants gardens around public libraries. "Chris Giftos, our design chair, encouraged everyone to be creative and unusual and really extend themselves, which I think was very successful," said Klopp.
As they did at last year's benefit, several designers worked the event's theme into their designs. Two designers interpreted trees with swings: Lisa Fireman of Studio Sweet Pea worked with Carlton Finneral Mahoney Design on a "Giving Tree" centerpiece, which featured curving branches covered with a warm array of roses, peonies, calla lilies and other blooms, and a swing suspended from white ribbon hung from one of the arms. Van Vliet & Trap's miniature tree atop a bed of moss held a small treehouse surrounded by a picket fence, and a swing was suspended from a string of pearly beads. More branch-themed designs included Avi Adler's table, where magnolia branches sprouted from a wrought iron stand, and Elizabeth Ryan's creation, which featured faux white birds perched in bare, wintry branches.
The gorgeous blooms that filled this year's event will have a second life after the event ends. A new nonprofit, called Flowerpower, does for flowers what City Harvest does for food. The nonprofit collects flowers after events and breaks them down into small bouquets to deliver to hospitals, nursing homes and hospices. "It's such a good idea, I'm surprised no one has thought about it before," said the society's president and C.E.O., Anthony Smith.
—Suzanne Ito
Read about last year's benefit...
As they did at last year's benefit, several designers worked the event's theme into their designs. Two designers interpreted trees with swings: Lisa Fireman of Studio Sweet Pea worked with Carlton Finneral Mahoney Design on a "Giving Tree" centerpiece, which featured curving branches covered with a warm array of roses, peonies, calla lilies and other blooms, and a swing suspended from white ribbon hung from one of the arms. Van Vliet & Trap's miniature tree atop a bed of moss held a small treehouse surrounded by a picket fence, and a swing was suspended from a string of pearly beads. More branch-themed designs included Avi Adler's table, where magnolia branches sprouted from a wrought iron stand, and Elizabeth Ryan's creation, which featured faux white birds perched in bare, wintry branches.
The gorgeous blooms that filled this year's event will have a second life after the event ends. A new nonprofit, called Flowerpower, does for flowers what City Harvest does for food. The nonprofit collects flowers after events and breaks them down into small bouquets to deliver to hospitals, nursing homes and hospices. "It's such a good idea, I'm surprised no one has thought about it before," said the society's president and C.E.O., Anthony Smith.
—Suzanne Ito
Read about last year's benefit...
For the Horticultural Society of New York's benefit at Cipriani 42nd Street, Studio Sweet Pea worked with Carlton Finneral Mahoney Design on a "Giving Tree" centerpiece, which featured curving branches covered with a warm array of roses, peonies, calla lilies and other blooms, and a swing suspended from white ribbon hung from one of the arms.
Japan-based floral designer Ayako Tachikawa's ikebana-inspired centerpiece featured a fabric-covered frame with a sphere of red and pink flowers suspended between two bamboo stalks. A grid of thin stalks and small bunches of daffodils and groupings of white flowers surrounded it.
Van Vliet & Trap's miniature tree atop a bed of moss featured a treehouse surrounded by a picket fence. A swing hung from a string of pearly beads.
Belle Fleur's table for Lily Pulitzer featured a Pulitzer-print tablecloth and green woven baskets suspended from a scrolling wrought iron centerpiece.
