02/25/2026
The orchid exhibition at designed by is a journey through an imaginative New York City landscape where the streets and every day institutions are covered in vibrant orchids— on bus stops, in laundromats, newsstands and behind construction sites.
It struck me that in a city running on fast-paced service, where instant gratification can be easily attained, retail-ready orchids in exquisite bloom are both a symbol of that and a direct contradiction.
In nature, orchids aren’t always in bloom. People often worry that when their orchid flowers are wilting, the plant is dying, but it’s not! Their natural growth cycle includes a period of rest before they can gather the energy to bloom again. As houseplants, sometimes it can take a year!
Cultivating orchids for me has been a practice in patience and a reminder to rest too. 🌸 Especially living in New York…adopting the pace of nature can be spiritually necessary, and when my orchids finally bloom again, after witnessing their buds slowly grow bigger and bigger, it’s that much more rewarding.
Ps. Some of my more unusual orchids haven’t bloomed at all since I’ve bought them…but their leaves are still pretty and I’m still patiently waiting!
Thank you for the beautiful photos
