New York Botanical Garden's Orchid Dinner Showcases Stunning Tablescapes

The annual event raises funds for the NYBG while celebrating the annual orchid show.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The New York Botanical Garden's Orchid Dinner took place on February 26, 2026 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. The event raised crucial funds for the NYBG and celebrated the annual orchid show, which this year featured a theme of 'Concrete Jungle' inspired by the city's energy, style, and singular way of life. Floral and interior designers created elaborate tablescapes for the dinner, incorporating the Concrete Jungle theme through the use of orchids, grasses, and other natural elements alongside urban-inspired elements like steam stacks, graffiti, and crumpled coffee cups.

Why it matters

The Orchid Dinner is a major fundraising event for the NYBG, supporting its mission of education, plant and fungi research, outreach, and capacity-building around the world. The event also showcases the incredible talent and artistry of floral and interior designers, providing inspiration for event and home decor enthusiasts.

The details

This year's Orchid Dinner featured a range of stunning tablescapes that captured the Concrete Jungle theme in unique ways. Designers incorporated elements like soaring orchid-filled towers, graffiti-tagged 'steam stacks', and floral skyscrapers representing the four seasons of New York. Many of the designs also focused on sustainability, using locally-sourced flowers and repurposing materials after the event.

  • The Orchid Dinner took place on February 26, 2026.
  • The annual orchid show at the NYBG will run until April 26, 2026.

The players

New York Botanical Garden

A botanical garden located in the Bronx, New York that hosts an annual orchid show and fundraising dinner.

Mr. Flower Fantastic

A floral designer and New York native who created the 2026 orchid show at the NYBG, which served as the inspiration for the Concrete Jungle theme of the Orchid Dinner.

Rachael Burrow Rummel

The Design Chair for the 2026 NYBG Orchid Dinner.

Tiffany Skilling

An interior designer who created a table design for the 2026 NYBG Orchid Dinner inspired by the view of New York City at dusk.

Janine Carendi MacMurray

An interior designer who collaborated with Studio Jones to create a soaring orchid-filled centerpiece for the 2026 NYBG Orchid Dinner.

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What they’re saying

“Inspired by an aerial view of New York City at dusk, Dusk Over Manhattan captures the fleeting moment when the city softens and the sky glows with layered color as day gives way to night.”

— Tiffany Skilling, Interior Designer (veranda.com)

“We really wanted to lean into the whole concrete jungle aesthetic and the very graphic street art style of Mr. Flower Fantastic. So we wanted to create a typical gritty street scene featuring the steam stack often seen on city streets, complete with bold orange and white stripes.”

— Carlos Muina, Petal Productions (veranda.com)

What’s next

The 2026 NYBG orchid show featuring the 'Concrete Jungle' theme will run until April 26, 2026, providing ongoing inspiration for event and home decor enthusiasts.

The takeaway

The NYBG Orchid Dinner showcased the incredible creativity and talent of floral and interior designers, who were able to bring the 'Concrete Jungle' theme to life through stunning tablescapes that blended natural elements with urban-inspired details. The event not only raised crucial funds for the NYBG, but also provided a platform to celebrate the beauty and resilience of nature within the city.