* Chicago Botanic Garden hosted our visit to Brilliance: The Orchid Show. All images and opinions are my own.
Update: The 2020 Orchid Brilliance show has been canceled because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
When Chicago Botanic Garden invited us to the preview for Brilliance: The Orchid Show, Graham and I were thrilled because we love plants. We decided to make a date night out of it. It may be cold outside in Chicago, but you can stay warm while viewing spectacular installations of 10,000 blooms inside greenhouses and galleries.
When you walk into the Orchid Show space in Nichols Hall, you immediately see four towers of orchid displays and a colorful display overhead. It’s your chance to grab a drink at the cash bar to enjoy as you walk around.
After you hang your coat, you can wander through the viewing areas at your own pace. Along the way you can learn about what makes orchids special and intelligence. The colors and hybrids are highlighted and celebrated in fun ways. Orchids are one of our favorite flowers, so I loved seeing them in just about every color of the rainbow, along with other blooms. The displays are gorgeous!
We grabbed passionfruit cocktails at the bar, which I recommend, and took our time admiring the flowers. A band entertained guests as they dined on delicious food like tuna or tofu with sesame seed, rice, edamame and more. It was so tasty that I had seconds.
One of my favorite rooms contained hanging orchid displays. I wish I could have a room like this in my home!
The greenhouses have cool lighting set up to highlight the orchid displays. It’s a good idea to bring a camera to Brilliance: The Orchid Show to capture the beauty. There are also Orchids After Dark and Photographers’ Hour events to check out.
Pay attention to the signs around the galleries to learn more about orchids as you explore. The Orchid Show is suitable for all ages, we saw families with babies along with older adults on double dates. Afterward, you can browse the offering at a mini gift shop stand set up outside the main entrance.
Brilliance: The Orchid Show began Feb. 8, 2020, and runs from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily until March 22, 2020. It closes at 2 p.m. on March 7. Tickets are adults: $12/$14; seniors 62+: $9/$11; children age 3–12: $9/$11; free for children age 2 and under. When you purchase tickets, you select a show time. Tickets included parking.
After the sale there will be a plant sale that Graham and I are excited about. We hope to purchase some orchids for our collection.
GIVEAWAY: I am giving away four tickets to Brilliance: The Orchid Show on my Instagram. Head to my post to enter by Feb. 12, 2020!
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Marette Flora is the founder of Floradise blog and personalized gift shop. Marette is a passionate storyteller and creator. She attended the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication.
She is passionate about creating helpful and meaningful things.