What we love most about our flowers is their power to connect people from every corner of the world. They can convey powerful feelings understood by all, and also be eloquent messengers for the rituals that define each unique culture. We at Flowers of Colombia have started a ritual of our own: honoring cities around the planet that have a special relationship with our flowers. Last year we went to Tokyo to celebrate the authenticity of its women, and we also took over London to praise its musical legacy. In 2019, we decided that we should pay tribute to the most inspiring city of all: New York.
If we could make it there, we’d make it anywhere.
Sinatra’s words couldn’t be more accurate: New York is the city where extraordinary ideas, styles and all kinds of inspiration begin. What blooms in NYC, spreads throughout the world like a powerful trend, because this metropolis is an icon that we all look up to.
Joey, Daniel and Catalina are three flower growers from Colombia. They take pride in their work and they are constantly looking for inspiration to create better, brighter and more diverse flowers to share with the world. They were the perfect messengers for our tribute in New York: curious and kind, happy to be part of this amazing surprise.
Over 3,000 stems went with them on this trip. Roses, carnations, alstroemerias, hydrangeas and foliage became beautiful gifts for the city and its people. They were transformed into stunning installations and bouquets by Kelsea Olivia, a florist with a delightful studio in upper Manhattan.
Our team took these amazing creations to iconic spots in the Big Apple. First it was Shakespeare Garden in Central Park, a place devoted to flowers and plants mentioned in the Bard’s most famous sonnets. Then it was the steps of the MET, a place where five thousand years of history constantly inspire new ideas. The final spot was Dumbo, a neighborhood showcased in hundreds of thousands of pictures in social media; the best place for photos to become NYC keepsakes.
Our flowers connect people in beautiful ways! Every bouquet given by Joey, Daniel and Catalina, turned into a burst of laughter, a smile or a hug between strangers. Groups of families walking by the MET rejoiced when handed these arrangements, especially the kids!
Children would come with excitement to pick their favorite varieties and colors from our installation by the museum.
Such a happy surprise drew in lots of curious tourists, locals, and even an officer with the NYPD who gifted us with his biggest smile when Cata placed a bouquet in his hand in a gesture of admiration and respect. He did not expect to get flowers that day and they would bring more life into his patrol car.
“Strangers move fast in this big city. Everyone is doing their own thing, and someone else handing them a flower bouquet… that just stops them in their tracks. Their smiles are so genuine, their happiness is real: flowers have the power to do that” – Catalina
Those who came across our team at Shakespeare Garden were in awe. Some people where so charmed by our arrangements that they asked for more flowers so they could surprise their loved ones at home. One woman asked for another bouquet for her daughter, knowing she would adore our amazing varieties. A passing man promised to take his gift straight home: “My wife is gonna love me”.
It was a lovely summer day and picnics were happening all around. Colombian flowers came to those enjoying the park as a spark of joy, decorating their baskets to give a happy moment some added magic.
Dumbo, the last place for our lively tour, turned out to be the coolest setting for our flowers to show their magic. Brick, concrete, and metal structures dominating this famous neighborhood became a spectacular backdrop for our frame with Colombian flowers. Yellow, pink and violet splashes looked bright and vibrant in the middle of this traditional photographic spot. Every tourist in sight was trying to get the perfect shot with the Manhattan bridge. This time, their photos would be different: they would be covered in beautiful Colombian flowers, a total burst of color (no filters needed!).
This trip was the opportunity for our ambassadors to be part of the magic their flowers spread all over the world: they could see the happy faces, the wide smiles and the spontaneous gestures of gratitude in every one of the hundreds of people that received this tribute to New York. That is truly the beauty of this great city: it welcomes strangers from all over the world and it inspires them to create extraordinary moments.
This is an amazing story about Colombian flowers but, mostly, about the people that connect through them.
¡Check our tribute tour in New York here!
