Culture
Flower arrangements to support NYC Healthcare workers!
“Trash Can” in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Over the past few months, these pop-up arrangements have gained the phrase of “Flower Flash.”
Image courtesy of: Lewis Miller Design
“Pop ups” have become popular during the past few years; however “pop up” flower arrangements? Actually, yes! In today’s strange world, massive pop up flower arrangements have been springing up throughout New York City.
The designer at work on a blooming phone booth at 100th Street and West End Avenue.
Image courtesy of: My Modern Met, photographed by: Irini Arakas Greenbaum
“Flower Flash” is the brainchild of floral designer Lewis Miller. His intent has been to leave a stunning collection of flowers in unexpected places in order to defuse the gritty backdrop of the urban environment and to provide some cheer during this trying time.
These flashes aren’t new, they have appeared in random places for the past several years. However, with Covid and the intensity with which New York City was hit, the floral designer has a renewed sense of purpose. The designer says that he simply wants to express his creativity and to make the locals smile.
Miller does not announce in advance where he will place his flashes. During the night, he installs the arrangements and in the morning, he sometimes gives the location on Instagram. Other times, he posts a picture with a clue as to where the flowers were placed.
Image courtesy of: York Avenue Blog
The idea behind “Flower Flashes” was based on Miller’s desire to ensue an emotional response through the flowers… and to give the “people of New York City” the same experiences that his paying clients have. The flowers used in the installations are all repurposed from Lewis Miller Designs’ company events so nothing is wasted. Once an arrangement is assembled, Miller and his team leave it for the public to experience. Some just admire the” flash” and others take a flower or two. Without fail, the entire arrangement is gone within, at the most, a few hours.
Miller has received many heartfelt messages on his Instagram. One person wrote, “New Jersey hospital worker here and I appreciate your commitment to making the city a more beautiful place.”
Image courtesy of: CNN
Miller and his team have transformed trash cans into larger-than-life vases and they have used blooms to decorate the city’s decrepit subway system.
Early during quarantine, Miller set out to bring smiles to the healthcare workers walking into the New York- Presbyterian Hospital. The team wrapped flowers in various shades of pink around a lamp post that stands outside the hospital’s doors. This latest flash, backed by American Express, only stayed up for 30 minutes because hospital security was forced to ask for the arrangement to be removed. Miller quickly pivoted and converted the arrangement into bud vases and loose flowers to hand out to the hospital’s health care workers as they passed by.
Using leftover blooms from Tory Burch’s runway show, this beautiful arrangement was made possible due to the surplus of pink carnations. Thank you Ms. Burch, for graciously donating the flowers to Miller so that city dwellers could enjoy some street art!
Image courtesy of: Haute Living
The arrangements have been immortalized on social media for good reason. One thing is certain, New York City’s streets have never looked or smelled so good!
