PERENNIAL PETALS
ELEGANT AND EPHEMERAL, DRAMATIC FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS ADD A TOUCH OF WHIMSY TO WYNN PALACE.
Elegant and ephemeral, dramatic floral arrangements add a touch of whimsy to Wynn Palace.
IN THE DRAMATIC SOUTH ATRIUM LOBBY OF WYNN PALACE, A 16-FOOTHIGH CAROUSEL MAKES AN ENCHANTING FIRST IMPRESSION. Designed by artist and event planner Preston Bailey, the kinetic spectacle channels the nostalgic joy of amusement parks with more than 83,000 flowers and 4,000 moving parts. It is one of seven intricate floral sculptures peppered about the floral-themed property. Elsewhere around the grounds, Bailey’s extraordinary Ferris wheel stands 21 feet tall and 10 feet wide, adorned with more than 103,000 roses, hydrangeas, spray roses and button mums, while the 19-foot-tall Monkeys on a Seesaw display dazzles with 45,000 blooms. “Preston Bailey vividly re-creates the excitement and childhood wonder of amusement parks using hundreds of thousands of botanicals,” says Brave Cho, floral director for Wynn Palace. “The intricacy of these sculptures really celebrates the beauty and essence of flowers.” While Bailey engineers the hotel’s highly technical floral spectacles, Cho oversees the rest of the property’s incredible arrangements, from head-turning bouquets of fuchsia orchids at check-in to refreshing petals in the guest rooms. The botanical savant updates the hotel’s floral presentations every six weeks, in addition to ambitious festive decorations for Christmas, Chinese New Year and Easter. “We have around 150,000 fresh flowers imported from around the world per month and over 300 flower decorations across the hotel,” says Cho. “I select flowers based on seasonality, color and shape within the context of the hotel. For instance, I consider the hotel’s overall decor and setting because our arrangements must enhance the unique interior design.” Though the floral decor changes depending on the season, Cho often reaches for the likes of hydrangea, phalaenopsis (orchids), tulips and peonies to evoke a sense of connection. “Usually, I choose flowers that are somewhat familiar to people,” says Cho. “Guests
have many chances to encounter these types of flowers in their lifetimes. Maybe they saw them in nature or received them as a gift from a loved one. By surrounding guests with more familiar flowers, they can recall beautiful memories and touch the heart.” But Cho doesn’t overlook the power of intrigue, adding some unusual species that are rarely seen in Macau. “Even within the same flower species, there is so much diversity when it comes to shapes and colors,” Cho says. “Take tulips as an example. There are more than 100 kinds of tulips; some are rare and quite unusual. By exploring the nuances of a species, we can share something unexpected with our guests.” The arrangements are just the beginning. In this floral wonderland, beautiful botanicals seem to sprout in every corner. Wandering through the palatial hallways, guests may notice flower-shaped mother-of-pearl inlays in the Italian mosaics underfoot, petal motifs carved into column pedestals, and specially commissioned Italian Murano chandeliers designed to resemble delicate lotus blossoms overhead. Meanwhile, the hotel’s customdesigned carpets showcase an abundance of blooms, and Chinese-inspired furniture sports white floral lacquer in the shape of ornate blossoms. The hotel’s refreshing, natural energy is particularly powerful within the hotel rooms. “Flower arrangements can light up the atmosphere and make guests feel refreshed in this personal space,” says Cho. “In guest rooms, we design our bouquets using a palette of three vivid colors—green, orange and fuchsia—to match Wynn Palace’s interior design. In the penthouse and garden villas, we usually use cymbidium [a type or orchid], roses and vanda [purple orchids] for that extra-special touch.” The suite and villa experiences are extraspecial, indeed. In the three-bedroom Garden Villas, for instance, guests are immersed in nature thanks to a private French garden, extensive outdoor space and colorful orchids all around. “We hope that our guests feel comfortable and happy when they’re surrounded by flowers,” says Cho. “As we’re surrounded by many artificial things every day, I want to create an oasis where nature can be sensed in every detail.”