Bellagio welcomes holidays with grand floral display — PHOTOS
At Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, it is “time” to celebrate the holidays.
The newest botanical display decks the conservatory’s halls with a 42-foot-tall fir tree with thousands of lights, a snowcapped mountain range, a cozy Swiss chalet and Santa’s sleigh filled with gifts.
Conservatory Designer Ed Libby said the theme of “Holiday Time” was inspired by the moments and time-honored traditions that come with celebrating the holidays.
The north bed is designed as a luxurious holiday village with a miniature watchmaking shop, patisserie and bookstore in the style of European architecture.
The south bed features a snowy scene of penguins, seals, white foxes and the Coca-Cola polar bears — made using white flowers. The display presents in the interior and exterior of a cabin where a puppy plays in front of a fireplace.
At the center of the west bed is a towering Christmas tree with a Swarovski crystal tree topper that’s surrounded by 25-foot-tall fragrant fir trees.
Nestled among oversized presents are 12-foot-wide poinsettias designed using thousands of roses.
“I was always fascinated by the Tournament of Roses,” said Libby. “When I signed on in 2016, my goal and direction was the Tournament of Roses’ guidelines — to make things out of other things. We call it ‘up-close magic.’”
A cozy Swiss chalet decorated with wide windows and shadowboxes of flowers occupies the east bed.
“We’re looking at how holiday time has progressed and reflecting on past holidays,” said Libby. “It’s very interesting in display and concept.”
Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens is complimentary to the public and open 24 hours through Jan. 1.
Holiday Display by the Numbers
13,250: White carnations
8,700: Ornaments on the holiday tree
7,500: Poinsettias
7,000: LED lights on the holiday tree
2,000: Senecio “Angel’s Wings” plants
300: Assorted shrubs including cypress and juniper
75: Team members who bring the display to life
25: 25-foot fresh-cut silvertip fir trees
24: Giant snowflakes
8: Arctic animals
6: Days to complete the display
5: Working clocks
1: 42-foot fir tree from Mt. Shasta, California
Contact Janna Karel at jkarel@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jannainprogress on Twitter.
