Our inaugural Atlanta show, Fleurs de Villes ARTISTE, will pop up at luxury lifestyle destination Phipps Plaza from May 17-22, 20245 with 12 fresh floral installations inspired by great artists and created by local floral talent. Also enjoy daily floral demonstrations and a flower market as you explore the show. 

Let’s take a look at the wider botanical landscape of Atlanta’s “Emerald Necklace” of parks, its native blooms and floral lore.

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NATIVE FLOWERS OF ATLANTA

Atlanta has the densest urban tree population of any city in the U.S., and is blessed with an array of impressive native flowers, including the Georgia aster with its striking purple blooms, the delicate pink lady's slipper orchid, and the cheerful black-eyed Susan. Keep an eye out for the flame azalea's fiery orange blossoms and the majestic southern magnolia, whose creamy white flowers perfume the spring air.

STATE AND CITY FLOWERS

The state flower of Georgia, the Cherokee Rose (Rosa laevigata), also known as "ever-blooming rose," has an interesting history. Since the 1800s, the name has been attributed to legends that the pristine white flowers sprang from the tears of Cherokee mothers as they wept for their lost children during the Trail of Tears, symbolizing the strength and endurance of the Cherokee people. While the English name may have a strong connection to the land, the flower itself does not. Native to Southeast Asia, the plant was introduced by settlers in the late 1700s, and is actually considered an invasive species. These pristine white flowers can still be found blooming throughout the city, serving as a poignant reminder of Georgia's complex history.

As for Atlanta, its canopy is lush with the Atlanta Dogwood (Cornus florida), its delicate white blossoms signalling the arrival of spring in the city. Dogwood trees have long been associated with Atlanta's landscape, adorning its parks and streets with their ethereal pink and white blooms in spring. Both the Cherokee Rose and the Atlanta Dogwood serve as poignant symbols of Georgia's natural beauty and cultural heritage, embodying the spirit of resilience and renewal that defines the state and its capital city.

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BOTANICAL GARDENS

No visit to Atlanta would be complete without a stroll through its renowned botanical gardens. Don’t miss the Orchid Display House, where exotic blooms transport you to far-off lands, or wander through the Fuqua Orchid Center, home to one of the most extensive orchid collections in the United States and the famous treetop Canopy Walk. From May 11 to September 15, 2024, The Atlanta Botanical Garden, will be hosting a mosaiculture exhibit called Alice’s Wonderland Returns, with topiary-like living plant sculptures depicting characters from the fantastical book. 

PARKS

Atlanta's midtown parks offer a tranquil escape amidst the bustling cityscape, with many showcasing the city's floral diversity. Piedmont Park, Atlanta's largest urban park at 200 acres, boasts sprawling green spaces dotted with wildflowers and native plants and is considered the “crown jewel” of the Emerald Necklace of city parks. 

Get your daily steps in along the 22-mile loop of the Atlanta BeltLine, a former railway line where you'll now encounter bursts of colour from blooming wildflowers and landscaped gardens in the city’s most extensive revitalization project ever. 

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FLORAL ATTRACTIONS

The Atlanta History Center's Swan House Gardens will transport you to the Jazz Age with their meticulously manicured lawns, boxwood and vibrant flower beds as well as an historic 1928 mansion, once owned by a cotton-magnate. The formal, Italianate gardens were designed by Philip Trammell Shutze in the late 1920s and are immaculately preserved to this day, making them a popular location for photography and weddings.  

Kids will love the tree-top boardwalk WildWoods by the Fernbank Museum of Natural History  where 75-acres of native trees, plants and flowers thrive amidst the museum's immersive exhibits and 3D-Theater.

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FLORAL FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Throughout the year, Atlanta hosts an array of floral festivals and events celebrating nature's beauty. The Atlanta Dogwood Festival, held each spring in Piedmont Park, showcases the city's vibrant arts scene alongside blooming dogwood trees. The Atlanta Botanical Garden's Flower Show brings together floral enthusiasts from near and far to marvel at stunning floral displays and participate in workshops and demonstrations. And for those with a penchant for orchids, the Atlanta Orchid Society Orchid Show offers a feast for the senses with its dazzling orchid exhibits and educational programming.