Floral displays framing doorways, dressing up mannequins and recreating furry friends will be available to view throughout the Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood from Aug. 5 to 9 as part of the Fleurs de Villes exhibit. The 25 installations made of flowers are on display from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and are physically distanced to allow for safe viewing.
Fleurs de Villes was founded by Tina Barkley and Karen Marshall in 2015, and they’ve created floral exhibits within many cities, including London, England since then. In each city, they work with local artists and florists to build artistic displays.
“We’re delighted to bring our creations to Toronto this summer, at a time when we all need a touch of beauty and whimsy in our lives,” Marshall said in a press release.
The installations involve the work of 15 different Toronto-based florists, who worked with fresh flowers to create fashion- and culture-inspired art.
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One of the displays, created by florist Joezel Yumul, is inspired by Toronto drag queen Mango Sassi. The installation, located inside the Manulife Centre, includes a floor-length dress, hat and purse, all made of fresh flowers.
“He used over 1,200 bunches of statice to complete the dress,” Marshall says. “He says it took him 10 days to put this together, so the amount of hours that goes into something like this for a five-day show is incredible.”
In order to keep the flowers looking fresh and alive throughout the five days, each of the florists has a different method.
“Some have water picks, some use biodegradable oasis [floral foam], some have a bucket of water under the skirt and some let them dry and replace with fresh ones occasionally,” Marshall says.
On Sunday, Aug. 9, Fleurs de Villes will also have a flower market featuring Toronto florists. Proceeds from the market will be donated to the Breast Cancer Society of Canada along with supporting local florists, gardeners and growers who have been affected by COVID-19.
Over in Yorkville Village, floral fans will be treated to the first viewing of the floral dog, Chien, on display. The installation is in the centre oval inside the shopping centre and features six dogs — each made of their own special combination of flowers.
For more information and a map of where the installations can be found, visit the Fleurs de Villes website.