Where Art & Flowers Intertwine

Written By Jennifer Curnutt

Cheekwood’s Fleurs de Villes ARTISTE Inspires

Cheekwood Estate & Gardens in Nashville is known for its stunning gardens, world-class artwork, and incredible events. Each year, the 55-acre botanical gardens come to life with 250,000 tulips springing up during the annual Cheekwood in Bloom, autumn is met with a harvest featuring over 75,000 pumpkins, and the holidays are brightened with over a million lights illuminating the estate - transforming it into a winter wonderland. Every time I visit, I am simply in awe as the gardens and theme change from season-to-season and month-to-month. There is no place quite like it.

However, just when I thought Cheekwood could not surprise me, they came up with something new. This year, Cheekwood has outdone itself with its latest 10-day exhibit from August 2 to August 10, 2025. Welcome Fleurs de Villes ARISTE!

This exhibit showcases a curated collection of 13 life-size fresh floral mannequins created by Nashville’s top floral designers, each inspired by works of art that can actually be found in the estate’s permanent art collection housed in the historic mansion. These captivating creations can be found throughout the Botanic Hall, the Historic Masion & Museum, and the Frist Learning Center.

Until you have experienced them in person, breathing in their aromatic scent, feasting your eyes on the vibrant bursts of color, you simply cannot fully appreciate their true grandeur.

And you better hurry! This one-of-a-kind event ends soon because just like all life, fresh cut flowers are impermanent by nature and their beauty lasts but only a fleeting moment in time.

Featured above are Babette, a painting by Eugene Edward Speicher transformed into a floral masterpiece by LL Floral and sponsored by Russell Bates and Ben Scott; and Summer Afternoon, a painting by Lillian Genth transformed by LMA Designs and sponsored by Janice Morgan and Gus Mayer.

Featured above are Reverie (Young Woman with Violin and Rose), a painting by Theodore Robinson brought to life by Rose Lane Floral Design and sponsored by Nan Nelson Parrish; and Kathleen Millay , a painting by Joseph Stella transformed into an awe-inspiring floral display by Bloom Flowers sponsored by Sylvia Rapoport and Ronald Soltman.

Featured above is Lady in White, a painting by Frank Weston Benson brought to life by Rose Hills Flowers and sponsored by Josephine Darwin and Mary Follin Simonsen

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Jennifer Curnutt
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