LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens is ushering in the Year of the Snake with a vibrant holiday display, on view from January 11 through March 1.
Brought to life by designer Ed Libby, in collaboration with the talented Bellagio Horticulture team, the exhibit immerses visitors in festive traditions, symbolic animals and a rich color palette, thoughtfully celebrating and honoring Asian culture.
Each meticulously crafted bed highlights the serpent’s symbolism of intuition, transformation and charm.
“When designing this year’s Lunar New Year display, our goal was to highlight the serpent’s qualities of intelligence and grace while creating a space for visitors to embrace the joy and good fortune of the season,” Libby said. “This exhibit truly captures the elegance, power and pageantry of the Year of the Snake, inviting guests to celebrate its deeper meanings, the celebratory nature of the season and what’s to come in the new year.”
The West Bed houses two cheerful knick-knack peddlers, inspired by Chinese folklore, who share whimsical stories and sell their wares, symbolizing creativity and new beginnings.
Jubilant children and playful pandas frolic amid the bed’s elegant flowers and bamboo as fireworks light up the scene from above.
At the center of the North Bed, a majestic 28-foot floral serpent stands tall, honoring the Year of the Snake. Red and gold silk lanterns hang above, while a Koi fish fountain spouts water into a tranquil pond, reflecting nature's balance and harmony.
In the East Bed, playful pandas Bao and Mei, representing yin and yang, frolic beneath money trees adorned with 88 gold I-Ching coins, symbolizing good fortune.
The center of the display pays homage to the lucky envelope tradition in which monetary gifts are given during the Lunar New Year to offer blessings and good luck to loved ones and friends.
Towering in the South Bed, cherry blossom trees in soft pink and white hues symbolize renewal and the fleeting beauty of life, while vibrant Koi fish glide gracefully through a tranquil pond, representing strength, resilience and prosperity.
Surrounding the pond, intricate blue-and-white Qinghua porcelain sculptures pay homage to a revered Chinese art form with over a thousand years of history. Above, dazzling cloisonné cherry blossoms, meticulously crafted using a centuries-old Chinese technique, add an ornate touch.
At the heart of the display, a striking 33-foot-tall porcelain pagoda hosts The Garden Table, serving an exquisite dim sum lunch and dinner feast curated by Bellagio’s beloved Pan-Asian restaurant, Noodles.
Here's a breakdown of what it took to bring the display together:
- There are 45,600 preserved roses on the snake and pandas throughout the display.
- Workers used 25,000 LED lights to create the fireworks in the West Bed.
- The South Bed trees are made using 2,500 cherry blossom branches.
- It took 120 hours for an artist to hand paint the porcelain plate in the South Bed.
- There are 88 I-Ching coins on each of the gold money trees, a lucky number in Chinese culture.
- Five porcelain sculptures were hand-painted using the ancient Chinese art form, Qinghua.
Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens is complimentary and open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To learn more, please visit Bellagio’s website.