Spring in New York City comes with certain guarantees: longer days, unpredictable weather, and a sudden craving to be surrounded by things in bloom. But for many New Yorkers, spring doesn't truly arrive until an iconic Herald Square store opens onto a technicolor dream of petals, stems, and whimsical installations. That dream is called the Macy's Flower Show; this year, it's bigger and more imaginative than ever.
Behind the blooms, though, is someone who prefers to let the 50 varieties of stems take the spotlight: Will Coss. He's the man responsible for turning 34th Street into a temporary paradise, and he's been quietly (for many) shaping some of the city's most iconic public spectacles for years.
© Getty Images for Macy's, IncA Production with Petal Power
Will Coss isn't a florist or a botanist. He's a storyteller who uses flowers as his medium. As the executive producer of Macy's Studios, Coss oversees the production of several major events, including the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Fourth of July Fireworks. But the Flower Show might be the most intimate of them all, an experience you walk through, breathe in, and get lost inside.
Coss's background isn't rooted in horticulture but in communication and entertainment. He earned his degree from Adelphi University in Garden City and built a career producing content for outlets like Nickelodeon, YouTube, VICE, and MTV.
Coss oversees a particularly meaningful milestone for the 2025 Flower Show: its 50th anniversary at Herald Square. With the theme "Floral Dreams Unfold," he's going all in on surrealism, spectacle, and sensory immersion.
© Getty Images for Macy's"Macy's Flower Show creates sensory-filled surrealist gardens with more than 8,000 plants, nearly 50,000 stems representing 50 varieties. Our team is honored to continue bringing unforgettable experiences to our shoppers," Coss told HOLA! USA.
What's New This Year
The 2025 installation is notably more elaborate, both in scale and length. For the first time, the show spans three weeks—from April 27 to May 18—a month later than usual. Outside, the store's signature display windows are layered with florals and fashion, drawing pedestrians into a dreamlike journey. Inside, the main floor is filled with twisting spirals of flowers, a massive beanstalk installation, topiary chameleons, and a few unexpected guests like dragonflies and digital art.
© Getty Images for Macy'sIt's not just about pretty plants. This year's show also includes experiential collaborations. YSL Beauty's "Art of Flowers" installation explores the actual blooms used in the brand's iconic fragrances, while LEGO invites guests to get hands-on with flower-themed builds. The show also features a mini version of the Netherlands' tulip fields indoors. And on May 10, visitors can create custom bouquets for Mother's Day.
© Jonathan Santos & Carlos de MoyaA Floral Show with Layers
Beyond the spectacle, the Flower Show functions as a clever hybrid of design, commerce, and public art. It's free, open during store hours, and draws visitors from all over, whether tourists, horticulture lovers, or just looking to escape the late winter gray.
© China News Service via Getty ImaThe real magic of the exhibition lies in the details, each arrangement, each scent, each twist of vine telling a story that's been months in the making.
Coss isn't just building a flower show. He's crafting an experience where memory and sensory collide. It's theatrical without being overwhelming, Instagrammable without being shallow, and reminds us that even in the concrete crush of Manhattan, something organic and inspiring can bloom.
