Mark’s Garden — a high-end florist best known for work with celebrity clientele and as the official floral arrangements and decor provider of the Academy Awards’ Governors Ball for nearly three decades — was destroyed in a fire on Tuesday night.
The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed the blaze in an alert issued late last night, citing the cause as “suspicious” and noting that a “well-coordinated firefight” in 23 minutes prevented fire damage to adjacent buildings in a block-long row of commercial structures in Sherman Oaks. While no injuries were reported, the fire “was among a handful of rubbish/debris/vegetation fires” that occurred in the general area last night in the San Fernando Valley.
Mark’s Garden also confirmed the devastation on its official Instagram account on Wednesday morning by sharing a photo of the debris and what’s left of the charred structure at 13838 Ventura Blvd., with a caption that placed the blame on an arsonist who is believed to be responsible for the series of fires in the area. As of press time, no arrests have been made.
Noting that “hearts are heavy this morning,” the post also said that all staffers are okay. “We’re grateful our team is safe, and operations will continue out of our Tarzana warehouse space while we rebuild. Our phone number is the same, and we look forward to hearing from you. We’ve done it before and we will do it again, and we are so grateful for your support while we continue to pray for the children, men and women who need our focus most abroad,” read the post as a nod to the current conflict raging in the Middle East.
Mark’s Garden — launched by floral guru Mark Held and run by Michael Uncapher, managing director, co-owner and designer — is one of Los Angeles’ premier florists. The company’s website lists a roster of celebrity fans and clientele that includes Beyoncé, Madonna, Jessica Simpson, Katy Perry, Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian West, Kylie Jenner, John Legend and Justin Bieber.
It is also known that Mark’s Garden is responsible for private celebrity events such as Paris Hilton and Carter Reum’s wedding, Justin and Hailey Beiber’s wedding, Marleen and Anthony Davis’ wedding, Kim Kardashian’s baby shower and more. Mark’s Garden designs have been featured in Vogue, People, Martha Stewart Weddings, Inside Weddings and many more.
When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced the creative team for the 94th Oscars in 2022, it cited Mark’s Garden as the official florist and decor provider for 28 years for the official post-show celebration, the Governors Ball.
The news is hitting the florist community hard today with a slew of peers and celebrity fans filling up Mark’s Garden’s comments section. “To all my friends that I love so much [at Mark’s Garden], you’re our family and we will do whatever you need and be there as you rebuild,” shared A-list event planner Mindy Weiss.
