There are three days between now and the end of the 20th Holiday Train Show. Hands in the Conservatory are already preparing to pull down the tracks and gently store away the trains and miniatures, and soon the space will host fresh events and exhibitions of a more tropical nature. It’s something of a bittersweet moment for those of us here at the NYBG; it wasn’t that long ago that Paul Busse’s team was rolling out the first of the city’s bridges.

Since we unveiled the display in early November, thousands of people–kids and adults, first-timers and yearly regulars–have passed through the glass doors of the dome to view our sparkling homage to the city and the season. And while we’re sad to see the delicate landmarks disappear until next fall, we’re making the most of the time we still have to show the holidays the proper bon voyage.
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Mediterranean spurge (Euphorbia characias 'Glacier Blue')

Gloves, hat, scarf–I brought none of these things when I went wandering the Garden during lunch yesterday. The climate was just so perfectly suited to a stroll. And the greatest benefit of working at the NYBG is that–no matter the climate–there’s something out on the grounds worth visiting. It’s true there’s no luck of a permanent spring with buds and blooms sprouting up from corner to corner, but winter has its own subtle and touching charm.

This season’s odd patterns of sun and darkness make for confusing daytime walkabouts; I hadn’t expected to step out of the office at 3 p.m. only to find dusk creeping along at the edges of the afternoon. Adjusting to this kind of Norse winter is a slow process. (Being a southerner, anything north of Georgia is practically Norway to me.) But I decided that I was already out and about, and despite the settling dark I was going to soak up as much enjoyment as I could from the remains of the day.
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The Japanese apricot flowers out in our Home Gardening Center are seasonally deceptive with those warm colors, aren’t they? But don’t fret–not all is misleading. Our Caribbean Garden opens later this month!

Prunus mume ‘Matsurabara Red’ — Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen