Sonia Uyterhoeven is the NYBG’s Gardener for Public Education.

The many colors of coleus make container plantings stand out.

One of the easiest ways to get to The New York Botanical Garden is via the Metro-North railroad. If you take the Harlem Line from either Grand Central or 125th Street, you can get to the Garden in 10 to 20 minutes depending on where you board. On the weekends, Metro-North offers inexpensive City Tickets which are just slightly higher in cost than subway fare. Once you get off the train, simply walk across the street and into the Garden.

Upon entering, you will see two large, square in-ground containers directly in front of the ticket booths. This year, these containers are adorned with a dramatic combination of easy-to-grow annuals that highlight the merits of mixing light and dark colors together in the garden.

The large containers include two different types of coleus (Solenostemon)–a staple of any urban container arrangement. Coleus is easy to propagate and comes in a riotous spectrum of colors and combinations. One of the varieties, ‘Alabama Sunset’, is often on gardeners’ “Top Ten” lists for successful summer annuals. It is a striking combination of brick red and golden yellow.
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What’s more American than barbecuing on July 4? How about barbecuing locally-sourced, American-grown produce! The Garden, along with the Greenmarket, will be open this Independence Day, Wednesday, July 4 so that you can pickup all your barbecue and picnic needs from the farmers who grow them. Why not celebrate America’s 236th birthday with an all American buckle, grunt, betty, or cobbler featuring Red Jacket Orchard‘s beautiful berries or cherries. Not a baker? Then pickup one of the Little Bake Shop‘s delicious–and already baked–seasonal pies!

And don’t forget that most American of grains, corn, which is delicious boiled or grilled and slathered in butter, or with lime, chile, and cheese. In addition to corn and cherries, I’m hoping for summer squash and green beans from Migliorelli Farm, maybe a tomato or two, and pickles from Millport Dairy and spring onions from Gajeski Produce to serve on top of hamburgers!

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., stop by the Greenmarket information booth to pot up a plant to take home and grow on your window sill. The weekly NYBG Greenmarket near Tulip Tree Allée happens every Wednesday through November 21, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission and parking are free to shop at the Greenmarket and EBT, WIC, and FMNP are accepted.

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Nymphaea ‘Arc-en-Ciel’, not to be confused with long-running Japanese rock group L’Arc-en-Ciel. Each seems to have liked the French translation of “The Rainbow” enough to claim it as a name.

How many other musical connections can we make between our water lilies, I wonder?

Nymphaea ‘Arc-en-Ciel’ — Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen