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

Amur cork tree (Phellodendron amurense)

We have a strong science department at The New York Botanical Garden. Botanists of all backgrounds come here to work on topics that span each corner of the discipline, from ethnobotany to plant genomics. The scientists host Friday lectures where members of their staff or researchers from the wider community come to give presentations of their work. During the quiet winter months, I sometimes have the luxury of attending these seminars.

A few weeks ago, I attended a seminar on invasive plants. Invasive plants are an important topic for anyone who is interested in the environment and their community. With over $120 billion being spent annually on removal of invasive weeds (whether in the realm of agriculture, roadside maintenance, or habitat restoration), invasive plants are a very real problem. I always hear about it from the standpoint of a gardener and an educator. It was interesting for me to hear it from the perspective of a botanist and an ecologist. Not surprisingly, many of the warnings, lessons and take home messages were the same.
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For the past few weeks we have been discussing the fallout of 2011′s strange weather, the damage experienced here at the NYBG, and various methods of identifying at-risk trees. Last week we examined some of the physiological processes behind winter injury.

Continuing where we left off, we will now explore several things that home owners can do to combat winter injury. The most effective remedy for winter injury on broad-leaved evergreens is prevention; in other words, the best protection is properly siting the plants.
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The mid-winter break is coming up on the calendar for local school kids, leaving us just a bit excited here at The New York Botanical Garden. Not that we’re taking any vacations for ourselves, mind you. For the first time, we’re throwing open our gates as one of the world’s premier centers for botanical science, welcoming curious young minds as we turn the Garden into a 250-acre classroom, laboratory, and learning playground.

Winter Science Camp offers children a “behind the scenes” learning experience under the guidance of the NYBG’s world-renowned plant educators. Kids will investigate plants in the Herbarium unseen by the public, enjoy early-morning exploration in the Forest, and experience a curriculum you just won’t find in the local elementary school schedule. Where else can they try their hand at planting vegetables, or pressing their own botanical specimens?
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For the past few weeks we have reflected on the strange weather that we experienced last year, discussing the physical damage to the Garden during the October storm and the identifying characteristics that signal future issues. The erratic behavior of the weather from September onwards reminded me of a time several years ago when an Indian summer lasted well into December. The temperatures crashed in the following January and we experienced winter almost overnight.

Some of you may remember that year. For the broad-leaved evergreens at the Garden, this was the year for winter injury, and there are several reasons why a plant experiences this.
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Meet Larry Weaner, a nationally recognized leader in the natural landscape field whose work combines ecological restoration with traditions of fine garden design. Thursday, January 19, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Larry Weaner takes you beyond popular buzzwords like “sustainable” and “low-maintenance” to examine some surprising and at times counter-intuitive strategies for eco-friendly garden design.

Weaner’s presentation takes a look at practical, concrete processes for creating easily-managed landscapes that seamlessly combine ecological diversity, cultural expression, and the traditions of garden design. See how his alternative approaches—on everything from selecting plants to arranging, spacing, and weeding gardens—can yield rich landscapes that are more easily maintained, achieving their greatest ecological and aesthetic potential.

Weaner, 58, has created hundreds of native landscapes throughout the eastern United States since 1977. Larry Weaner Landscape Associates has received the top three design awards in 2008 from the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. Their projects include private gardens, public and commercial spaces, meadows, and natural areas.
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Joyce H. Newman is the editor of Consumer Reports GreenerChoices.org, and has been a Docent with The New York Botanical Garden for the past six years.

Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. — January 19, February 16, March 15

The New York Botanical Garden invites you to come in from the cold and warm up at the 2012 Winter Lecture Series, featuring three distinguished experts at the forefront of ecology and sustainable practices. Each will be sharing insights and practical advice on crucial challenges confronting today’s gardeners.

January 19 – BREAKING THE RULES: Ecological Design for the Real World

Larry Weaner has been creating native landscapes throughout the eastern U.S. since 1977. His firm, Larry Weaner Landscape Associates, has received several top design awards and has a national reputation for combining ecological and traditional garden design.

In this lecture Weaner shows us new and alternative gardening techniques that can yield richer, more easily maintained landscapes.
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Meet Diana Conklin, one of NYBG’s Adult Education instructors teaching a variety of botanical craft classes for the holidays.

Holiday wreath-making expert Diana Conklin was born and raised on a potato farm along the east end of Long Island–that was before the area was taken over by vineyards! And coming from a farming background, Diana’s love of all things botanical is deeply ingrained.

Her studio, Everlastings by Diana, remains on the family farm in one of their barns. There she specializes in creating stunning dried flower arrangements, many of which are displayed at local craft galleries and events.
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For the first time in the Holiday Train Show’s 20-year history, you too can learn how to create architectural replicas from natural materials, just like the landmarks featured in our Conservatory displays.

Join Madeline Yanni, The New York Botanical Garden’s expert floral and crafts designer on December 17 for a special, hands-on class. Madeline will help you explore various architectural styles and crafting techniques, after which you can choose from an assortment of dried botanicals, like seed pods, bark, and branches, to make your own model. You’ll need to bring lunch, as well as a box large enough to put your models in.
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Transplants can be harrowing occasions, and not solely for the houseplants and conservatory wonders we love so well. It’s just as difficult to find yourself changing pots as a walking, talking outsider, a newcomer not only to the Garden, but the often overwhelming reality of New York City.

And this is exactly where I find myself as The New York Botanical Garden’s latest recruit.

The weather, the flora–they’re curious shocks to the system for a Florida boy. There are few evergreen copses where I’m from, and fewer rose gardens. Certainly the leaves don’t flush with shades of citrus and fire when fall makes its appearance. Rather, I’m more accustomed to hurricanes, swamp cypress and banana trees. And we don’t pull the stowed parkas from the crawlspace when October arrives, either; we’re more likely to say a silent “thank you” that the humidity will let up for a few months. Better yet, perhaps the mosquitoes will give it a rest.
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The Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden is a New York City treasure. It’s an amazing one-and-a-half acre site where children and families can learn about plants and the natural world through hands-on gardening. Each afternoon children–with help from their parents, volunteers, and staff–are encouraged to dig, weed, compost, plant, tend, and harvest in garden plots. These ongoing gardening activities are complemented by a changing roster of programs that encourage children to explore seasonal garden-related themes.

This month’s theme is Sweet and Stinky! Aromatic alliums such as onions and garlic, and herbs such as basil and oregano love the summer heat. Follow the “sweet and stinky” smells to the Family Garden to discover these culinary champions. Savor the scents and tickle your taste buds at our cooking demonstrations or try these delicious recipes at home!

Get the recipes below!