Inside The New York Botanical Garden
Posted in Photography on August 17 2011, by Ann Rafalko
There are so many good spots to sit and soak-in the sun at the Garden.
A Sunny Bench (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)
Find Area Codes Us Area Codes Wheare Area Codes Located 201 Area Code
Posted in Photography on August 16 2011, by Ann Rafalko
Why is The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx? When the city and state of New York agreed to allow a group of scientists, civic leaders, and financiers to create “a public botanic garden of the highest class” the group was given the choice of a few different parcels of land. The plot in the Bronx–part of which belonged to the vast Lorillard estate–was chosen for both its abundant natural beauty, and for its dramatic geology. It’s easy to overlook these magnificent rocks, which provide the “bones” to the Garden’s historic landscape, when you’re surrounded by so much verdant beauty; but you shouldn’t.
Photos by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Gardening Tips on August 15 2011, by Ann Rafalko
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Sonia Uyterhoeven is Gardener for Public Education. |
When I started gardening, I thought of coral bells (Heuchera) as a pleasant choice for the front of a shade border or a nice accent in a tapestry of low growing woodland inhabitants.
I now have a much deeper appreciation for this versatile plant. While some of it has to do with an increased knowledge in horticulture, and a better understanding of the dynamics of design and what constitutes a garden-worthy plant, part of my growing admiration comes from the vast strides that have been made by hybridizers over the past decade.
In our Trial Bed Garden in the Home Gardening Center we have a bed that is devoted to coral bells. It has been there several years so I have been able to watch and see not only how the Huechera have performed during the growing season but also how they have held up over several winters.
On one end of the bed we have planted a coral bell named ‘Black Out.’ One objective of Heuchera hybridizing programs has been a search for the coral bell with the darkest foliage. The results has been a number of newer cultivars that range from chocolate brown to deep burgundy brown, with the ultimate goal of producing a Huechera with true-black foliage.
Heuchera ‘Black Out’ is one of the blackest coral bells on the market. It has glossy deep burgundy foliage that transitions into black with burgundy overtones on its undersides. ‘Black Out’s maple-shaped foliage is medium sized and has a compact shape (without being too small) that makes it ideal for container plantings. All of the plants survived this past winter, although a few of them died back a little and are not as vigorous this year. In general, however, their performance has been good.
Another winner in our Trial Bed Garden is Heuchera ‘Frosted Violet Dream’. This coral bell has deep burgundy foliage that is mottled with silver. The maple-shaped foliage shimmers in a garden setting. It is another medium sized coral bell that is a vigorous grower with a spectacular performance record in this garden. In early to mid summer this coral bell is covered with an attractive haze of dainty pink flowers.
One of the casualties in our garden this year was a cultivar called ‘Sugar Plum’. While it performed beautifully last season, it struggled over the winter and we ended up replacing it this year. We were growing this cultivar in full sun whereas it would normally be happier in part shade. I am not sure if that contributed to its demise; poor drainage is a more likely explanation.
I would love to hear back with your experiences. What are your favorite black coral bells on the market and how do they perform in your gardens? Next time we will look at some coral bells that are ideal for tough, sunny locations: the Heuchera villosa hybrids.
Posted in Photography on August 15 2011, by Ann Rafalko
It’s raining, it’s pouring. We hope you don’t find this photograph boring.
Perennial Garden Puddle (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)
Posted in Around the Garden on August 12 2011, by Rustin Dwyer
It’s National Farmer’s Market Week! What better way to celebrate than with a trip to the Garden’s weekly Greenmarket to chat with some of the great community volunteers, politicians, and health advocates who turn up every Wednesday to dispense advice to the market’s shoppers?
The New York Botanical Garden Greenmarket occurs every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The market will run until Thanksgiving.
Posted in Photography on August 12 2011, by Ann Rafalko
NYBG staffers and a group of visitors get into the spirit of this month’s Dig! Plant! Grow! theme in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden, Pickle Me! Want your own pickles? Come visit the Family Garden daily after 1:30 p.m. and get in on the briney action.
Pickle Party (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)
Last month’s theme was Sweet and Stinky. Didn’t make it to the Garden to sample the recipes full of alliums? Never fear! Here are the delicious recipes. We’ll post the pickle-tastic recipes here soon!
Posted in Science on August 11 2011, by Jim Miller
| Jim Miller is Dean and Vice President for Science. |
The greatest challenge to protecting the world’s plant diversity is that while perhaps as many as 100,000 species of plants face some risk of extinction in the next few decades, in most parts of the world, we simply don’t know which species are the most threatened. Little progress has been made toward identifying the list of globally threatened plant species (which is target 2 of the United Nations Global Strategy for Plant Conservation), so NYBG scientists have developed a streamlined method to survey plant species one at a time, to determine which are “At Risk.”
This week, August 8 and 9, a consortium of 19 scientists met at the University of Puerto Rico’s Botanical Garden to review the situation for the 2,032 species of plants that are native to Puerto Rico, 461 of which have been determined to be “At Risk.” Botanists from The New York Botanical Garden conducted the workshop in partnership with colleagues from the Smithsonian Institution; the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras; the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez; the University’s Botanical Garden; Parque Doña Inés of the Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín; the International Institute of Tropical Forestry; Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural Resources; and the Fideicomiso de Conservación.
The rapid review of Puerto Rico’s plant species demonstrates that 461 of them, or 23%, are at possible risk of extinction in the near future. This figure is consistent with analyses from other parts of the world, where it is frequent that about one quarter of species are threatened. Some of these threatened plant species are so rare that they have not been seen for decades and are possibly extinct, others are known from countable numbers of individuals, some less than 25, and thankfully the situation for others is not as dire, though still serious. Having this list will help guide future conservation efforts to the species that most desperately need our attention to ensure their future survival. Some of the participants from the Puerto Rican institutions plan to propagate the most rare species as a prelude to efforts to re-establish viable populations in the wild. The NYBG is extending these efforts and is aiming to complete a review of the entire West Indies in the next year.
Posted in Photography on August 11 2011, by Ann Rafalko
Some plants have such boastful names. If you’re calling a plant as humble as the bean ‘King of the Garden’ it had best be a great bean!
Phaseolus lunatus ‘King of the Garden’ (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)
Posted in Around the Garden on August 10 2011, by Rustin Dwyer
It’s the second month of our photo contest, and a hearty congratulations to Barbara Reiner for winning our second monthly NYBG-IGPOTY photography contest. The NYBG photo judges had a tough time picking the winner this month, but in the end felt that Barbara’s rose triptych just edged out cindy {k}’s scene among the tulips for this month’s theme “American Beauty.” Barbara will receive a NYBG gift pack, which includes two All-Garden Passes, a $25 credit towards the Adult Education class of her choice, a catalog for the Library exhibition Historical Views: Tourists at the Alhambra, and the catalog from Hirschfeld’s Broadway Scrapbook. We’re also still working on getting copies of the photography book, Better Plant and Garden Photography, written by IGPOTY founder Philip Smith, over from the U.K. as well. Congratulations Barabara! Please send us an email with your contact information through this form (select website from the pull-down menu).
Head below the jump to see the rest of this month's winners.
Posted in Around the Garden on August 10 2011, by Ann Rafalko
It’s a beautiful day to buy seasonal, farm-fresh produce from our fantastic vendors at the Botanical Garden Greenmarket. The Greenmarket is open today until 3 p.m. Come by to pick up eggplants, cantaloupe, peaches, cherries, and blackberries and visit Spanish Paradise: Gardens of the Alhambra before it closes on August 21!
Gajeski Produce has bunches of sunflowers to decorate your dinner table, corn, zucchini, cucumbers, squash, and field grown tomatoes in all colors. Greens also abound– lettuce, broccoli, and scallions along with fresh herbs basil and cilantro. Don’t forget to pick up some eggs they brought fresh from Feather Ridge Farm.
Migliorelli Farm has carrots, beets, radishes, fennel, and turnips–good kitchen standards to stock up on. More interesting greens like dandelion, collards, escarole, fennel, kale, chard, mustard, and bok choy are available, too. Apples and corn are beginning to become a regular presence.
Local honey can be purchased from The Little Bake Shop. Pies of all sorts-cherry, blueberry, apple, and raspberry in the Linzer tart and other sweets are perfect for sharing.
Bread Alone has sourdough, multigrain, and foccacia breads ready for sandwich fillings. Raisin nut, ciabatta, and peasant rolls are a compliment to any meal. Muffins, tarts, danishes, cookies, and scones make for nice treats.
Red Jacket Orchard has delicious sweet red cherries, small apricots, sugar plums, apples, jams, and ice cold refreshing juices.
You can learn more about Greenmarket, part of the Council on the Environment of New York City–one of the largest open-air farmers market programs in the United States–at their booth. Taste what’s fresh at the weekly cooking demonstrations–this week features blackberry-basil syrup.