Looking Back: October 2011
Posted in Around the Garden on December 31 2011, by Matt Newman
October was a hectic month of stunning Japanese floral displays, pumpkin zombies, changing foliage and a holiday weekend punctuated by tragedy. But if we’re pros at anything, it’s picking ourselves up by the bootstraps! Horticulture can–after all–be an unpredictable business.
After many long months of preparation, the NYBG‘s Fall Flowers of Japan exhibition continued throughout October with a focus on kiku, a centuries-old chrysanthemum tradition requiring patience, skill, and an eye for aesthetic. Our very own Ann Rafalko even took it upon herself to explain just how the talented horticulturists behind these artful blooms do it!
Take a Look Inside Fall Flowers of Japan
Master pumpkin carver Ray Villafane was on hand this year to play Dr. Frankenstein with the world’s biggest pumpkins! Mighty gourds were trucked in from California, Pennsylvania, and even Quebec as Ray plotted his nefarious designs. In the end, there was no small measure of creep-factor to the monstrous sculptures he came up with.
An intern with our School of Professional Horticulture, Brenden Armstrong brought the knowledge he picked up at the NYBG to Washington, D.C.’s National Arboretum. There he came to understand his true appreciation for the horticultural craft while teaching urban gardening to local participants during a Bread for the City workshop.
School of Professional Horticulture in the Field: Brenden Armstrong
“Unpredictable” doesn’t even scratch the surface of the past year’s weather phenomenons. The blizzard that struck the northeast over the Halloween weekend damaged over 2,000 of the NYBG’s trees, saddled by the weight of snow and ice clinging to the branches. But as always, we were resilient through adversity; our dedicated arborists leapt to task in clearing the damage and bringing the Garden back up to speed.
Historic October Storm Hits NYBG
October certainly could have gone better for us! But at least the positives outweighed the negatives (and variety is the spice of life, if we want to be trite about it). We move into the new year with the storm behind us and a positive outlook for the rest of the winter.
It’s not too late to help support The New York Botanical Garden in efforts like these before the year is out. Your gift contributes to the preservation, education, and cultivation of the natural world. Become a part of our 120-year history.
The Year in Review: 2011
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December
