The Weekend Buzz
Posted in Around the Garden on August 24 2012, by Matt Newman
Would I say there’s a busy atmosphere about the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden this weekend? Definitely. But would I say there’s a…buzzy atmosphere? Seeing as I’m absolutely the kind of guy to kick off a wave of pained groans by dropping such a boulder of a pun, I’m going to go ahead and affirm that one. As of this week, New York’s favorite vegetable garden is looking beyond the tomatoes and cucumbers to the pollinators that make them possible, and that includes our lively honey bees!
Overlooking the NYBG‘s one-acre vegetable plot is a pair of active beehives that you can see and read about in one of our earlier picture galleries, but if you really want to grasp just what it is that has New York City’s rooftop gardeners going mad for apiculture, you and your children should come and visit. Through “Pollinator Pals,” we’re opening up this integral piece of the agricultural puzzle with fun activities for kids, as well as the opportunity to see first-hand how a beehive works and even sample a few different types of honey. The experience isn’t limited to what you get in a bear-shaped squeeze bottle at the supermarket–what’s growing near the hive can noticeably influence the nuanced flavors of the honey the bees produce.
With a Rock Garden tour, outdoor gardening demonstrations, and Edible Garden activities to take advantage of, this is the weekend to be out and about. And if you’ve so much as set foot outside your house in the last week, you’ll know I’m right on target with that one.
Saturday, August 25
Conservatory Tour – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Explore the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, an acre of plants under glass, with one of the Garden’s docents. Take an ecotour around the world through 11 distinct habitats, including two types of rain forest, deserts of the Americas and of Africa, and aquatic and carnivorous plant displays.
Home Gardening Demonstration: Light and Reflection in the Garden – 2 p.m.
Meet at the Conservatory Plaza
French short story writer Guy de Maupassant described Claude Monet as a hunter, always chasing after light and shadows. Explore ways to capture light and shadows in the garden.
Monet’s Garden Tour – 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Join one of the Garden’s docents for a tour inside the galleries of the historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, where horticulturists of The New York Botanical Garden bring to life stunning re-creations of Monet’s most iconic gardens at Giverny. In the Conservatory Courtyard, the focus on the artistry of the great Impressionist continues with a display of water lilies.
Sunday, August 26
Rock Garden Tour – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center
The Rock Garden is a 2.5-acre oasis complete with a pond and waterfall, featuring alpine plants from six continents. Join an expertly trained Garden docent for a walking tour to see and learn more about these jewel-like plants.
Home Gardening Demonstration: Light and Reflection in the Garden – 2 p.m.
Meet at the Conservatory Plaza
French short story writer Guy de Maupassant described Claude Monet as a hunter, always chasing after light and shadows. Explore ways to capture light and shadows in the garden.
Monet’s Garden Tour – 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Join one of the Garden’s docents for a tour inside the galleries of the historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, where horticulturists of The New York Botanical Garden bring to life stunning re-creations of Monet’s most iconic gardens at Giverny in Monet’s Garden. In the Conservatory Courtyard, the focus on the artistry of the great Impressionist continues with a display of water lilies.
Ongoing Children’s Programs
Children’s Outdoor Nature Explorations: Observe and Create
Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, through September 30
Weekdays 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. / Weekends 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Let your inner Monet run wild and be inspired by nature to create art in all its different forms. Movement, music, drawing and painting abound in this outdoor studio for children. Stop by Inspiration Station to play our outdoor marimba. Paint with water and experiment with colors in our Color Clash Studio. Step inside to experiment with the engineering behind aquatic plants. Nature is art–discover it at the Adventure Garden. Also on view: an exhibition by students from Studio in a School.
Hands-On Gardening Activities for Families — Pollinator Pals: Bees and Butterflies
Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden, through October 5
Daily, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.
The Family Garden is buzzing in late summer! Join us to learn about important pollinators: our honeybees and the monarch butterflies passing us by on their way to Mexico. Get buzzy doing the honeybee dance, observe up-close the workings of a beehive, and sample honey from different nectar sources. Meander through our meadow to find the beautiful monarchs’ favorite snack-spots for fueling up before their long flight.
Cooking demonstrations at 2 and 4 p.m. on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
The Edible Garden
Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden, through October 31
Daily, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.
The Edible Garden returns to the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden this year, bringing plenty of events for both adults and kids alike with daily, family-friendly activities, cooking demonstrations in the Whole Foods Market Family Garden Kitchen, and hands-on gardening fun.
A Garden friend and chef extraordinaire, Mario Batali takes a featured role in this year’s Edible Garden. Visit the beds of herbs and vegetables in “Mario Batali’s Kitchen Gardens,” where you can pick up some of his favorite recipes. Later, join Mario and other top chefs for The Edible Garden Festival, featuring tastings, harvest activities, and a chance to sit down to dinner with the man himself. Your culinary delight begins in the garden! Visit summer through fall for the best of the harvest.
