This Weekend: Ditch Your Winter Woes!
Posted in Programs and Events on February 1 2013, by Matt Newman
Try not to think of February as the grim side of winter. It’s self-defeating! Instead, turn it into your warm-up to spring, a time to prepare for sunnier months–whether that’s daydreaming away the cold, getting back in shape, or shuffling your bathing suits to an easy-to-reach spot in the closet. In some sense, that’s been the regimen here at the NYBG since the holidays passed, where we’re readying ourselves for the triumphant return of the green by reveling in all things palm-trees-and-coconuts. If you haven’t been to see Tropical Paradise yet, you can’t say you’ve relaxed this season!
Under the glass of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, where the snow and the sleet are stopped at the velvet rope, we’re celebrating our permanent collection–the towering tropical trees and broad-leaved beauties that transform our little corner of New York City into a living rain forest. And in between the tours through our misty cloud forest houses and the rare, exotic species growing within, we’re filling in all the little gaps with tropical music, art, and more. Whether you come for the Caribbean tunes, the ongoing photography events, or the simple opportunity to stuff your gloves in your pocket and breathe, you’ve got until February 24 to make it happen! After that, we’re not losing momentum–you’ll be saying hello to the Orchid Show before you can say “strawberry daiquiri.”
For those who enjoy the outdoors in winter otherwise, as so many of us do, Debbie Becker’s Bird Walk sets out at 11 a.m. on Saturday in search of the owls we’ve been hearing so much of lately (and I mean that literally–our Great Horned Owls are hide-and-seek aficionados, though you can often find them by their telltale hoots). Elsewhere in the Garden, Joseph Laracuenta gets bodies moving with the kick-off to his February Tai Chi sessions, where any and all are welcome to sign up–given you’d like to slough off the city’s stresses and get in touch with your inner chill. Thanks to our expert Tour Guides, we’ll also be hitting the Garden paths for a little exploration, examining iconic trees throughout the Forest and the rest of our 250 acres.
It may still be winter, but we’re as lively as ever at the NYBG. And indoors or out and about, our schedule’s packed for the weekend–check it out!
Saturday, February 2
Tai Chi for Peace of Mind and Body — 10 to 11 a.m.
Saturday sessions through March 16 with Joseph Laracuenta
Tai Chi is a slow moving, meditative exercise for relaxation, health, and self-defense, originating from China. Learn the principles of Tai Chi with an emphasis on correct body posture and spinal alignment. With the practice of Tai Chi, students become revitalized, relaxed, tolerant, self-confident, physically stronger, and ultimately, healthier in both mind and body. Sign up here. Non-member (incl. materials) — $82 / Member (incl. materials) $75.
Bird Walk – 11 a.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
The diverse habitats of the Botanical Garden offer visitors a chance to see dozens of species of birds throughout the year. Bring your binoculars and walk the Garden grounds with an expert.
Tropical Paradise Tour – 12:30 & 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the Conservatory entrance
Take refuge from winter by retreating to Tropical Paradise — a showcase of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory’s permanent collection, including orange-yellow crotons, fuchsia bromeliads, and more. Tour the many surprises in the Victorian-style glasshouse, where the harsh outdoor weather gives way to warm rain forest mists, soaring palm trees, and bright desert landscapes. You’ll feel like you are on vacation without leaving New York.
Sunday, February 3
Tropical Paradise Tour – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the Conservatory entrance
Take refuge from winter by retreating to Tropical Paradise–a showcase of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory’s permanent collection, including orange-yellow crotons, fuchsia bromeliads, and more. Tour the many surprises in the Victorian-style glasshouse, where the harsh outdoor weather gives way to warm rain forest mists, soaring palm trees, and bright desert landscapes. You’ll feel like you are on vacation without leaving New York.
Notable Tree Tour – 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
What makes a tree notable? It could be its size, its bark, its uses, or a variety of other features. Some of our trees have been here since before the Garden was formally established in 1891. Join one of the Garden’s Docents for a tour highlighting some of the most interesting trees across this historic 250-acre site.
Photography Tips and Tricks – 1 to 3 p.m.
Meet at the Conservatory Palms of the World Gallery
Join our expert on hand in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory to dispense garden photography tips, encouragement, and critique for budding photographers. Each week, participate in a photo contest, “Picturing Paradise,” for a chance to win a spot in a photography course given at the NYBG this coming spring. The contest is run through the Garden’s Group Pool on Flickr. For more information visit nybg.org/tropical
Ongoing Programming, January 19 – February 24
Adventures in Adaptation
A free scavenger hunt leading you through the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and Garden grounds
Welcome to Adventures in Adaptation! Using your powers of observation, search for Dr. Ed Apshon, one of our scientists who has been traveling all over the world for his research on plant adaptations. To help us find him, you must locate the plants he has recorded in his field notebook and determine where he has been–and where he’s going next!
Tropical Paradise Photography Contest
After viewing the award-winning photographs from the International Garden Photographer of the Year display, take a spin through the Conservatory and snap your own pictures for entering into the Tropical Paradise Photography Contest. This year’s contest is all about picturing paradise: find paradise in the natural beauty of the Conservatory, be inspired by the award-winning photographs from paradises around the world, and find inspiration to picture paradise in the community of your fellow photographers in the NYBG Flickr Group Pool.
Ongoing Children’s Programs, January 19 – February 24
Tropical Discoveries and Wintertime Wonders
In the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden
Weekends and Holiday Mondays, 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Weekdays, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Inside the cozy Discovery Center kids of all ages can take a closer look at the differences between tropical and temperate plants. Pot up a specimen plant to take home and compare its characteristics with foliage in your neighborhood. Make bark rubbings, count tree rings, and head back into the winter garden with a field notebook to discover the vital sparks of life that lie just below the surface of this quiet season.
