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Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Archive: March 2013

Recognizing Excellence in Horticultural Therapy

Posted in Adult Education on March 26 2013, by Ann Rafalko

MWTherapyThe New York Botanical Garden would like to congratulate one of our very own Horticultural Therapy instructors, Matthew J. Wichrowski, M.S.W., H.T.R., for being the recipient of the prestigious 2013 American Horticultural Society (AHS) distinguished Great American Gardeners Award for Horticultural Therapy.

In addition to serving as Senior Horticultural Therapist at the Enid A. Haupt Glass Garden at the Rusk Institute, part of NYU Langone Medical Center, Mr. Wichrowski has brought his expertise to our Horticultural Therapy Certificate students since 1996 as one of our valued instructors.

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The Magnetic Appeal of Pansy Orchids

Posted in Gardening Tips on March 26 2013, by Sonia Uyterhoeven

MiltoniopsisThere are a number of orchids that seem to draw the crowds at The Orchid Show better than others: The pansy orchid (Miltonia) is one of them. This cheery flower–as the name suggests–has a broad open bloom that looks like a cross between a pansy and a butterfly, often bearing the etchings of a face or waterfall markings that cascade down its lip (Labellum).

Miltonias are actually two genera: Miltonia and Miltoniopsis. Don’t worry, I am not going to digress into a technical discussion; rather, I am raising the distinction so you understand that they can flourish in your home with the proper care. Miltonia and Miltoniopsis were once clumped together–now they are separated–but people still refer to all of them as Miltonia. In this day and age there are so many hybrids out there that, unless you are specifically searching for a species, you probably have a little bit of both in your orchid.

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Shades of Blue

Posted in Around the Garden on March 25 2013, by Jessica Clarke

Jessica Clarke is the Associate Curator of Glasshouse Collections at The New York Botanical Garden.

RavenalaRavenala madagascariensis, better known as traveler’s palm, is a plant endemic to Madagascar which can be found in our very own Enid A. Haupt Conservatory (Palm Dome). In addition to its very attractive fan-shaped arrangement of leaves, it has another unique attribute that isn’t often witnessed.

Like a jewel box opening up, its dried brown fruit pod splits apart to reveal remarkable sapphire-colored seeds inside. The reason that they are blue? It can be considered a “tale of two endemics,” or the supposed co-evolution of the traveler’s palm with another species found only in Madagascar—the ruffed lemur.

The lemurs are astute pollinators of Ravenala; they use their long tongues to reach the nectar deep inside the flowers. In this way, they collect and transfer pollen on their snouts from plant to plant. Once pollinated, the flowers develop into seed pods, which mature and dry before splitting to expose the bounty inside. The fuzzy blue appendage, or aril, that is attached to the seed is edible—and it encourages animals to eat it and aid in seed dispersal. In this case the animal that it solely appeals to is the lemur, which is only capable of seeing shades of blue and green.

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This Weekend: Spring Fling!

Posted in Programs and Events on March 22 2013, by Matt Newman

The NYBG WeekendCocktails, crocuses, and more cymbidiums than you can count? That’s a resounding “yes!” you’re hearing as we move into our first weekend of spring, kicking off in flirtatious fashion with the second in our ongoing series of Orchid Evenings. In fact, the first was such a runaway success that we’ve even added a few more nights to our upcoming rotation, just in time for this weekend’s event to sell out! We’ll let you know if more tickets are added for the 23, but for now, we’re just all kinds of giddy over the weekend to come.

As with each Orchid Evening, Saturday night’s evening under the lights will be highlighted by a local spirit–in this case, a fine whiskey from our friends at Tirado Distillery. And the cranberry-splashed mojitos aren’t the only mood enhancer on the menu; DJ Julio is also on the ticket, bringing smooth beats to the table for unmatched ambiance. Afterward, it’s over to the classic Italian fare of Arthur Avenue, where we’ve partnered with several restaurants to get you discounts on dinner. As far as planning your evening outing goes, I feel like this one’s sort of a no-brainer.

We’re looking at mostly clear skies and afternoons packed with ostentatious orchids, otherwise, so make a little space on your weekend calendar for the Orchid Show! Spring is definitely here, and while the air may be a bit brisk for flip-flops and tank tops, the Garden’s outdoor blooms don’t lie. Check out our Orchid Evenings page for registration information for future events, and head below for the full Saturday and Sunday schedules.

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Morning Eye Candy: Under Flighty Sun

Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on March 22 2013, by Matt Newman

“In the spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours.”

— Mark Twain

Snow, sleet, or flighty sun, the plum blossoms seem to be taking spring’s early days in stride. The rest of the Garden, likewise, follows suit. I hope your Friday is as bright.

Prunus mume 'Matsurabara Red'

Prunus mume ‘Matsurabara Red’ — Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen