This Weekend: Soak Up the Outdoors

Posted in Programs and Events on September 27 2013, by Matt Newman

We’re closing out September with a stuffed weekend of on-the-move activities that’ll handily fill your outdoor quota for the week! And because we’re straddling that neutral stretch between the balmy end of summer and the chill of autumn, it’s the perfect time to strike out on a walking tour in one of our inspired collections, brush up on your techniques in the Native Plant Garden, or conquer your phobias with a hands-on introduction to Halloween’s creepiest critters.

But we’ll start you off easy: meet Debbie Becker here at 11 a.m. on Saturday, and bring your binoculars. She’ll be setting out with her weekly group of scrappy birders in search of the avian species that call the NYBG home, as well as those that are just passing through. It’s migratory season for many birds, including some species of warblers, so expect to see some color.

Over in the Clay Family Picnic Pavilions, our friends from local outreach programs will be taking over with the help of spiders, snakes, and at least a few crawly creatures with more legs than could ever seem necessary. But while they may be frightful Halloween symbols to some, most of these insects, reptiles, and amphibians are helpful, industrious, and misunderstood. This is a chance to not only come in contact with these animals from around the globe, but get to know them for the benefits they afford the environment. And that’s only one small part of the ongoing Haunted Pumpkin Garden activities taking place from now through October 31!

As with almost every weekend, we’ll be in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden for some culinary adventures with cooking demos twice a day in the Whole Foods Market® kitchen, which should presage Sunday’s closing Family Dinner with Mario Batali’s Chefs nicely; we even have a scant few tickets left for the feast, which you can pick up here. Look for our public education gardeners—they’ll be giving demonstrations on wildlife gardening in your own backyard. We’ll also be holding in-depth tours of the Rose Garden, Native Plant Garden, and the notable trees (rare, old, or historically significant) of the NYBG.

Saturday, September 28

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 to learn about bird-friendly habitats, migrating species, and birds that make a permanent home at the Garden.

Pumpkin Carver’s Studio – 11 a.m. – 5 p .m.
In the Discovery Center’s Bendheim Global Greenhouse
Watch how pumpkin creations are carved as an expert carver translates ideas into art. Learn some tips to try at home on your own pumpkins and gourds.

Ugh! Bugs & Creepy Creatures of Halloween – 12 & 2 p.m.
At the Clay Family Picnic Pavilions
Some of the animals that make us scream are actually the coolest animals around. Come slither, slide, creep, and scurry along with us and learn why these “creepy” animals aren’t so scary after all. Participants will meet critters from around the world for some hands-on animal presentations and discover the unique adaptations which help them survive in their habitats.

Notable Tree Tour – 12:30 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 Guides for a tour highlighting some of the most interesting trees across this historic 250-acre site.

Home Gardening Demonstration: Wild Life Gardening
In the Native Plant Garden – 2 p.m.
Native plants are wonderful for attracting beneficial insects and encouraging wildlife in your garden. Join us to explore how you can create natural habitats and successfully attract wildlife to your garden.

Native Plant Garden Tour – 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Join a tour guide for an insider’s view of the newly designed Native Plant Garden. Enjoy a mosaic of nearly 100,000 native trees, wildflowers, ferns and grasses designed to flourish in every season.

Sunday, September 29

Rose Garden Tour – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden
Immerse yourself in the fragrance, color, and beauty of the award-winning Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden on a tour with a Garden Tour Guide. Learn the differences between Heritage and Modern roses and between floribundas and hybrid teas as well as facts about rose history, cultivation, and folklore.

Family Dinner with Mario Batali’s Chefs: A MasterCard® Priceless NY Event – 5 – 7:30 p.m.
In the Family Garden
Special Ticket Required: $75 per adult and $30 per child (under 12 years of age); space is limited so book early to ensure availability
September 29 featuring Chef Dan Drohan of Otto Enoteca Pizzeria and Chef Josh Laurano of Tarry Market
Celebrate the Edible Academy and Mario Batali’s Kitchen Gardens with chefs from Mario’s acclaimed restaurants. Each dinner features a three-course, family-style menu designed by one of Mario’s chefs using fresh, seasonal ingredients like those grown in his gardens.

Ongoing Children’s Programs

The Haunted Pumpkin Garden
In the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden
September 21 – October 31; Tuesdays – Fridays 1:30 – 5:30 p.m.;
Saturdays, Sundays, and Monday, October 14, 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Experience the thrills and chills of the season with a garden full of intricately carved pumpkin sculptures, bugs, and bats. On October 19 & 20, watch Master Carvers Ray Villafane and Andy Bergholtz of Food Network fame transform humongous pumpkins into unearthly creatures. It’s so much fun, it’s scary!

Parades Daily! – Weekdays, 1:30 p.m., Weekends and Holidays, 1 & 3 p.m.
Story Readings – Weekends and Holidays only, 2 & 3:30 p.m.

Pollinator Pals: Bees and Butterflies
In the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden
August 20 – October 11, 2013; 1:30 – 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.

This Weekend: Soak Up the Outdoors

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