What would the opposite of a Galanthophile be? Oh, a Galanthophobe, obviously. Or is it a Galanthrope? In any case, apologies to those with a seething dislike for these coy beauties—I can’t get enough snowdrops. And did I mention it’s now the second day of spring? Let’s all hope in unison for the return of the warmth, and soon.
Galanthus in front of the Library Building – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
While our Orchid Show, taking place under the glass of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, is something of a giant floral terrarium in itself, the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden is currently home to a much more bite-sized variety thanks to Little Landscapes. This sibling program to our yearly orchid extravaganza offers your little ones a chance to get out of the March chill, settle into some activities in our Discovery Center, and come away with miniature terrariums of their own to take home and care for.
Anyway, how often do they get to create their own biomes? (And a messy room capable of supporting a thriving fungal diversity doesn’t count.)
Good morning, Mourning Dove! The call of these songbirds is unmistakable to New Yorkers. How many of you have been woken up by this little guy perched outside your window? Beats a beeping alarm clock, I suppose.
Realizing that you don’t have to get up early on Sunday morning is a singular sort of joy, I think. It means you’re free to do whatever you feel like on Saturday night! And because we have as much of a soft spot for drinks and music as anyone, we’re once again opening our gates to the party scene this weekend. If you’re up for cocktails and chill rhythms under the lights and color of the Conservatory, our latest Orchid Evening is your destination.
Tickets are still available for the event kicking off this Saturday night, March 22, and this time around we’re pairing the flamboyant Key West color of 2014’s Orchid Show with the equally effervescent flavors of orange, prosecco, and pomegranate. Think of the Pomegranate Sparkler as a drink for people who want all the flavor and none of the tedious peeling. Better yet, if you’ve got a MasterCard, you can make an even bigger night of it by attending our Priceless NY pre-party in the NYBG’s Shop in the Garden with champagne and special discounts on a wide selection of live orchids.
The Ladies’ Border shows immeasurable spring promise right now, what with these fuzzy wonders just beginning their bloom. It’s often referred to as oriental paperbush, though I personally prefer the alternate: “Mitsumata.” It’s one of the plant species used in the making of the Japanese tissue paper of the same name.
Edgeworthia chrysantha in the Ladies’ Border – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
I picked up the Select Seeds catalog and stopped dead in my tracks. Facing me from the second page was a gorgeous intergeneric hybrid called ×Digiplexis ILLUMINATION® ‘Flame’. The name will make sense just as soon as I explain its heritage, and wipe away any thought of ’70s disco dancers you may be entertaining at the moment.
You have heard me use the term intergeneric hybrids before, when I have discussed orchids. Intergeneric hybrids are crosses between closely related genera. A well-known example in the orchid world is ×Laeliocattleya, which is a cross between a Laelia and a Cattleya. In the case of ×Digiplexis, it is a cross between a foxglove (Digitalis) and Isoplexis, which is a shrub-like, short-lived perennial (zone 9 – 11) from the Canary Islands and Madeira.
Isoplexis typically grows up to 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide. It has foot-long upright flower spikes that are densely covered with tubular flowers, each a blend of vermillion, rust, and gold. Its common name, cresta de gallo, alludes to the fact that it is reminiscent of a cockscomb. The plant was originally thought to have been pollinated by sunbirds, having since been replaced by Canary Island Chiffchaffs and other warblers.
This Thursday, March 20, is the exciting culmination of our 14th Annual Winter Lecture Series. Our final speaker will be Thomas Rainer, an accomplished landscape architect who teaches planting design for the George Washington University Landscape Design program. He has worked on projects such as the U.S. Capitol grounds, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and The New York Botanical Garden, but he is happiest puttering in his small garden at home in Washington, D.C.
It’s true, Thomas Rainer isn’t crossing any oceans to visit the Garden as our previous two speakers did, but professional and amateur gardeners will relate to Rainer’s personal journey. On Grounded Design, his award–winning blog, Rainer charts his process of discovery towards ever-better planting designs and methods. Click through to see his impressive designs.
Happy St. Pat’s from every green flower we can muster here at the NYBG! It’s no four-leafed clover, but this Cymbidium has a lucky green hue down pat. Find more on our Instagram feed as we make our way through this year’s Orchid Show: Key West Contemporary, and if you’re headed out tonight, remember: moderation in all things!
