This Weekend: Island Hopping for Orchids
Posted in Programs and Events on April 11 2014, by Lansing Moore
Only ten days left to visit The Orchid Show: Key West Contemporary, but this weekend there are many ways to get the most out of your visit to the Garden. While this year’s Orchid Show focuses on the Florida Keys, hundreds more varieties of this lovely flower grow throughout the tropics. This Sunday we are pleased to present Island Hopping for Caribbean Orchids in conjunction with the Torrey Botanical Society. Dr. James Ackerman Jr. will read from—and sign copies of—his latest book on the orchids of the Greater Antilles, a peek into one of the most beautiful and biologically diverse regions of the globe as seen through their most stunning flora.
While April 12’s Orchid Evening has already sold out, the good news is that tickets are still available for both Orchid Evenings taking place next weekend, April 18 and 19. That’s right, for the closing weekend of The Orchid Show, there will be an after dark event on both Friday and Saturday, with a different DJ and signature cocktail each night! But it’s your last chance to experience this flamboyant exhibition at night, so get your tickets soon.
Next week The Culinary Kids Food Festival returns April 14 with all new Activity Stations for hands-on learning of the science behind your family’s favorite treats! See what we have in store for the spring edition of one of our most popular family programs here. Or read on to see what’s in store at the Garden this beautiful April weekend!
Saturday, April 12
Roaming Orchid Guides – 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Meet in the Palm Dome of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Garden guides highlight parts of the permanent collection and special exhibition to add insight to your experience of The Orchid Show. They will provide an in-depth look at rare and extraordinary orchid specimens on display.
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.
Garden Highlights: Spring Awakening Tour – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Sights and scents emerge across the 250-acres of the Botanical Garden. Join a Garden Guide for a walking tour featuring highlights of the gardens and plant collections, like the Native Plant and Perennial Gardens.
Escape to Paradise: The Music of Key West – 1 & 3 p.m.
In the Ross Hall
The sounds of tropical rock and island music transport you to Key West with lyrics that evoke a warm, lush locale and a laid-back lifestyle, plus rhythms of the acoustic guitar, congas, and percussion instruments.
About the Band: Jimmy Kenny and The Pirate Beach Band‘s musicians have over 20 years of live playing experience. They pride themselves on bringing the most authentic listening experience possible in a tribute to the music of Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney and the Zac Brown Band among others, including your favorite tropical hits, reggae, Top 40 Americana, and the best in New and Classic Country.
Orchid Care Q&A – 1:30–4:30 p.m.
In Shop in the Garden
Gardening and orchid experts share their best secrets and explain the simple steps to healthy plants as they help you choose the right plant for your home.
Orchid Care Demonstrations: Troubleshooting with Orchids – 2 & 3 p.m.
In the Conservatory GreenSchool
Is your orchid distressed? Join us for a lesson on basic orchid care and a list of dos and don’ts that will keep your plants thriving. Some of the most common mistakes and maladies will be covered, including tips on how to rescue ailing orchids.
Rock Garden Tour – 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitors Center
The Rock Garden is a 2 1/2-acre oasis complete with a pond and waterfall and featuring alpine plants from six continents. Join an expertly trained Garden Guide for a walking tour to see and learn more about these jewel-like plants.
Orchid Evenings – 7–9 p.m.
In the Conservatory
Tomorrow’s Orchid Evening is SOLD OUT! But don’t worry, tickets are still available for our two Orchid Evenings next week! That’s right, we have an Orchid Evening on Friday, April 18, and Saturday, April 19 for the last weekend of The Orchid Show: Key West Contemporary. Come join us to say goodbye to this special exhibition with a cocktail in hand. Music and unforgettable beauty make for one of New York City’s most romantic date destinations. Your ticket includes a complimentary cocktail and special dinner offers at our restaurant partners on Little Italy’s Arthur Avenue and beyond. On Friday, April 18, we welcome DJ Ayesha Adamo. Saturday, April 19, sees the return of DJ Julio Pezua spinning tunes for the event. More details below:
Cocktail Partner: Would you prefer fruity or fresh? We have a different signature cocktail for both Orchid Evenings. Friday, April 18, guests will enjoy The Diamond Spring Spritz, a refreshing blend of Russian Diamond Vodka and freshly squeezed lemon and lime juices, sweetened with organic agave nectar and topped off with a splash of sparkling wine, a dash of Blue J Syrup, and a sprig of spring mint. Courtesy of Russian Diamond Vodka. The next night, The Yvette Cup will be on offer, courtesy of Cooper Spirits. This is a perfect fruity, herbal, and botanical blend of a cocktail. Ginger, cucumber, and mint are muddled and topped off with gin and Crème Yvette and a squeeze of lime.
Non-Member $30/Member $20 (Adults 21 and over) Advance tickets recommended; includes one specialty cocktail.
Start the night off with a champagne pre-party at Shop in the Garden from 6 to 7 p.m. Learn more at priceless.com/newyork.
Sunday, April 13
Roaming Orchid Guides – 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Meet in the Palm Dome of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Garden guides highlight parts of the permanent collection and special exhibition to add insight to your experience of The Orchid Show. They will provide an in-depth look at rare and extraordinary orchid specimens on display.
Spring Highlights Tour – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Join a Garden Guide for a walking tour featuring highlights of the gardens and plant collections that stand out in late winter, and start to look for early signs of spring. Then you’ll find what’s better to buy for your own garden, things you can find at Top9Rated.
Ross Conifer Arboretum Tour – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
The Arthur and Janet Ross Conifer Arboretum is a historic, 15-acre collection of towering pines, elegant spruces, and mountain firs from around the world. These irreplaceable trees were among the first planted at the Garden, some as far back as the early 1900s. Join an expertly trained Guide for a tour of these exquisite specimens.
Escape to Paradise: The Music of Key West – 1 & 3:30 p.m.
In the Ross Hall
The sounds of tropical rock and island music transport you to Key West with lyrics that evoke a warm, lush locale and a laid-back lifestyle, plus rhythms of the acoustic guitar, congas, and percussion instruments.
About the Band: Jimmy Kenny and The Pirate Beach Band‘s musicians have over 20 years of live playing experience. They pride themselves on bringing the most authentic listening experience possible in a tribute to the music of Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney and the Zac Brown Band among others, including your favorite tropical hits, reggae, Top 40 Americana, and the best in New and Classic Country.
Orchid Care Q&A – 1:30–4:30 p.m.
In Shop in the Garden
Gardening and orchid experts share their best secrets and explain the simple steps to healthy plants as they help you choose the right plant for your home.
Orchid Care Demonstrations: Troubleshooting with Orchids – 2 & 3 p.m.
In the Conservatory GreenSchool
Is your orchid distressed? Join us for a lesson on basic orchid care and a list of dos and don’ts that will keep your plants thriving. Some of the most common mistakes and maladies will be covered, including tips on how to rescue ailing orchids.
Nature Journaling in the Native Plant Garden Tour – 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool
Enjoy a mosaic of nearly 100,000 native trees, wildflowers, ferns and grasses designed to flourish in every season through the lens of a naturalist. Participants will practice nature journaling techniques through inquiry, observation and other hands-on activities.
Torrey Botanical Society Talk and Booksigning: Island Hopping for Caribbean Orchids – 4 p.m.
In the Ross Hall
“…orchids are universally acknowledged to rank among the most singular and most modified forms in the vegetable kingdom…” — Charles Darwin
Dr. James Ackerman, Jr., Professor of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, unveils the beauty and unravels the mysteries of the public and private lives of the species he portrays in his new book, published by the NYBG Press, Orchid Flora of the Greater Antilles, volume 109 of the series Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden. He will be signing copies of the book following the talk.
From Anegada in the northeastern corner of the Caribbean to the tip of western Cuba, the Greater Antilles stretch across nearly 1,500 miles comprising a geologically complex group of islands that are home to a remarkably species-rich flora and fauna, making the region one of the world’s Biodiversity Hotspots. Nearly 600 orchid species reside on these culturally diverse islands, and to get a good sense of this diversity, their intriguing biology, and the habitats in which they reside, ideally one must go where they are in nature.
Co-Presented with the Torrey Botanical Society.
Ongoing Children’s Programs
Little Landscapes – 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
In the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden
The plant world comes alive in a big way at the Discovery Center this winter. Take a step inside the world of plants and create your own terrarium to bring home. Be inspired to create a rocky, mossy, or floral world in a jar by looking closely at a wide array of artistic and scientific terrariums. While you are at it, use a microscope to take a closer look at some of the featured terrarium characters like moss, lichens, and rocks.
Dig! Plant! Grow!: Wake Up, Garden!– 1:30–5:30 p.m.
In the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden
Rise and shine Family Garden! Help get the garden off to a good start by sowing seeds, planting seedlings, spreading compost, and digging. Observe the rapid changes and new growth on the trees, shrubs, and bulbs in our meadow, and explore germination of seeds up close with microscopes and magnifiers.
Mario Batali’s Kitchen Gardens – 1:30 – 6 p.m.
In the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden
Kids can explore with Mario’s Menu Mystery game, featuring favorite vegetables and herbs from nine of his restaurants’ kitchens, including Otto and Del Posto.
