Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Archive: August 2014

A Century of Stardom

Posted in Horticulture on August 1 2014, by Marc Hachadourian

Marc Hachadourian is the Director of The New York Botanical Garden’s Nolen Greenhouses for Living Collections.


nymphaea James Brydon water lily
Nymphaea ‘James Brydon’

In the dog days of summer, when many plants are looking tired from the heat and humidity, there is one group of plants that is at its absolute peak of perfection with a non-stop display of color and fragrance in the courtyards of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. The Water Lily Pools are dotted with outrageous blooms of intense color and fragrance. From the prehistoric-looking, platter-like leaves of the Victoria cruziana to the vibrant hues of the tropical water lilies, they never fail to put on a spectacular performance.

Sometimes overshadowed by their tropical cousins, the hardy water lilies have a more subtle beauty. Perhaps one of my all-time favorite hardy water lily hybrids is Nymphaea ‘James Brydon’. It has exquisite six-inch, cup-shaped blooms in deep rose that rest just on the surface of the water amongst the dark green foliage.

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This Weekend: The Home Stretch

Posted in Programs and Events on August 1 2014, by Lansing Moore

0714-pink-hibiscus-250x280It’s already August, and summer is flying by. Groundbreakers has just over a month left in its residency, so come explore the great estates of the Gilded Age and the pioneering professional women who designed them before the exhibit closes on September 7.

Click through for the full program schedule for this weekend—including a special tour of the Aquatic House in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory—as well as ongoing children’s programs. If you’re looking for some hands-on family fun, tickets are still available for the next in our special series of Family Dinners with Mario Batali’s Chefs on August 10, featuring Chefs Alex Pilas and Fitz Tallon of Eataly. Get your tickets before they sell out!

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Morning Eye Candy: Smitten

Posted in Photography on August 1 2014, by Matt Newman

‘Mystic Illusion’ makes its grand appearance in the Perennial Garden. It’s part of a series of simple and stunning dahlia cultivars that include ‘Mystic Dreamer’, ‘Mystic Spirit’, ‘Mystic Memories’, etc. I’m still smitten with this one in particular, though—likely always will be.

Dahlia 'Mystic Illusion'

Dahlia ‘Mystic Illusion’ in the Perennial Garden – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen