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Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Archive: November 2014

Morning Eye Candy: First Snow

Posted in Photography on November 29 2014, by Matt Newman

The first snow of the season came down this past Wednesday, dusting the Garden with a festive—if wet—hint at what’s to come.

First snow

In the Visitor Center – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen

This Weekend: More Ways to Enjoy the Season

Posted in Programs and Events on November 26 2014, by Lansing Moore

NYBG holiday train show a cappellaHere’s to a happy Thanksgiving! As you tuck in to a hearty feast and a well-earned holiday, consider bringing your loved ones for some quality time at the Garden. NYBG will be open November 28, 29, and 30 with a full schedule of seasonal tours and special programs surrounding our 23rd annual Holiday Train Show®—including live a cappella singing and screenings of holiday- and train-themed films. Spend the day after Thanksgiving at NYBG and explore the grounds in all their winter splendor with two one-day-only tours. The Fruit & Berry Tree Tour will highlight the many beautiful berries of the season, and our Winter Tree Tour is best way to take in NYBG’s winter wonderland of conifers and more. For anyone on grounds today to enjoy the city’s first snowfall of the season, our film screening will feature Union Pacific (1939) in Ross Hall.

Don’t forget, there are still eight Bar Car Nights left this season! Last weekend’s kick-off was a great success, so get your tickets now before they sell out.

Head below for Saturday and Sunday’s schedule of film screenings, along with the rest of the weekend’s programming schedule.

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Poinsettias: To Keep or Not to Keep

Posted in Horticulture on November 26 2014, by Sonia Uyterhoeven

Sonia Uyterhoeven is NYBG‘s Gardener for Public Education.

 

Poinsettia
Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)

They are ubiquitous during the holiday season—and for good reason. Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are affordable, colorful plants with an enormous amount of festive appeal. But, contrary to popular opinion, the flowers are actually minuscule. The beauty of the poinsettia comes from its large, colorful red bracts.

Poinsettias come not only in the traditional yuletide red, but in a selection of cream-colored and rosy pink varieties as well. Whatever your tastes, they adorn many public spaces and homes during the holiday season.

I wince when I see people walking down the street with an open poinsettia in hand, fully exposed to the elements. Do your part to be an informed shopper and insist that the florist or retail store you purchase your poinsettia from wraps the plant before you leave with it. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate affair—it can be as little as temporarily covering the plant with a shopping bag. You must remember that you’re dealing with a tropical plant, and it can’t handle our area’s cool temperatures.

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Passing It On: Food Growing Projects in Bronx Communities

Posted in Learning Experiences on November 25 2014, by Ursula Chanse

Ursula Chanse is the Director of Bronx Green-Up and Community Horticulture and Project Director for NYC Compost Project, hosted by The New York Botanical Garden. For more information about these programs and upcoming workshops and events, visit Bronx Green-Up.

Bronx Green Up PS 207 community gardenAs the season comes to a close, vegetable gardens are put to bed and leaves raked up, Bronx Green-Up’s (BGU) Grow More Vegetables Certificate students have been finishing their volunteer hours and final projects throughout the Bronx.

Our Grow More Vegetables Certificate Series (GMV), taught by BGU’s Sara Katz, is an edible gardening course designed to equip community gardeners, teachers, and residents with the best organic techniques for growing vegetables safely and effectively. The program consists of six classes plus volunteer work at Bronx community sites where students can practice the techniques they have learned. As part of the course students design their own urban vegetable gardening project, which has two main goals: to grow more food and to pass on what students have learned to others in their community.

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This Weekend: Ring in the Season with Bar Car Nights

Posted in Programs and Events on November 21 2014, by Lansing Moore

Photo: Victor Chu
Photo: Victor Chu

Tonight is the first of ten special Bar Car Nights at the Garden. The Holiday Train Show provides the backdrop for these special evenings, with the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory aglow with festive lights and a number of stations around the Garden, from live music to delicious food. Sip on a complimentary cocktail as you admire the glittering miniature city and enjoy the magical atmosphere. Tonight’s inaugural Bar Car Night is also the first event of our new LGBT@NYBG campaign. Tickets are still available for tonight’s event geared towards the LGBT community, as well as for tomorrow’s Bar Car Night. However, tickets for the most popular dates and events do sell out quickly!

As the Holiday Train Show® continues to delight visitors of all ages in its 23rd year, the latest Garden News provides an overview of what you can expect to find this year. View the video below, and click through for the full schedule of programs for this weekend.

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Morning Eye Candy: Bright Lights, Little City

Posted in Photography on November 21 2014, by Lansing Moore

Here’s a sneak preview of what awaits tonight’s guests for our first Bar Car Night of the season. Tonight is also the kick-off of our new LGBT@NYBG event series, and we cannot wait to welcome everyone to come enjoy the Holiday Train Show® by night. Tickets are still available for all ten Bar Car Nights, including tonight and tomorrow, so come celebrate with us!

Holiday Train Show bar Car Nights New York Botanical Garden Enid Haupt ConservatoryIn the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen