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Plant Talk

Inside The New York Botanical Garden

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.

Saturday, November 22

Enid A. Haupt Conservatory Holiday Lights Bar Car Nights

Holiday Guides – 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
A part of the Holiday Train Show®
In the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
 Learn more about the exhibition and its model trains from our knowledgeable guides, who will show up-close samples of the plant parts used to make buildings, reveal behind-the-scenes images of the show’s installation, and share other special insights.

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.

Winter Wonderland Tree Tour – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Even in cold weather there’s plenty of interest in our gardens and collections. Meet at the Reflecting Pool and embark on an invigorating 45-minute walk to view the Garden’s stately conifer collection and old growth Forest amid the beauty of winter.

Native Plant Garden Tour – 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool in 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.

Bar Car Night – 7–10 p.m.
In the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
On these nights exclusively for adults 21 and over, the wintry landscape of NYBG sets the scene for festive and romantic outdoor adventures, with an after-dark viewing of the Holiday Train Show® as the centerpiece. Sip a complimentary cocktail as you journey through a series of station stops, including ice carving demonstrations under the starlight, festive treats like signature spiked hot cocoa and roasted chestnuts, an intimate jazz session in the warmth of the Pine Tree Café, and in the playful performances of Cirque de Light.
Non-Member $35/Member $25 (Adults 21 and over) Advance tickets recommended; includes one complimentary beer, wine, or cocktail of your choice. Although your ticket provides access to the entire event between 7–10 p.m., when purchasing tickets you will need to select an entrance time for the Holiday Train Show® in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.

Sunday, November 16

NYBG Winter Wonderland Christmas

Holiday Guides – 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
A part of the Holiday Train Show®
In the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Learn more about the exhibition and its model trains from our knowledgeable guides, who will show up-close samples of the plant parts used to make buildings, reveal behind-the-scenes images of the show’s installation, and share other special insights.

Forest Tour – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Experience the beauty of the Garden’s 50-acre Thain Family Forest on this one-hour walking tour with an expertly trained Guide. You’ll learn facts about the trees, history, geology, and ecology of this original, uncut woodland.

Holiday Landmarks Tour – 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Meet at the Reflecting Pool for a fascinating overview of the Garden’s history and its importance as a vital NYC cultural destination. With an expert guide, explore the Allée, the Fountain of Life, and the Mertz Library. Then stroll along the Poetry Walk ending at the beloved Holiday Train Show® exhibition in the Haupt Conservatory, the Garden’s preeminent NYC Landmark building.

Notable Tree Tour Tour – 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool in 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.

Ongoing Children’s Programs

Model Train Holiday Train Show NYBG

Evergreen Express
Saturdays – 10 a.m.–6:30 p.m.; Sundays – 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
A part of the Holiday Train Show®
In the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden
Hop aboard the Evergreen Express for lively activities in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, where each station stop offers something new to create or explore! Build your own train puppet with master puppeteer Ralph Lee, join a musical marching parade around the collection, and visit the William and Lynda Steere Discovery Center, where a hands-on workshop with cones, needles, and other winter plant parts helps you craft your own miniature balsam fir pillow.