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Plant Talk

Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Ann Rafalko

Naturally Beautiful: Garden-to-Dressing-Table Skincare

Posted in Learning Experiences on July 13 2011, by Ann Rafalko

Calendula officinalis 'Radio'
Calendula officinalis, a flower popular in herbal skin preperations. (Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)

Did you catch that story in the New York Times last week about the “modern apothecary?” Did you think to yourself, “That’s all well and good, but what I’d really like to do is learn to make my own skincare?” And why shouldn’t you? You grow your own organic vegetables, cook them with carefully selected ingredients from locally sourced purveyors, you take your vitamins, drink herbal tisanes, and do yoga; you take special care of your inside, so why shouldn’t you take special care of the outside, too? And what could be more natural, or more local, than skincare you make yourself, from ingredients you grow yourself? Forget “farm-to-table!” You’re all about “garden-to-dressing-table!” But where to start?

On Tuesday, July 26, the Garden’s Adult Education department will be hosting a workshop at our beautiful Midtown Center, Herbal Spa Workshop: A Natural Approach to Beautiful Skin, from 6:15-8:15 p.m. The class, taught by herbalist Ursula Basch, will teach you how to use natural products to make herbal clay masks, moisturizers, lip balms, skin toners, foot scrubs, and more. You will also design your own essential oil blend and have the opportunity to sample various products, including the herbal clay mask, so dress appropriately! The class is $61 for Members, $65 for non-Members. The price includes a $20 materials fee.

So grab a girlfriend and learn about the next big trend in locavorism! The Midtown Center is located just two blocks away from Bryant Park, so after your evening of pampering, you can make an evening of it, and head over to the park and listen to live jazz under the stars (see listing for July 26).

NYBG-IGPOTY June Winners: The IGPOTY Co-Founder’s Perspective

Posted in Photography on July 12 2011, by Ann Rafalko

We asked Philip Smith, professional photographer and co-founder and Managing Director of the International Garden Photographer of the Year contest for his thoughts on our first NYBG-IGPOTY monthly photo contest winners. Here’s what Philip had to say.

Butterflies take a lot of patience and you have to get through a lot of shots before the right one appears in the viewfinder. The winning shot is a great example of the way photography is really about light and about ‘chasing the light’. To achieve the vision of light filtered through a butterfly’s wing is a testament not only to patience but also to Heather Lang’s skill.

Butterfly by Heather Lang
Butterfly by Heather Lang

The second placed shot by Patricia Gonzalez is actually my favourite–but then I am always attracted by humour and fun in images. This is a beautifully seen composition with the two photographers working visually in opposite directions. The foreshortening of the long lens makes them look as if they are close together, blissfully unaware of each other. This is a picture about passion and enjoyment–exactly what the category ‘Breathing Spaces’ in International Garden Photographer of the Year is all about. Patricia must have waited carefully for the exact moment when both photographers were looking through the viewfinder to create that sense of symmetry–very clever.

In the Rose Garden by Patricia Gonzalez
In the Rose Garden by Patricia Gonzalez

Can you get more photogenic than a lotus flower? The soft light falling on this bloom is exquisite. I think I might have wanted to shift position a bit to simplify the composition to exclude the foliage and maybe tell us a bit more about its context in NYBG, but there is a lot of atmosphere in this shot.

Lotus by Elizabeth Mueller
Lotus by Elizabeth Mueller

Thank you Philip! July isn’t even half over yet, plenty of time left to enter this month’s contest. The theme is “American Beauty.” Simply join the NYBG Group Pool on Flickr, and then tag your photo with nybgigpoty2. That’s it! At the end of the month we’ll convene a panel of photography experts and report back with the winners. Good luck, and keep snapping!

Weekend Home Gardening Demos

Posted in Programs and Events on July 8 2011, by Ann Rafalko

Sonia UyterhoevenIf you come to the Garden to glean inspiration for your own home garden, then why not plan your trip around our highly informative weekend gardening demonstrations, aimed solely at the home gardener? Sonia Uyterhoeven, Gardener for Public Education, and author of Plant Talk’s weekly gardening tips blog posts, leads these informative discussions.

Here’s a look at the demos we have planned for the rest of the summer.

July 9 and 10 at 1:30 p.m.
What’s at Stake?
In the Home Gardening Center
Learn about important summer chores such as staking perennials, an effort that pays dividends in the fall.

July 16 and 17 at 1:30 p.m.
The Tao of Wet and Dry
In the Home Gardening Center
The right plant in the right place is part of the natural order of any garden. Discuss the yin and yang of the gardening world—ideal plants for wet and dry sites.

July 23 and 24, 1:30 p.m.
Water Gardens: Waterlilies and the Alhambra
Meet at the entrance of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Walk through the exhibition Spanish Paradise: Gardens of the Alhambra to explore the design and plant choices at this monumental treasure where water features are highly regarded. Learn about the incomparable waterlilies and lotus in the Botanical Garden’s Conservatory Courtyards.

July 30 and 31 at 1:30 p.m.
Fabulous Floral Forms
In the Home Gardening Center
Explore effective color combinations and the intricacies of floral forms. Learn tips and techniques for cutting and arranging flowers.

August 6 and 7 at 1:30 p.m.
Butterfly Bonanza
In the Home Gardening Center
Learn how to create colorful habitats that will attract butterflies. Find out which plants will entice these magnificent creatures into your garden.

August 13 and 14 at 1:30 p.m.
Vegging Out in Style
In the Home Gardening Center
August is the time when much of your hard work in the vegetable garden comes to fruition. Enjoy the rewards of the season now while continuing to tend the garden.

August 20 and 21, 1:30 p.m.
The Alhambra in Retrospect
Meet at the entrance of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Discuss Islamic gardens on a walk through the exhibition Spanish Paradise: Gardens of the Alhambra during its final weekend, while exploring the design and plant choices at this influential treasure.

August 27 and 28 at 2 p.m.
Grow Your Greens
In the Home Gardening Center
While you are busy harvesting tomatoes, remember that it is not too late to plant fast fall crops such as lettuces and Asian greens. Spend an afternoon in the vegetable garden planning the last push for the season.

Introducing a New Video Series: Plant Talk with Kristin

Posted in Video on July 8 2011, by Ann Rafalko

Welcome to our new video series: Plant Talk with Kristin. Who’s Kristin? Kristin Schleiter is the Garden’s Curator of Outdoor Gardens and Herbaceous Collections. What does that mean? It means that Kristin knows plants: The best plants for shade, the best plants for color, the best plants for four-season interest. In this new series, Kristin will be sharing all that knowledge with you, so that you can make your garden a more beautiful, sustainable, and easy-to-care for place!

Kristin’s first show is all about shade plants. So take a look, and let us know what you think! We’d love to know which topics you would like to see Kristin tackle in the future. Leave a comment with your thoughts below.