Inside The New York Botanical Garden
Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on July 30 2012, by Matt Newman
There’s so much going on behind the curtain of the as-yet-unopened Native Plant Garden, and yet, here and there, the patchwork of developing biomes already lays down a wide-open, peaceful vibe.
Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on July 29 2012, by Matt Newman
Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on July 28 2012, by Matt Newman
A little late for Easter? Not really! The Easter lily’s off-kilter blooming periods makes this Japanese native a fragrant option for gardens in mid-summer.
Lilium longiflorum ‘Snow Queen’ — Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Around the Garden, Programs and Events on July 27 2012, by Matt Newman
Is it too early to plan for your child’s critically acclaimed gallery showings? Maybe not! Because sometimes inspiration just needs a little coaxing. Join the NYBG on Saturday, July 28, as we host MasterCard® “Priceless Budding Masters” in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, guiding each young artist through a hands-on exploration of the links between nature and their own boundless creativity.
Just as Claude Monet looked to his garden to find his muse, kids will enjoy the opportunity to indulge inspiration through the plants and flowers around them, channeling what they see, smell, and touch into masterpieces of their own. Once finished, each young Impressionist’s painting will be photographed for our online gallery–or even hang in the Budding Masters Gallery if your child chooses. That’s a long way from sticking it on the kitchen fridge. So be sure to sign up today, as remaining spots are sure to disappear quickly!
Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on July 27 2012, by Matt Newman
“For my voice — I have lost it with hollaing, and singing of anthems.” — Falstaff, Henry IV, Part 2
Posted in Learning Experiences on July 26 2012, by Matt Newman
As the community outreach arm of The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx Green-Up is invested in the future of our Bronx neighborhoods, providing horticultural advice, technical assistance, and training to the growing urban gardening movement here in the borough. It’s this very program that earned the NYBG the prestigious National Medal for Museum and Library Service in 2010, as given by first lady Michelle Obama. Through workshops and certificate programs, as well as harvest festivals, BGU is still building on that honor, working tirelessly to bring community gardeners together through the sharing of information. And so far, it’s working. Just ask the newly-minted gardeners of the A.C.T.I.O.N. group!
It stands for Activists Coming to Inform Our Neighborhood, and it’s an apt description for an outfit looking to identify and tackle environmental and social justice concerns at home. After four dedicated seasons of tutelage under our BGU horticulturists, these 21 teens returned to their south Bronx neighborhood with useful new tools in hand, ready to paint Hunts Point green. They did it not only through classroom learning, but hands-on activities in the soil, learning the ins and outs of a food system under increased scrutiny in areas such as the Bronx. Now they’re able to look past the supermarket produce aisle, turning to shovels, wheelbarrows, and plenty of elbow grease to tackle the issues in their own garden plots–from seed to harvest.
Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on July 26 2012, by Matt Newman
Were we to hold a seasonal award ceremony for the Garden’s regulars, our brightest stars, the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden would handily win the summer crown. This year, that holds especially well. It’s the home of not only our most deliciously practical plantings, but the site of Mario Batali’s Kitchen Gardens and our Whole Foods Market seasonal tastings. It is, without doubt, a must-see stop for our visitors, with big plans in the works for the future of this one-acre cornucopia.
Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in People on July 25 2012, by Matt Newman
The New York Botanical Garden is home to some of the planet’s most talented, accomplished, and prolific botanical scientists. It’s a serious point of pride around here! But we still feel a spark of gratification whenever our staff members earn recognition outside the gates, from a global community of scientists that understands the significance of their contributions. And of the many botanists to receive accolades, especially deserving are Drs. Patricia and Noel Holmgren, 2012’s recipients of the prestigious Asa Gray Award for lifetime achievement in their field.
It’s a special few that can measure out their dedication to this institution in decades. Fewer still who’ve done it all in tandem with their spouse. But for Patricia and Noel, who spent a combined 68 years with the NYBG, this award from the American Society of Plant Taxonomists is something of a highlight for two celebrated careers. The recognition comes in light of the Holmgrens’ work with the Index Herbariorum, an NYBG-based index of the world’s nearly 3,400 herbaria and 10,000 associated curators. First printed in 1952, this internationally-recognized collection has since come under the Holmgrens’ stewardship, now maintained by the pair in both current print editions and a comprehensive digital database.
Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on July 25 2012, by Matt Newman
Walking into work through the Mosholu Gate, I always pass a riot of color thanks to these planters. Sonia Uyterhoeven‘s recently put together a piece on the varieties that went into these Mosholu Gate presentations, as well as those at the Bedford entrance. Highly suggested for home gardeners looking for pointers on matching plants.
Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on July 24 2012, by Matt Newman
Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen