As part of #plantlove at NYBG, we’re talking with people from all over the Garden about what inspires their passion for plants. Today, meet Raquel Nazario, Associate Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer at The New York Botanical Garden.
My appreciation of plants began with my appreciation of the Robert Burns poem “A Red, Red Rose.”
O my Luve is like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve is like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune…..
I love the fact that plants, throughout our shared human cultures, are symbolic of expressions of love, life, remembrance, and appreciation.
I take a walk through the Garden grounds nearly every day, and find moments, unique to each season, that capture these feelings. Nature, in its resiliency, offers a reflection of life and a time to reflect on our triumphs and hardships. Having the opportunity in the middle of the workday to experience the wonderments of nature helps me reconnect with myself and allows me to take on the remains of the day with the renewed vigor that only plants and nature can give.
Your holiday plans are here! Get your tickets early for this year’s Holiday Train Show, featuring Central Park’s iconic landscape fashioned in mosses and hollies, and architectural treasures such as Belvedere Castle. View our sneak peek of the show here before it opens on November 23.
Together with our food service partner, Constellation, we are striving to bring a more eco-friendly and sustainable dining experience to NYBG, including the elimination of single-use plastic bottles at our Pine Tree Cafe. Watch here to learn more as #ClimateWeekNYC continues.
Which favorite fruits are ripening on your radar this week? From kousa dogwood berries alongside the Rose Garden, to blood oranges and dwarf pomegranates near the Home Gardening Center, we’re heading into fall with one last blast of fruity and festive color—in all its bright greens, pinks, and reds.
Hordes of gourds are coming! Starting this Saturday, explore a sea of pumpkins and more in all shapes and sizes, a host of silly scarecrows, and frightfully fun activities running into late October. The Spooky Pumpkin Garden is returning to NYBG—see what’s happening this fall.
What’s your favorite plant in this time of seasonal change? There are plenty of treasures to find at NYBG in this magical moment when summer transitions to fall. The beautiful, bombastic blooms of dahlias are a fan-favorite as the weather changes, and they’re unmissable in the Perennial Garden, while variegated sweetgum in the Liasson Narcissus Collection is a stunner with its patterned green leaves, waiting for cool weather to bring new color. And the fiery leaves of the Japanese maples hint at the new season in the Steinhardt Maple Collection.
What’s beautiful now? The Zulu Giant (Stapelia gigantea)! Its tremendous, fuzzy flowers open to reveal what’s certainly more of a stench than an aroma, attracting flies to pollinate it with the smell of rotten meat. Maybe it’s best to admire from afar.
As part of #plantlove at NYBG, we’re talking with people from all over the Garden about what inspires their passion for plants. Today, meet Leslie Coleman, Plant Information Specialist.
I planted my first garden while living in Central London, and gardens changed for me—from places of flowers and sunshine to spaces of expression and restoration. I went on to get my certificate in horticulture on the grounds of the extraordinary Chelsea Physic Garden. What a world opened before me as the deeper beauty of plants came into focus.
I am particularly attracted to the science of plants. The ability to understand, explain, and predict is always exciting. But I also love the mixture of order, mystery, hope, and artistry in horticulture, and I think that plants often bring out the best in people. As a Plant Information Specialist at NYBG, it is gratifying to support so many different journeys in the engrossing world of plants.
Summer may be winding down, but the Garden is still full of adventures and experiences that give you an opportunity to make the best of the warm weather this extended Labor Day Weekend. Take in the rich greenery of the season as you enjoy outdoor music and dance performances, tour our collections, dig into children’s gardening activities, and so much more. And don’t miss the final weeks of our largest botanical exhibition ever, Brazilian Modern: The Living Art of Roberto Burle Marx.
We’re heading into September, the final month of Brazilian Modern before we segue into the crisp, colorful fall schedule, and our winding outdoor display isn’t all you’ll find here. Head into the Library to experience Burle Marx’s boldly creative yet precise landscape designs; see his paintings, drawings, and textiles; and discover how his artistic process helped him define the forms and shapes of his gardens. Meanwhile, you’ll find the music and dance of Brazil on offer each weekend, thanks to a rotating lineup of performers.
In the Edible Academy, kids can get hands-on with their food thanks to cooking demonstrations with seasonal produce from our vegetable gardens. And the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden is just as much fun, offering drop-in nature exploration and planting activities that let them pot up their own philodendron to take home and care for.
Come tour the collections, revel in the summer sun, and enjoy the Garden during our holiday Monday opening this weekend!
As part of #plantlove at NYBG, we’re talking with people from all over the Garden about what inspires their passion for plants. Today, meet Anais Garcia, a Summer Youth Employment Program Intern with Bronx Green-Up and the NYC Compost Project at The New York Botanical Garden.
At a young age, I was exposed to plants while living with my grandmother. I may not have quite the green thumb she does, but I sure do like to have plants in my household—it just brings a calm aura to everything I do at home.
I’m glad I chose this internship because it opened my eyes to plants I wouldn’t normally see in my neighborhood. I have experienced the beauty of various community gardens and how they thrive, and not only did I get hands-on experience in these gardens, but I also obtained new job skills throughout my time in the program. Some of these skills included managing inventory, using various software in support of our initiatives, tabling at events, and much more.
One of many experiences I really enjoyed was building a garden bed at Morris Campus Educational Farm. It was fun working alongside the students as a team to build the bed from scratch. By the end of the program, I felt proud that I had taken part in this activity because it’s something most people my age haven’t experienced.
From meeting new plants to meeting new people, working with these two amazing teams—Bronx Green-Up and NYC Compost Project—has left me in awe of everything they do in the City. When I first met everyone, I realized that they are not only a team, but a family, always ready to make a big impact on this world.
