Inside The New York Botanical Garden
Matt Newman
Posted in Around the Garden, Science on January 17 2013, by Matt Newman
Winter is … well, a weird time of year. We tromp around in oversized boots, brandishing umbrellas that hardly seem useful. The trees all stand–if a touch awkwardly–in stark and naked relief, while phases of matter bounce at whim between liquid and solid. As a gardener, it’s hard to be optimistic. Sure, there’s the arrival of seed catalogs to look forward to, and bulbs to be forced indoors, but repeated trips to the backyard to peek at the soil rarely prove fruitful … most of the time.
Patience, an early rising, and a northerly location can prove that there’s beauty to be found in nature’s colder months, assuming you know where to look, because when the conditions are just right, at the edge of sunrise, frost flowers glitter.
I’m not referring to snowdrops, elegant as they are in late winter and early spring. “Frost flower” is more of a literal term. And when you see the leaves, vines, and gossamer threads formed through this unique interaction between plant and atmosphere, you’ll rightly understand how they came to earn this nickname.
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Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on January 17 2013, by Matt Newman
Whether it grabs you as reminiscent of a whispy starfish or a snarl of streamers, this wine-hued curiosity is worth a second look. You won’t catch Herrania balaensis growing beyond the borders of Ecuador, and even there it’s a rarity.
Herrania balaensis var. pouess — Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Programs and Events on January 16 2013, by Matt Newman
Our Holiday Train Show may be packed away for another year, but thanks to the thoughtful cast of All Aboard with Thomas and Friends™, kids who haven’t had the opportunity to chug along with Thomas and his companion, Driver Sam, will now have almost the entire month of January to take part. That’s from now until January 27, at varying times in the NYBG‘s Ross Hall. And to make these family memories last, know that this is no simple puppet show–the cast will need your kids’ help in guiding the wayward Thomas all the way to Brendam Docks, with crowd interaction, singalongs, and more.
Just keep in mind that our shows are incredibly popular this time of year, so you’ll definitely want to take a moment and register for your tickets sooner, rather than later. Even with several shows per day (up to five on Saturdays and Sundays), we’re still filling seats at a record pace!
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Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on January 16 2013, by Matt Newman
The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory — Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on January 15 2013, by Matt Newman
A dainty future star, waiting for its exhibition to come around in the Nolen Greenhouses for Living Collections.
Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on January 14 2013, by Matt Newman
Green on green is nothing special in the plant world, at least up until you find a flower of such description. At that moment, things sway into the realm of magical. It all begins March 3rd–mark your calendars!
Paph. venustum — Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on January 13 2013, by Matt Newman
Today marks the last day of 2012’s Holiday Train Show, and while it’s bittersweet to see the trains leave station for the last time until next winter, we’re happy to have given so many thousands of people a few holiday memories to tuck away. Until next season!
Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on January 12 2013, by Matt Newman
To prove that even succulents can boast the brightest colors, Echeveria is always willing to step up to bat. You might even catch a few flaunting their stuff in the arid landscape houses of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.
Echeveria leucotricha — Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Around the Garden on January 11 2013, by Matt Newman
The ornaments have been shuffled into the attic and you’ve wrapped your holiday lights into an “unknottable” ball (we’ll see what the garage has to say about that in eleven months). For most, the holidays are done with. But while work and school are back in full swing, the celebration continues here at the NYBG. Our lights are still twinkling, our conifers still decked to the nines in seasonal flash–you’ll hear at least a few quiet Christmas classics humming in the Conservatory. Sadly, at some point, we do have to pack it in for another year (coming exhibitions need the space to sprawl). This weekend, we say goodbye to the Holiday Train Show of 2012.
Of course, thousands of people have already taken advantage of the stretched holiday schedule at the Garden, and there are still a couple of days for you to do so! We’ll be running our normal Conservatory schedule throughout Saturday and Sunday, with one last Train Show tour on Saturday at 2:30. You’ll also catch Thomas & Friends™ continuing throughout the weekend (though we hope you bought your tickets already, most shows are sold out). That event happens to keep the pace until January 27, so even if you can’t make it this time, there are still plenty of opportunities waiting for you.
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Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on January 11 2013, by Matt Newman
It’s 40 degrees and, for now, we can see the sun, but we’re still ringing in the weekend with snowflakes. Happy Friday, everybody!
Exostema lineatum — Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
