Inside The New York Botanical Garden
Photography
Posted in Photography on February 7 2012, by Ann Rafalko
Rhythm, texture, and light captivated the photographers in the second week of our annual Caribbean Garden Photography Contest. There were considerably more entries this week, and the competition was fierce. And why shouldn’t it be? There’s $200 worth of NYBG Adult Education Gift Certificates up for grabs; $100 to each winner in our two categories–Macro and Sense of Place–good towards the class of your choosing at the Garden or at our Midtown Center.
So without further ado, our winners.
Sense of Place Winner, Week Two
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Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on February 7 2012, by Matt Newman

Loropetalum chinense f. rubrum ‘Zhuzhou Fuchsia’ — Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on February 6 2012, by Matt Newman
Snowdrops are springing up in abundance at the Perennial Garden, though you wouldn’t guess from their humble white petals that such an unassuming species is the subject of a newfound global obsession. “Galanthophiles” around the world are gearing up for snowdrop conventions that will draw thousands of fanciers from all corners this year. Maybe you’ll empathize with their enthusiasm.

Galanthus — Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on February 5 2012, by Matt Newman
Many a blossoming tree on Garden grounds originates in Asia, and each–at least to me–carries with it a familiar air of eastern aesthetic. I suppose we owe that to the centuries of botanical imagery recorded in the artistic traditions of places like Korea, China, and Japan. The Japanese apricot (also Chinese plum, or simply “plum blossom”) is something of an archetype.
In this case, beauty isn’t fleeting: there’s a plum blossom tree in China that’s still flowering after 1,600 years.

Prunus mume ‘Peggy Clarke’ — Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on February 4 2012, by Matt Newman
I meandered over to the Ladies’ Border during Wednesday’s weather (an April afternoon straight out of the bizarro dimension) to get a picture of these small but potent blooms. There was a squadron of honey bees taking advantage of the inflorescence while I was there. Hawks called overhead. It was all very picturesque. But airborne raptors and a fairytale setting do not a photo make. Ivo’s skill with a lens does the Amur Adonis proper justice.

Adonis amurensis — Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Around the Garden, Exhibitions, Photography on February 3 2012, by Matt Newman
I have this sneaking suspicion that the spaces under “Saturday” and “Sunday” are sitting blank in your planner right now. If you’re not dashing onto a plane to escape the return of chilly weather to New York, I’m going to make a solid suggestion: get your camera. You probably have one sitting on the shelf somewhere, pitifully neglected, waiting for the day you make the commitment to get out and start learning the craft.
If you haven’t etched your plans in stone, put a few bucks on your MetroCard and head to the Bronx with your Nikons, your Canons, your Fujis or whatever else you can come up with. We’re actually going to reward you for participating in our Caribbean Garden photography contest, not just with the chance to come back for a course or workshop of your choosing with our NYBG educators, but for tips and tricks provided by professional garden photographers this Sunday afternoon. You can’t keep making excuses! Because who knows? Wait too long and the steamroller of technological innovation just might make your camera format obsolete.
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Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on February 3 2012, by Matt Newman
Many of us here in the office have been taking the opportunity to venture out now and then and enjoy this nonsensical weather we’re having (you might have noticed our squawking about it on the Twitter feed yesterday). There’s a surreal quality to wandering the “winter” landscape, seeing Fordham students in their t-shirts and basking in what amounts to a mid-April afternoon.
For my first winter in the city, this isn’t so bad. Or did I just viciously jinx myself?

Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Around the Garden, From the Library, Photography on February 2 2012, by Matt Newman
Not long ago we introduced you to a new Plant Talk series we’re calling “Past in Focus,” in which we unearth historical photographs from the LuEsther T. Mertz Library archives and attempt to recapture the scenes as they appear today. A century-old landscape undergoes any number of changes at the hands of time, weather, and ambition, leaving us drawn in by details large and small that remain untouched. You can look at these photographs and–even if only just–make out the origins of the design beneath the carefully-tended aesthetic.
In 1916, the tract surrounding the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden was a plane of graded soil following an idea on paper:
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Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on February 2 2012, by Matt Newman
Also known as the Indian clock vine, brick and butter, and the lady’s slipper vine. I suppose the moniker is up to the imagination of the viewer.

Thunbergia mysorensis — Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Photography on February 1 2012, by Ann Rafalko
The first week of the Caribbean Garden Photography Contest was a well-fought match with many beautiful photographs entered. But that’s not all we’re here to tell you. We also would like to announce that the Grand Prize in each category–Sense of Place and Macro–will be receiving $100 Adult Education Gift Certificates good towards the class of your choosing at the Garden or at our Midtown Center. The certificate can be used for any class–not just photography! Now that’s a prize worth competing for.
Do you think you have what it takes? Check out this week’s winners! If you think you can do better, become a Friend of the Garden, get a code good for 50% off your Caribbean Garden tickets, and head to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory to start shooting!
Macro Winner, Week One
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