Plant Talk

Inside The New York Botanical Garden

What’s Beautiful Now: Fallen Fall

Posted in What's Beautiful Now on November 22 2019, by Matt Newman

Fallen leaves are no less beautiful. As this season of transition continues, don’t forget to look down as well as up—you might catch the bright yellows (like these Ginkgo leaves), reds, and oranges of the recent forest splendor still carrying on toward winter.

Photo of Ginkgo leaves on the ground

The Holiday Train Show Returns!

Posted in Holiday Train Show on November 22 2019, by Matt Newman

It’s almost here—the Holiday Train Show opens tomorrow! Hear from Laura Busse Dolan, President of Applied Imagination, giving you a sneak peek into what’s new this year from their workshop, including Central Park’s iconic landscape and architecture and all-new train track layouts. It’s all presented in an immersive indoor winter wonderland.

What’s Beautiful Now: Needles & Scales

Posted in What's Beautiful Now on November 15 2019, by Matt Newman

Shift your focus to the conifers. As we make our way through fall, the vibrant red and orange leaves falling from the deciduous trees give way to the rich, deep hues of the evergreens. Some of them, like Cupressus nootkatensis ‘Sparkling Arrow’, show fascinating variegated (the white scales lack chlorophyll) foliage, while the needles on Pinus strobus ‘Contorta’ take on unique, swirling forms you might not expect.

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THRIVE Brings Veterans Into the Garden

Posted in Learning Experiences on November 11 2019, by Matt Newman

In honor of Veterans Day we’re pleased to announce the THRIVE program, an initiative that commemorates NYBG’s long history working with service members—dating back to World War I when we first invited returning veterans into the Garden for rehabilitation and learning new skills. Hear from Carrie Rebora Barratt, CEO and The William C. Steere Sr. President of The New York Botanical Garden, and discover how we’re continuing that legacy in collaboration with the James J. Peters Veterans Administration Medical Center in the Bronx.

What’s Beautiful Now: Perennial Muse

Posted in What's Beautiful Now on November 7 2019, by Matt Newman

This is a fall essential. In the Perennial Garden, the season is distilled down to its floral essence, with cardoons, flowering sage, and asters everywhere you look. Spend a few moments on a bench amid this collection and you’ll understand why it’s such a hotspot for plein-air artists.

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Ingrid Carozzi Teaches Sustainable Floral Design

Posted in Adult Education on November 5 2019, by Sarah Straub

Can floral design be more sustainable? The founder of Tin Can Studios, Ingrid Carozzi—whose long list of corporate and A-list clients includes Anna Wintour, John Legend, and Rachel Ray—is sure of it. And we’re so grateful that she visited NYBG to show our Adult Education Floral Design students how!

On October 22, Ingrid led the Art of Sustainability workshop, in which students fashioned a site-specific installation in NYBG’s Visitor Center using a lush and colorful combination of roses, dahlias, maple leaves, lilies, and hydrangeas. They explored ways to skip the usual floral foam and embrace eco-friendly materials such as watermelon, a fantastic alternative to keep flowers hydrated and in place when creating large-scale installations.

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Have a look at what came of this fun and exciting workshop, and check out upcoming courses in other innovative floral design techniques.

What’s Beautiful Now: Chorus & Color

Posted in What's Beautiful Now on October 31 2019, by Matt Newman

When it comes to fall beauty this week, our trees are the showstealers. Reds, yellows, and oranges peek out from every vantage point, allowing you to immerse yourself in the season as you traverse the trails of the Forest and beyond. And with this weekend’s Chorus of the Forest by Angélica Negrón set to premiere among this unparalleled color, now is the time to get to NYBG.

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The Tying of the ‘Ozukuri’ Kiku

Posted in What's Beautiful Now on October 25 2019, by Matt Newman

Kiku is back—starting today.

The ‘Ozukuri’ style of kiku is the apex of this Japanese craft, transforming a single-stemmed chrysanthemum into a mountain of individually trained flowers that truly justifies the translation of its name: “Thousand Bloom.” See how our expert horticulturists spend 11 months each year creating this living spectacle.

Break Out Your Bike for the Tour de Bronx

Posted in Around the Garden on October 23 2019, by Matt Newman

Photo of a bike in fallUpdate: Due to inclement weather predicted for Sunday, the Tour de Bronx has been cancelled.

With the fall chill entering the air, that’s your signal to break out your bike—the Tour de Bronx is back this Sunday, October 27, and everyone’s welcome to register.

Each year, we’re proud to participate in the Tour, a beloved borough bicycle event with both 25- and 40-mile routes that takes riders on a scenic trip through much of the Bronx, with different highlights for each route. Established in 1994 by the office of the Bronx Borough President and The Bronx Tourism Council, the event has grown year on year to become the largest free cycling event in New York State—and each year it ends right here at NYBG.

Picking the 25-mile route takes you through the south, east, and mid portions of the borough, including the Mott Haven district, Clason Point along the East River, and Pelham Bay Park, a green NYC gem with 3,000 acres of forest. On the 40-mile route, you’ll pass historic Fort Schuyler on the Throggs Neck Peninsula, visit City Island’s maritime community, and hit the northern areas of the borough like Woodlawn and Riverdale.

Both paths ultimately bring you here to the Garden, the long-time finish line for the tour where you’ll celebrate your ride with treats, live music, mingling with your fellow riders, and a free T-shirt to remember your accomplishment. We’ll also be giving away tickets to the premiere of the Chorus for the Forest by Angélica Negrón, November 2 & 3 here in our Thain Forest.

It all happens this Sunday, October 27, and there’s still time to register. Head through for more information and we’ll see you on the road!

Palm Dome Restoration: Fall Update

Posted in Video on October 23 2019, by Matt Newman

The Haupt Conservatory houses living collections, from soaring tropical palms to unique desert cacti—and it’s also a living machine, with systems and processes to keep these plants thriving. Check out today’s story to see how we’re restoring its iconic palm dome to ensure this complex and beautiful structure continues to protect our important plants from around the world.

During the palm dome restoration, most of the Conservatory remains open for you to explore.