Inside The New York Botanical Garden
Posted in Photography on November 2 2011, by Ann Rafalko
Our dedicated horticulture staff are busy readying the Thain Family Forest for the first of two consecutive weekend festivals celebrating the dedication of this historic old-growth forest. It’s better than ever (despite a few bumps along the way), and we hope you will join us in learning about this unique and important New York City treasure.
The Forest After the Storm (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)
Posted in Gardening Tips on November 1 2011, by Sonia Uyterhoeven
For the past two weekends, The New York Botanical Garden has been abuzz with the return of the giant pumpkins. We had four mega pumpkins shipped in from different parts of the U.S. and Canada. Their weight ranged from 1,693 to 1,818.5 lbs. With colors ranging from a cheerful orange hue to pale orange, green, and silver gray, it made for a fascinating variety of size and color.
They were all reclining on multiple bales of hay like Ingres’s Odalisque in a somewhat regal and enticing fashion, surrounded by a harem of smaller heirloom pumpkins and gourds.
Before the exhibition opened, I arrived early one morning to see the pumpkin aficionados carve an opening in the back of the pumpkin and carefully remove all the seeds. De-seeding the pumpkins is an integral part of the process. Not surprisingly, the seeds are jumbo sized, just like their parents. Seeds of these record-sized pumpkins go to an auction where they are generally sold for $300 a seed. Just last year one of the seeds sold for $1,600.
Posted in Photography on November 1 2011, by Ann Rafalko
Fall Foliage on Twin Lakes (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)
Posted in Around the Garden on October 31 2011, by Ann Rafalko
Approximately 15% of the 15,000 trees in the Garden’s Thain Family Forest have sustained at least some damage.
Many of the historic trees in the Garden’s beautiful magnolia collection have been damaged, even destroyed.
In the new Azalea Garden huge branches fell on new plantings and an ancient tree was lost.
The entire 250-acres of the Garden is littered with branches and tree limbs.
Our initial assessment shows that thousands of trees have been damaged and many destroyed. A complete appraisal will take weeks as much of the damage is high in the canopies of trees 100 feet tall or more.
Posted in Around the Garden on October 31 2011, by Ann Rafalko
This weekend’s historic storm caused a large amount of severe damage to the Garden’s vast collection of trees and celebrated woodlands.
Our crews are hard at work cleaning up the damage and working to save every tree they can. Simultaneously, we are busy getting ready for the beloved seasonal tradition of the Holiday Train Show. We hope that we will see you soon under the glittering dome of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.
Posted in Photography on October 31 2011, by Ann Rafalko
Trick? Or treat?
Great-Horned Owl in the Thain Family Forest (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)
Posted in Photography on October 30 2011, by Ann Rafalko
A different perspective on the Stone Mill.
Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Photography on October 29 2011, by Ann Rafalko
Fall Flowers of Japan closes Sunday! See it while you still can.
Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Photography on October 28 2011, by Ann Rafalko
Fall is a gorgeous time to take pictures at The New York Botanical Garden. In the Thain Family Forest, the trees are slowly but surely changing colors. Through this weekend, the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory is full of mesmerizing, gargantuan kiku. Pumpkins galore adorn the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. And everywhere you turn, our feathery, fuzzy, and furry friends are scurrying about getting ready for the impending winter. There’s beauty at every turn, and by entering your photos of the Garden into the International Garden Photographer of the Year contest, you could even earn some global acclaim for your shots!
The fifth-annual competition of the International Garden Photographer of the Year contest closes to entries on November 30, 2011. The entry fee is 10£ or around $16, but if one of your photographs wins, you could make that fee back in spades. The grand prize award is around $8,000!
Posted in Around the Garden on October 28 2011, by Ann Rafalko
Join Debbie Becker on one of her weekly bird walks this Saturday, and you just might see more sweet little phoebes at the Garden.
Northern Phoebe on Twin Lakes (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)