Inside The New York Botanical Garden
Posted in Behind the Scenes, Exhibitions on September 29 2011, by Ann Rafalko
A dazzling display of kiku will join Fall Flowers of Japan in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory beginning October 5. Don’t miss these magnificent Japanese chrysanthemums trained to grow in a mesmerizing variety of shapes and styles. In anticipation, we’re taking an in-depth look at these fascinating flowers.
One plant, hundreds of flowers. Find out how it's done below.
Posted in Photography on September 29 2011, by Ann Rafalko
Fall Flowers of Japan isn’t just about kiku. It’s about Japanese anemone, too, in all their delicacy.
Japanese Anemones in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)
Posted in Behind the Scenes, Exhibitions on September 28 2011, by Ann Rafalko
Beginning October 5, Fall Flowers of Japan will feature a dazzling display of kiku in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory! Don’t miss these magnificent Japanese chrysanthemums trained to grow in a mesmerizing variety of shapes and styles. In anticipation, we’re taking an in-depth look at these fascinating flowers.
Posted in Gardening Tips on September 27 2011, by Sonia Uyterhoeven
Many people think of June as the month for roses. And while it’s true for many, here at The New York Botanical Garden we generally have two peak seasons for our roses. They first come into their glory in late-May, with both the repeat flowering roses and the one-time blooming old-fashioned types exploding with color and fragrance throughout June.
The repeat blooming roses take charge for the rest of the season; some of them flowering almost continuously, while others take a four to six week hiatus before re-flowering.
We expect a lot from the roses in the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden so we pamper them as much as possible. They are fed multiple times during the growing season with an organic rose fertilizer in April, again in late June immediately following flower, and one more time in early August. Compost tea is used as an additional foliar feed throughout the season.
Cow manure and Epsom salts are added to soil in the spring, and compost and worm castings are added later in the season to create a fertile growing environment. A loyal troop of volunteers come to the Garden every week, and under the careful supervision of the Rose Garden Curator, Peter Kukielski, they weed, deadhead, mulch, water, and fertilize the flowers in this beautiful, historical garden.
Posted in Photography on September 27 2011, by Ann Rafalko
A sun-drenched bluff overlooking the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden.
Posted in Around the Garden on September 26 2011, by Scott Mori
Manisha Sashital, a student in Environmental Engineering and Environmental Policy at Carnegie Mellon University, worked on a botanical glossary under the supervision of Dr. Mori at the Garden this summer. As part of her internship she prepared a cartoon illustrating the relationship between photosynthesis and respiration.
Scott A. Mori has been studying New World rain forest plants for The New York Botanical Garden for over 35 years. His interest in tropical forests as carbon sinks have been stimulated by his studies of trees in old growth tropical forests.
Global warming has become one of the planet’s deadliest threats. Since the Industrial Revolution, carbon dioxide concentrations have risen from 280 ppm to nearly 390 ppm, with the potential to reach 550 ppm by 2050 if carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion are not controlled. The earth has experienced major warming three times; but the Cretaceous warming period took place over millions of years and the Paleocene/Eocene warming happened over thousands of years. In contrast, today’s temperature changes are happening over decades. As a result, many species, perhaps even humans, may not be able to adapt to such rapid and high increases in temperature. One concern that is generally unknown to the public is that photosynthesis, the source of energy for nearly all organisms on the planet, shuts down at around 104° F. Mankind’s extreme disruption of the carbon cycle is causing and will continue to cause serious consequences for life on earth.
Carbon dioxide levels contribute to global warming through the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases trap radiation from the sun in the atmosphere, which causes global temperatures to rise because the radiation is not reflected back out of the atmosphere. The reason for today’s increased atmospheric carbon levels can be attributed to the combustion of fuels used for the production of electricity and in transportation, both of which are essential to modern societies; as well as to cutting and burning forests throughout the world. Since there is no precedent for the rapidity of current temperature increases, it is impossible for humans to predict which areas of the world will be affected and at what magnitude. The unpredictability of global warming makes it an especially serious environmental problem.
Rain forests as well as other vegetation types play an important role in reducing the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Annually, plants in tropical rain forests around the world take in millions of tons of carbon dioxide and release millions of tons of oxygen through photosynthesis, and this balances the respiration of microbes, plants, and animals, which take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. As seen in the accompanying cartoon, plants take in carbon dioxide and water and use the energy of the sun to create carbohydrates that are, in turn, oxidized to produce the energy needed for plants to sustain themselves. The carbohydrates are also the building blocks plants use to make leaves, stems, flowers, and fruits. Oxygen, the byproduct of respiration, is used by organisms to break down ingested carbohydrates to produce the energy needed for them to grow and reproduce. Mankind’s extreme disruption of the carbon cycle is and will continue to have serious consequences for life on earth.
Posted in Photography on September 26 2011, by Ann Rafalko
What is it about the sunlight in September that makes everything look so magical?
Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Mario Batali's Edible Garden on September 25 2011, by Ann Rafalko
From August 27 – September 25, families can explore Mario Batali’s Edible Garden in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden and enjoy daily gardening activities and cooking demonstrations showcasing kid-friendly recipes with the chance to sample and search for ingredients in the garden. We are posting the recipes from Mario Batali’s Edible Garden here on the NYBG blog, Plant Talk, so check back often.
Recipe courtesy of Mario Batali
This pasta is both healthy and showcases the bounty of the harvest. ‘Bright Lights’ chard is a favorite seasonal vegetable because of the incredible bold color of its stems: gold, pink, orange, and purple. They add a beautiful color to your garden and, in this case, to your plate.
Kosher salt
1 pound whole wheat rigatoni
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, halved and sliced 1/3-inch thick
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound Bright Lights chard, trimmed, stems and leaves sliced 1/4-inch thick
Dandelion greens, stemmed and chopped
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.
Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. When oil is hot, stir in onion and garlic slices. Add the ‘Bright Lights’ chard and dandelions into the best food processor and let it do the work. Season with salt. Cover and cook until chard and dandelions soften, about 5 minutes.
When water is boiling, add 2 tablespoons of salt and drop in pasta. Cook pasta until two minutes short of package cooking time for al dente.
Uncover chard and dandelions, stir and cook, for 8 or 9 minutes more, until the greens are very tender.
Drain the pasta, reserving about 2 cups pasta water. Drop the pasta into the sauté pan with the chard, along with a ladle of pasta cooking water. Toss thoroughly until the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is evenly coated, adding more pasta water if needed. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and season with fresh pepper.
Posted in Photography on September 25 2011, by Ann Rafalko
Pinus sylvestris. The approximate age and years of training of this the Moyogi Style (informal upright) bonsai are unknown. This beautiful bonsai was bequeathed to The New York Botanical Garden by Manny Dannett and re-styled and trained by Saeko Oshiro.
Pinus sylvestris (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)
Head below to learn more about how to see this beautiful bonsai.
Posted in Mario Batali's Edible Garden on September 24 2011, by Ann Rafalko
From August 27 – September 25, families can explore Mario Batali’s Edible Garden in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden and enjoy daily gardening activities and cooking demonstrations showcasing kid-friendly recipes with the chance to sample and search for ingredients in the garden. We are posting the recipes from Mario Batali’s Edible Garden here on the NYBG blog, Plant Talk, so check back often.
Dahlia Narvaez, Executive Pastry Chef, Osteria Mozza
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons orange zest, tightly packed
A (generous) pinch of rosemary leaves
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the wet ingredients in the well and combine the wet and dry ingredients until smooth. Stir in finely chopped rosemary leaves.
Pour batter into a greased 10-inch loaf pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.