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Plant Talk

Inside The New York Botanical Garden

This Weekend: Wild Medicine in the Tropics and our 2015 Photo Contest!

Posted in Programs and Events on January 23 2015, by Lansing Moore

Wild Medicine in the TropicsStarting tomorrow, visitors will enter the lush rain forest under glass at NYBG’s Enid A. Haupt Conservatory for Wild Medicine in the Tropics, an exhibition that explores the many medicinal plants in the Garden’s permanent collection. Enjoy the full experience with a guided tour, or at your own pace with NYBG’s award-winning app, Wild Medicine.

Saturday also marks the beginning of our Wild Medicine Photo Contest! Bring your camera to the Conservatory and take your best shot at capturing the many beautiful subjects within. The two categories are “Macro” (close-up) and “Sense of Place” (wide shot). Join our NYBG Flickr Group Pool to upload your contributions, and the weekly winners will be announced right here on Plant Talk. One winner in each category will be recognized each week—and for the Grand Prize at the end of the exhibition! The Grand Prize winners announced on Tuesday, February 24, will each be awarded a seat in the NYBG Adult Education photography class of their choice. Join fellow photography enthusiasts every weekend for Photography Tips & Tricks in the Tropics, led by one of NYBG’s photo experts. Check out the contest rules for complete details.

Experience NYBG through your own lens and share your vision with us! Read on for the full schedule of special tours and programs this weekend.

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Morning Eye Candy: Split Rock

Posted in Photography on January 21 2015, by Matt Newman

Divided by glacial movement ages and ages ago, Split Rock is one of the defining features of the Native Plant Garden. I’d say it was the collection’s beauty mark, but there are just too many of those in there to elect one.

Split Rock

Split Rock in the Native Plant Garden – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen

Houseplants 101

Posted in Gardening Tips on January 20 2015, by Sonia Uyterhoeven

Sonia Uyterhoeven is NYBG‘s Gardener for Public Education.

Phalaenopsis Monte Bianco IV
Phalaenopsis ‘Monte Bianco’

The weather has grown cold and we’re well into the season of staying indoors. During this time of year, I often look around my apartment at the few forlorn houseplants (I have horrible light) and wish that I could do more to “green up” my living space.

For the next two weeks, I will cover houseplant basics. As part of my preparation, I sat down with Mobee Weinstein, a Foreman at the Garden who has been working here for over 30 years. Mobee is an avid houseplant gardener. We discussed some of her favorite houseplants and the ones that she grows in her own home.

Houseplants are easy to grow as long as you are grounded in a basic understanding of three important factors: (1) the plants needs, (2) your particular home environment, and (3) your abilities as the guardian of these living creatures. Today we will cover the basics of what you need to know before you get started, focusing primarily on light and water.

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