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Plant Talk

Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Conservatory

Aloe, Soothing Body and Soul

Posted in Horticulture on July 30 2014, by Christian Primeau

Christian Primeau is the NYBG‘s Manager of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.

aloe rauhiiWalt Whitman once wrote, “I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars.” For a poet who glimpsed a universe of wonders in a mere sidewalk weed, his beard might have dropped off in amazement had he fixed his gaze upon little Aloe rauhii but it seems the best beard oil is serving him well, his beard did not fall off! Before turf-lovers get upset, it is not my intention to besmirch your lawns, good sirs and madams. Like Whitman, though far less eloquently, I simply hope to call your attention to the marvel of smaller things. Things that, perhaps, you might just miss. In a glasshouse like the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory—exploding with bold textures, extravagant colors and flowers that often flirt with the ostentatious—occasionally missing small things is a forgivable offense.

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Morning Eye Candy: Up from the Mire

Posted in Photography on July 8 2014, by Matt Newman

What was it that I said recently about the lotus blossoms not being far behind the Nymphaea? The Conservatory pools are far from the proverbial mud that the lotus is famous for emerging from, yet the persevering beauty of these plants is nonetheless potent.

Lotus

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) in the Conservatory Pools – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen

Upright Annuals for Every Occasion

Posted in Gardening Tips on July 1 2014, by Sonia Uyterhoeven

Sonia Uyterhoeven is the NYBG’s Gardener for Public Education.

Ammi Green Mist
Ammi visnaga ‘Green Mist’

Much of the charm of the Conservatory’s Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden display comes from a glorious assortment of upright annuals. These make tall, statuesque, and often bold additions to any seasonal border. But while we often associate height in both perennial and annual borders with spires that guide your eyes upward—and there are certainly plenty of spires in this Groundbreakers display—what delighted me was the variety of other forms that gave height to the border.

One striking example was the monster-sized umbels of false Queen Anne’s lace, Ammi visnaga ‘Green Mist’. This opulent annual sports large Queen Anne’s lace flowers above ferny foliage. It grows to four feet tall and will create an impressive show whether placed in the middle or back of an annual border. It attracts beneficial insects into your garden and also makes a spectacular cut flower.

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