Inside The New York Botanical Garden

fall

Weekly Greenmarket Preview: Root of the Matter

Posted in Around the Garden on October 2 2012, by Matt Newman

Peach and raspberry pies, savoy cabbage, pear cider, pickled beets, Macintosh apples, parsnips and tomato juice! This is just a sampling of the fresh baked, picked, or pressed eats stacked high during last week’s Greenmarket cornucopia, and there’s sure to be more this Wednesday as we dig deeper into the fall harvest.

Believe it or not, the crowds have only grown since the thermometer started dipping. I guess you can’t underestimate the power of fresh fruits and vegetables to mobilize New Yorkers before the sleet and snow start falling, though the threat of pale, “cardboard” tomatoes on the horizon might also have something to do with it! So if your schedule is lax and your fruit bowl is looking a touch on the skinny side, scribble “Greenmarket” into the October 3 slot in your organizer, leave your produce bag by the door, and drop a couple bucks on your Metrocard for a stop in the Bronx.

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This Weekend: Stop and Smell Fall Roses

Posted in Around the Garden on September 28 2012, by Matt Newman

If you’re moping around your desk on this gray Friday with daydreams of dry shoes in your head, rest assured you’ve got a kindred spirit here at the NYBG. But if there’s any kind of karmic balance in the universe, this weekend should be the payoff, because forecasts are promising a mostly sunny Saturday and Sunday in the city with temperatures to make you think spring is throwing an encore.

In the Perennial and Rose Gardens, that spring sentiment has never been stronger. These spots are home to some of the Garden’s most vibrant fall blooms, as well as many of the last outdoor flowers you’ll see before winter sets in. You’ll want to shuffle your schedule book around to make room for our tours and demonstrations, where expert Tour Guides and Garden horticulturists–Sonia Uyterhoeven included–dish out tips and info on rose gardening, autumn chrysanthemums, and everything in between.

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Weekly Greenmarket Preview: Gourd Gracious!

Posted in Programs and Events on September 25 2012, by Matt Newman

Already hunting in vain for the tastes of summer–that last, sweet reminder of tan lines and getting the mail without boots on? While your friends tell you it’s masochism, you may have a few crumbs of luck left: last week’s Greenmarket bounty included a teasing stack of peach pies from The Little Bake Shop. And while there are no guarantees that we’ll see more stone fruit desserts on the tables tomorrow, it can’t hurt to take a look, right? In the meantime, what little remains of summer’s harvest now makes way for the rush of autumn edibles.

If waiting until Thanksgiving for your first dose of melons, gourds, and root vegetables sounds foolish to you (c’mon, it does), then you’ll want to make tomorrow your day out. We’re expecting to see piles of mellow Asian melons, decorative pumpkins, gourds in Seussian shapes and beans by the armful. On the starchy front, parsnips and potatoes are practically begging for a stew, and the beets and radishes aren’t far behind. You’ll even have a chance to bag up some apples and pears while you’re here.

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This October: Greenhorn Birders Welcome

Posted in Adult Education on September 24 2012, by Matt Newman

The New York Botanical Garden is, first and foremost, a world-renowned collection of flora. But you’d be hard-pressed to spend more than a few minutes walking under the boughs without recognizing the sing-song notes of our most gregarious residents. The birds of the Garden represent some of the most varied fauna in New York City, and not only are we a haven for passersby making the trip to cozier climates, but we’re further home to a menagerie of year-round species in all shapes and sizes.

It so happens that we get the best of both worlds in the fall. Migrating species gather up for the flight south while the locals buckle down for the coming winter, and Debbie Becker, binoculars in hand, is always there to see it; join her for our in-depth NYBG birdwatching course beginning in October and you’re sure to walk away with a new skill.

While the herons and egrets are soon to take flight for the season, and the hummingbirds already have their eyes on the clock, few realize how abundant the wildlife is here in the autumn. Thankfully, Becker has the roll call down pat. She’s been leading Saturday Bird Walks at the NYBG for over 25 years, making her one of the area’s foremost experts on NYC’s winged things. And while newcomers are always welcome to glean what they can from her weekend walks, motivated beginners won’t want to pass up Becker’s primer on birdwatching fundamentals.

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