Inside The New York Botanical Garden
Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on June 11 2013, by Matt Newman
You can never count out the Azalea Garden. Even when we’ve moved on to more recent blooms, there’s still the spark of color to be found in the rocks of this hilly collection. (Just don’t tell the flowers I’m more enamored with the crayon green Hakone grass right now.)
Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Around the Garden on February 20 2013, by Lisa Vargues
Lisa Vargues is a Curatorial Assistant with the NYBG’s Steere Herbarium.
As springtime quietly lingers around the corner, the 85th Academy Awards ceremony also draws near. While we wait for both the red carpet and springtime flowers to unfurl, this is an ideal opportunity to consider some garden-focused movies, as well as the connection between horticulture and film-making.
Have you ever found yourself watching films with a “botanical eye,” ogling the scenery; zeroing in on flowers in the set; or perhaps debating the name of a plant in a fleeting scene? Presumably, many garden enthusiasts have this inclination. Whether we are conscious of it or not, greenery (simple or grand-scale) is frequently an essential ingredient in shaping the atmosphere of film scenes.
Credit for the green on the silver screen often goes to the Greensman (a.k.a. the Greensperson), depending on the production arrangement. Working with the Art Department as a type of set dresser, this is the professional who typically locates, arranges, and maintains the necessary foliage and flowers (real and artificial), as well as other landscaping elements, for film sets. If a large amount of greenery is needed for a film, a greens team is utilized, as in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, which included a Greensmaster for its elaborate, naturalistic scenery.
Posted in Around the Garden on October 18 2012, by Matt Newman
So I took the plunge. I buckled down, clambered over my fear of commitment, and dove headfirst into a relationship that’s been a long time coming. My barren desktop was beginning to look a bit suspicious to my colleagues here in the Plant Talk office, so without further ado, I introduce you to the newest addition to our window sill and my first desk plant: the as-yet-unnamed Mahogany fern.
You’re not misreading that; I’ve been here at the NYBG for a sliver under a year, and it’s only now that I’m making the choice to green up my desk. But before you jump to judgment, finger waggles, and well-deserved “tsk tsks,” my procrastination was out of respect for the plant’s well-being. All plants’ well-being, really. I may work at a botanical garden, and I may know my way around a watering can when push comes to shove, but I’ve still got a black thumb to make industrial weed killer blush.
I made my “adoption” a little over a week ago. Ann and I shuffled out to the Shop in the Garden under a nagging drizzle to peruse the shelves, and the suggestion came up that I stop waffling and do something to make my desk look a little less like an Alcatraz broom closet. I couldn’t really disagree on that point; I subscribe to the idea of living light, and spartan decor is part and parcel to that mindset, but my workspace is an eyesore of austerity. So I hit the potted plant displays with the hope of finding something that could tough it out in the office and still muster enough hardiness to forgive my misguided efforts.
Posted in Gardening Tips on October 16 2012, by Sonia Uyterhoeven
Sonia Uyterhoeven is the NYBG‘s Gardener for Public Education, often hosting live gardening demonstrations for visitors on Saturdays and Sundays.
The other week, I was with the Students of Professional Horticulture, taking them on a walk around the Home Gardening Center while discussing wildlife gardening. Technically, any time of the year presents the opportunity to lecture about attracting wildlife into the garden, but fall is a spectacular occasion.
We passed by one of my favorite asters, Aster tartaricus ‘Jindai’, that was smothered with bees and butterflies–monarchs and red admirals on this occasion. ‘Jindai’ is a compact tartarian aster that reaches three to four feet in height (the species can grow up to six feet tall). It was discovered at the Jindai Botanical Garden in Tokyo, Japan.
This sturdy variety has stolen my heart since it doesn’t require any staking. The large foliage of the aster is full at the base of the plant and then tapers nicely as it extends up the stem. In September and October a profusion of flowers adorns these tall stems, a lovely combination of medium purple ray flowers with bright, buttery yellow disc flowers. The complementary colors play off of each other exquisitely.
Posted in Around the Garden on August 22 2012, by Matt Newman
Not all home gardens are focused on the artful arrangement of their perennial plantings, or the ways in which the borders complement the patio furniture. Instead, it’s sometimes best to let form follow function. And I’m not just talking about the Gordian knot of cucumber vines in your vegetable garden! Of all the green conceits you can put to work in your yard, one of the most casual and native gardens you can grow is the one that will draw the greatest attention from your neighbors–though admittedly neighbors of a feathered variety.
Attracting hummingbirds to your plot is more than a game of luck; now and then you need to be proactive. And when it comes to inviting wildlife to your garden, it can’t hurt to start with a proven lure.
There’s a fireworks show taking place in the NYBG‘s Azalea Garden this month, thanks to a single native plant known as Lobelia cardinalis, or the “cardinal flower.” This colorful perennial is native and common throughout much of North America, springing up in wetlands from Texas east to Florida, and north to New Brunswick in Canada. So if you live on the east coast, you’ve already checked off one important box on the list of the lobelia’s growing requirements. Easy, right? In the northeast in particular, having a collection of lobelias in your burgeoning hummingbird garden is a sure step to attracting the Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)–the only North American hummingbird to nest east of the Mississippi.
Posted in Photography, Programs and Events on August 20 2012, by Matt Newman
Not everyone has the patience–or the real estate–for large-scale gardening, some people just have enough for burnaby condos for sale and even with a smaller garden. Honestly, it’s probably not even on the radar for someone who can’t keep a pot of English ivy alive on an office desk. But if you happen to have a knack for beautifying nature through your lens, rather than your trowel, the garden can still prove itself a source of spirited inspiration! That’s why the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition takes place annually. With the prizes just announced for this year’s competition, now is the time to pack up your tripod and do some fieldwork.
With nearly $8000 in cash being awarded to the top winner of this year’s competition, and thousands of dollars up for the taking in the many individual categories of the contest, IGPOTY’s prestige among nature photographers is well-earned. And there’s an added perk for friends of the Garden: as the exclusive U.S. partner of the IGPOTY competition, The New York Botanical Garden is offering an additional purse of $1000 as part of the lead-up to our 2013 summer exhibition exploring the healthful benefits of the plant kingdom. Winning photos in the Wellness category will not only take home some of that cash, but also the opportunity to see their photographs hung in the Ross Gallery as a part of the long-running exhibition. Think of it as your stepping stone toward IGPOTY glory.
Posted in Exhibitions, Gardening Tips, Monet's Garden on May 15 2012, by Sonia Uyterhoeven
Sonia Uyterhoeven is the NYBG‘s Gardener for Public Education.
Monet’s garden was a living canvas. In this space he experimented with his love of color and form. His knowledge of color theory and his artist’s eye informed the choices he made in his garden design. In turn, they offer good suggestions for the homeowner who is about to embark on their own planting project.
Last week we mentioned how one of Monet’s prominent concerns was capturing light and atmosphere. His garden was no different from the scenes he painted on his canvas. The color sequences that he created in his garden echoed changes in light and weather that he observed in the space. He used his artist’s eye to accentuate these changes and enhance the atmospheric quality of the place.
Posted in Learning Experiences, People on November 4 2011, by Matt Newman
Transplants can be harrowing occasions, and not solely for the houseplants and conservatory wonders we love so well. It’s just as difficult to find yourself changing pots as a walking, talking outsider, a newcomer not only to the Garden, but the often overwhelming reality of New York City.
And this is exactly where I find myself as The New York Botanical Garden’s latest recruit.
The weather, the flora–they’re curious shocks to the system for a Florida boy. There are few evergreen copses where I’m from, and fewer rose gardens. Certainly the leaves don’t flush with shades of citrus and fire when fall makes its appearance. Rather, I’m more accustomed to hurricanes, swamp cypress and banana trees. And we don’t pull the stowed parkas from the crawlspace when October arrives, either; we’re more likely to say a silent “thank you” that the humidity will let up for a few months. Better yet, perhaps the mosquitoes will give it a rest.
Posted in Photography on May 5 2011, by Ann Rafalko
| Ann Rafalko is Director of Online Content. |
The New York Botanical Garden has officially signed on to be the exclusive U.S. partner of the International Garden Photographer of the Year contest (also known as IGPOTY). We couldn’t be more delighted! To celebrate our partnership, and our 120th anniversary, IGPOTY is even offering a special commendation for the best photograph taken here at the Garden. The winner will receive a free year’s Membership to NYBG.
For those new to IGPOTY, it is the world’s premier garden photography contest. The competition is a rolling program that follows the gardening year. The categories include: “Beautiful Gardens,” “Wildlife Havens,” “Breathing Spaces,” “Bountiful Earth,” “Trees Wood Forest,” “Fragile Landscapes,” and “Greening the City.” Entries for the sixth contest are now open, and must be received by November 30, 2011. Finalists will be announced in February 2012 and winners will be announced in April 2012.
Winners receive a monetary prize of £5,000 (approximately $8,000), are published in an annual book, and are displayed in a public exhibition at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and for the first time in the U.S. at The New York Botanical Garden. The fee for entering the competition, which covers the expense of mounting and touring the exhibition, is £10 (approximately $16) for four single images, or £25 (approximately $40) for a portfolio (a set of six themed images). The contest is open to all photographers, both professional and amateur. Photographers who are under 16 years old may enter for free. Learn more and register to submit photos here.
In addition, there are other categories and awards. Themed, seasonal competitions, collectively called “4Seasons,” run throughout the year, with upcoming deadlines for the those themed categories on May 31, August 31, and November 30. “Spirit of the American Garden” is a standalone award with a cash prize that can be entered into any category mentioned above. Other standalone prizes include “Best Image of Kew” and the “Best Image of The New York Botanical Garden” to commemorate the Garden’s 120th anniversary.
One of the truly great things about the IGPOTY contest (aside from the amazing recognition and monetary prize) is the ability to ask for a critique of the photos you enter into the contest from the panel of judges. It takes the judges some time to give this feedback, but according to my contact at IGPOTY, it is one of the most satisfying aspects of the contest for both entrant and judge alike.
In that pedagogical spirit and as an effort to help hone everyone’s skills, we will be hosting monthly themed contests on the NYBG Flickr Group Page. We’ll hold the first one in June. So in the meantime, we’re asking out shutterbug friends to head over to Flickr and to share the best picture they’ve ever taken at NYBG and to actively discuss the photos, what they love and where they see areas for improvement (but please play nicely). It’s fun to see what each person considers “best,” so please join in! To say that we’re thrilled by this amazing partnership would be an understatement. We hope you’re as excited as we are. Happy snapping everyone!
Posted in Programs and Events on March 15 2011, by Plant Talk
There’s another photography contest afoot … but not ours this time.
IGPOTY: The International Garden Photographer of the Year contest is getting set to announce their overall winner, which is a really big deal (the winner of the top prize for a single image receives £5,000 or more than $8,000). In the run-up to the big announcement, IGPOTY is posting the finalists in several categories including Plant Portraits, People in the Garden, and Garden Views. Commendations are also being given for finalists in the Portfolio Category, and to the YGPOTY (Young Garden Photographer of the Year). But it’s the two special awards: the Best Image of Kew (IGPOTY’s partner) and the Spirit of the American Garden that we’re really keen on. The photograph of Kew is simply stunning, and one of the finalists in the Spirit of the American Garden was shot just across the city at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden!
We think IGPOTY is a great contest, and that the quality of photographs is simply amazing! Entries are being accepted now for the fifth IGPOTY contest. There is a fee to enter, but the prizes and advice (all contestants are able to request professional feedback about their images after the end of the contest), the opportunity to see your photo in a professional exhibition and in a book are totally worth the price! We’re hoping to announce a fun partnership with the IGPOTY folk soon, so until that time take a look at this contest’s winners, and keep snapping!
Need inspiration or advice? Check out our series of video tutorials featuring professional photographer Rich Pomerantz.