Inside The New York Botanical Garden
Posted in What's Beautiful Now on January 4 2019, by Matt Newman
Swaying grasses, seed heads, and the persistent husks of past flowers lend a sunset golden light to certain outdoor collections at the Garden this time of year. The slightest breeze sets them to wavering like a botanical sea, and at the right time of day, the scene is the definition of peace.
[Not a valid template]Posted in Horticulture, Kiku on October 21 2016, by Kristine Paulus
Kristine Paulus is NYBG’s Plant Records Manager. She is responsible for the curation of The Lionel Goldfrank III Computerized Catalog of the Living Collections. She manages nomenclature standards and the plant labels for all exhibitions, gardens, and collections, while coordinating with staff, scientists, students, and the public on all garden-related plant information.
If the idea of grass makes you think of dreaded after school yard chores or monotonous sports fields, consider a visit to Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Garden to amend this assessment. Attempting to steal the spotlight from the chrysanthemums are several decorative members of the Poaceae family, better known to most of us as grasses.
Several plantings of Muhlenbergia capillaris, a highly ornamental native grass commonly called hairawn muhly, create a spectacular floral display for fall throughout the exhibition. Clouds of airy, purple-pink cotton candy-like flowers float above long slender foliage. These hazy panicles glow in the sunlight, converting garden beds into dreamscapes. Hardy and heat- and drought-tolerant, hairawn muhly is as low maintenance as it is attractive. This colorful plant is also a highlight in the Home Gardening Center’s newly redesigned Grass and Bamboo Garden.
Posted in Photography on January 16 2015, by Matt Newman
Waving grasses in the Native Plant Garden – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen