Calendula officinalis, a flower popular in herbal skin preperations. (Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)
Did you catch that story in the New York Times last week about the “modern apothecary?” Did you think to yourself, “That’s all well and good, but what I’d really like to do is learn to make my own skincare?” And why shouldn’t you? You grow your own organic vegetables, cook them with carefully selected ingredients from locally sourced purveyors, you take your vitamins, drink herbal tisanes, and do yoga; you take special care of your inside, so why shouldn’t you take special care of the outside, too? And what could be more natural, or more local, than skincare you make yourself, from ingredients you grow yourself? Forget “farm-to-table!” You’re all about “garden-to-dressing-table!” But where to start?
On Tuesday, July 26, the Garden’s Adult Education department will be hosting a workshop at our beautiful Midtown Center, Herbal Spa Workshop: A Natural Approach to Beautiful Skin, from 6:15-8:15 p.m. The class, taught by herbalist Ursula Basch, will teach you how to use natural products to make herbal clay masks, moisturizers, lip balms, skin toners, foot scrubs, and more. You will also design your own essential oil blend and have the opportunity to sample various products, including the herbal clay mask, so dress appropriately! The class is $61 for Members, $65 for non-Members. The price includes a $20 materials fee.
So grab a girlfriend and learn about the next big trend in locavorism! The Midtown Center is located just two blocks away from Bryant Park, so after your evening of pampering, you can make an evening of it, and head over to the park and listen to live jazz under the stars (see listing for July 26).
If you come to the Garden to glean inspiration for your own home garden, then why not plan your trip around our highly informative weekend gardening demonstrations, aimed solely at the home gardener? Sonia Uyterhoeven, Gardener for Public Education, and author of Plant Talk’s weekly gardening tips blog posts, leads these informative discussions.
Here’s a look at the demos we have planned for the rest of the summer.
July 9 and 10 at 1:30 p.m. What’s at Stake?
In the Home Gardening Center
Learn about important summer chores such as staking perennials, an effort that pays dividends in the fall.
July 16 and 17 at 1:30 p.m. The Tao of Wet and Dry
In the Home Gardening Center
The right plant in the right place is part of the natural order of any garden. Discuss the yin and yang of the gardening world—ideal plants for wet and dry sites.
July 23 and 24, 1:30 p.m. Water Gardens: Waterlilies and the Alhambra
Meet at the entrance of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Walk through the exhibition Spanish Paradise: Gardens of the Alhambra to explore the design and plant choices at this monumental treasure where water features are highly regarded. Learn about the incomparable waterlilies and lotus in the Botanical Garden’s Conservatory Courtyards.
July 30 and 31 at 1:30 p.m. Fabulous Floral Forms
In the Home Gardening Center
Explore effective color combinations and the intricacies of floral forms. Learn tips and techniques for cutting and arranging flowers.
August 6 and 7 at 1:30 p.m. Butterfly Bonanza
In the Home Gardening Center
Learn how to create colorful habitats that will attract butterflies. Find out which plants will entice these magnificent creatures into your garden.
August 13 and 14 at 1:30 p.m. Vegging Out in Style
In the Home Gardening Center
August is the time when much of your hard work in the vegetable garden comes to fruition. Enjoy the rewards of the season now while continuing to tend the garden.
August 20 and 21, 1:30 p.m. The Alhambra in Retrospect
Meet at the entrance of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Discuss Islamic gardens on a walk through the exhibition Spanish Paradise: Gardens of the Alhambra during its final weekend, while exploring the design and plant choices at this influential treasure.
August 27 and 28 at 2 p.m. Grow Your Greens
In the Home Gardening Center
While you are busy harvesting tomatoes, remember that it is not too late to plant fast fall crops such as lettuces and Asian greens. Spend an afternoon in the vegetable garden planning the last push for the season.
Gregory M. Plunkett, Ph.D. is Director and Curator, Cullman Program for Molecular Systematics
Giant Hogweed (Image from New York State Department of Transportation’s Dangerous Roadside Plants page)
From the recentnewsreports, you’d think that New Yorkers had better fly south to escape the onslaught of the diabolical giant hogweed. Even its name evokes a sort of dread, and we are reminded of the stories of “killer bees” from the 1990s.
The giant hogweed plant (know scientifically as Heracleum mantegazzianum) is native to the Caucasus, a mountainous region that separates Europe from Asia. Like so many invasive plants, this species was originally imported to North America as a garden ornamental. It’s easy to see why. The plant is an attractive, gigantic herb, reaching up to ten feet tall in just a few months, topped by huge, umbrella-like spreads with hundreds of tiny white flowers. As a consequence, each plant can make hundreds or even thousands of seeds. Inevitably, this exotic species started to jump garden fences. In our region, the plant was first introduced to Rochester, N.Y. sometime before 1920. Since then, it has been steadily colonizing New York State (see the DEC map here) and it is now approaching New York City.
Why all the fuss? Well, it turns out that giant hogweed produces a sap containing some nasty chemicals called “furanocoumarins”. These compounds easily pass into our skin cells and bind to the DNA inside. Once inside the skin, one additional ingredient is needed to activate the toxin: sunlight. Exposed to the sun, these chemicals kill the affected cells, resulting in a reaction called phytophotodermatitis. This is a nasty, itchy rash that causes discoloration of the skin (from red to dark purple) that can last for months or even years. In severe cases, it can progress, turning into large blisters that mimic second-degree burns. If the plant’s sap reaches the sensitive tissue of your eyes, this blistering could result in scarring and blindness. Yet, as bad as this rash can be, furanocoumarins have been used medicinally as a remedy for psoriasis (where it prevents cell proliferation) and vitiligo (where it darkens depigmented skin).
Most victims of giant hogweed are affected while working in weedy patches, where they are exposed directly to the sap while removing plants by hand or cutting them down using a weed-whacker or lawn mower. The good news: we have expert advice from http://www.backyardboss.net/best-string-trimmer-reviews/, their blog gave us real insight. Giant hogweed is easy to see (it’s ten feet tall, after all), and you must be exposed to both the sap and sunlight. As a result, there are two ways to prevent this nasty rash: avoid exposure to the plant, especially its sap by wearing long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and protective eyewear in areas where giant hogweed grows (unlike the NYS DOT workers above), and avoid exposure of your skin to the sun for the next few days if you do accidentally touch it.
As it turns out, giant hogweed is not the only plant that can cause phytophotodermatitis. Many of its relatives in the plant family Umbelliferae also produce furanocoumarins, including carrots, parsnips, fennel, and celery, but the level of toxins in these species are typically lower. The same family includes other toxic plants, such as poison hemlock, as well as many useful herbs and spices like dill, parsley, cilantro/coriander, and caraway. The same class of compound are produced in completely unrelated plants, too, such as the wild relatives of tomatoes and strawberries, and in the rinds of lemons and limes. You may have heard of the dangers of making lemonade in the sunshine!
Finally, before you sell the house in New York and move to Florida, remember that we have already learned to deal with other nasty plants that cause terrible skin rashes and even blindness, including poison ivy and stinging nettles. Even though these native plants are harder to recognize, we have learned to deal with them. And one last reminder before you sell you house and head for Florida: We New Yorkers may have to deal with snow and giant hogweed, but at least we don’t have alligators, fire ants, and killer bees!
Hello everybody, Ann here. I’m back from my summer vacation, jet-lagged but so happy to be home for this beautiful New York City weather! My intention of blogging from the road was pure, but I was thwarted by technology. Who would have ever expected it would be so hard to find reliable wifi (or “weefee” as they say in France) in London and Paris? Regardless, I had a great, garden-inspired trip. Here are some pictures I snapped on a rainy day visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
IGPOTY Exhibition at Kew
If you win one of the categories or special commendations in the IGPOTY contest, your photos will be on display at this beautiful outdoor exhibition at Kew Gardens. The photos are printed onto a special kind of vinyl and hang outside year-round. The exhibition is right near the main gate, and is therefore one of the first stops for Kew’s many visitors. The quality of the winning IGPOTY photographs is extraordinary, so hone your chops by joining in on one of our monthly photo contests. I can’t wait to see at least one photo from NYBG hanging here next year!
The Temperate House at Kew Gardens
There are three main glasshouses at Kew, and many smaller, secondary houses as well. They are very old and very lovely.
Staircase to the Temperate House Walkway
Both the Temperate House and the Palm House have catwalks around the upper levels that you access by climbing these mysterious-looking, vine-laden staircases.
The View from the Temperate House Catwalk
These catwalks give you an unusual perspective on trees that is nearly impossible to gain in nature.
Don't Forget to Bring a Brolly
As might be expected, rain is a common occurrence, so don’t forget to bring an umbrella. Of course, if you forget yours, though (like I did), the shop sells very nice ones.
Sheltering from the Rain
Should you choose not to use an umbrella, however, there are plenty of trees to shelter under while waiting for the showers to pass. This one is near the Sackler Crossing, a really cool walkway/bridge over Kew’s big lake.
King Willam
One of my favorite things at Kew was this garden known at King William’s Temple. It is planted with flowers, trees, shrubs, and herbs from the Mediterranean, and smells divine, especially in the rain. It is full of lavendar, rosemary, olive trees, cypresses, and so many other plants. It reminded me quite a lot of our current exhibition, Spanish Paradise: Gardens of the Alhambra.
A Typical English Garden
Just before I met up with two of my colleagues at Kew, I dashed through the Plant Families Beds and the Student Vegetable Plots just as the sun peeked out. This garden at the entrance to this area, at least to my mind, exemplifies everything that is beautiful about the English garden. It is a profusion of colors, heights, and textures, and is a joy to behold.
Badgers!
We’ve got beavers, Kew’s got badgers! I think I know which one I would prefer to run into on a dusky forest trail ….
The Palm House
And finally, I couldn’t possibly leave you without a shot of the structure that probably helped inspire the Garden’s founder, Nathaniel Lord Britton, to push the great men of New York City to found The New York Botanical Garden. The Palm House is an absolutely breathtaking work of engineering, and a great thing of beauty.
If you love The New York Botanical Garden, and you find yourself with a few days in London, you should absolutely go visit Kew Gardens. There are, inevitably, a lot of similarities between Kew and NYBG, but England’s climate, and Kew’s history, make the 30 minute trip out to Kew entirely worthwhile. I hope you have enjoyed my very brief tour of Kew, and that you’ll stay tuned next week for my adventures at Claude Monet’s garden in Giverny.
Special thanks to Mary from IGPOTY for showing me around Kew, and to Claire and Nicola at Kew for the cup of tea.
Three of our intrepid visual specialists (aka photographer Ivo M. Vermeulen, photo editor Mark Pfeffer, and videographer Rustin Dwyer) spent last Friday morning at the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, taking turns going up in the bucket truck to snap some truly stunning photographs and video of this spectacular garden at peak bloom.
Here’s a shot Ivo took from the bucket of Mark, Rustin, and our new Web designer Eduardo Almonte.
A little perspective.
Mark in the bucket.
And the results? Gorgeous!
The Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)
The Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden (photo by Mark Pfeffer)
