Morning Eye Candy: Copper Wire
Posted in Photography on January 21 2014, by Ann Rafalko
Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Passiflora ‘Grace Ann’
In the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Inside The New York Botanical Garden
Tropical Paradise
Morning Eye Candy: Getting Warmer
Posted in Photography on January 19 2014, by Ann Rafalko
Need a break from winter? You’re in luck. Tropical Paradise–with all its sultry warmth and hot colors–is back!
Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Gloxinia sylvatica
This Weekend: Time For A Trip to the Tropics!
Posted in Around the Garden on January 17 2014, by Ann Rafalko
Are you one of those workaholics that just can’t seem to ever use your vacation time, because going on vacation takes too much, well, time? Or maybe you have little kids and the thought of lugging them—and all their stuff—to the airport, dealing with the withering glances of your fellow travelers and kiddo jet lag is just too much. Or maybe you’re saving up for something important like college, or a big move, or a new car.
Either way, if you need a break from winter but can’t swing it for some reason, we’ve got you covered! That’s right: Tropical Paradise is back!
Opening on Saturday just in time for a three-day weekend, Tropical Paradise is our very popular winter interpretation of the permanent collection in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. It’s the chance for all of our brilliant, warmth-loving, exotic specimens to take center stage! And did I mention warmth? The temperatures inside many of the Conservatory’s galleries are positively balmy, a nice change from what’s going on outside.
And to encourage you to look at our beautiful plants just a little bit differently, we’re holding our fan-favorite Tropical Paradise Photography Contest again this year. Everyone who enters has a chance to win a seat in one of our Adult Education photography classes. All that’s needed is a camera (your smartphone is fine!) and a Flickr account. Upload your photographs to our Group Pool, tag them with #tropicalparadise, and we’ll do the rest!
And don’t forget! As an added bonus for your little ones, All Aboard with Thomas & Friends is still here!
Love is All Around
Posted in Programs and Events on January 15 2014, by Ann Rafalko
It’s cliche, but it’s true: If you can’t celebrate your love with crystallized carbon, you can always celebrate it with the fermented pit of a South American fruit. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Why chocolate of course! Too trite? Not how we do it!
For the love of your life, we’re celebrating with two fabulous evenings—Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th—in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, and for your little loves, we’re celebrating on Saturday the 15th in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden thanks to our Priceless friends at MasterCard.
Going Bananas
Posted in Gardening Tips on January 14 2014, by Sonia Uyterhoeven
Sonia Uyterhoeven is the NYBG‘s Gardener for Public Education.
Bananas are a glorious tropical plant that can be grown indoors in a container or outdoors in summer as part of a tropical display. And since we’re just in time for Tropical Paradise, taking place here at the Garden between January 18 and February 23, I’m going to talk about growing these familiar plants at home. Their enormous, paddle-shaped leaves act as a focal centerpiece for any seasonal display, and planting one just might have you hearing steelpans in the distance.
While most bananas are tropical plants that need to be brought indoors during the winter months, other bananas are actually hardy in the New York area. They can be left in the ground to over-winter—dying back with the cold–only to come back in the spring, forming a progressively larger, more awe-inspiring clump each year. However, unless grown indoors, these plants will not bear fruit in our region. They need at least 12 months of warm weather to flower and produce those familiar edible (sometimes) bundles.
Tropical Paradise: Take the Winning Shot
Posted in Exhibitions, Photography on January 13 2014, by Matt Newman
Around this time of year, right when winter digs in ahead of the spring thaw, we like to pack up the model trains and some of the holiday lights to focus on what can only be called island escapism. Of course, we’re not expecting anyone to shell out a huge sum of cash for a red-eye to the Caribbean! Instead, we’re bringing the warm weather to New York City. Though I suppose you could say we’ve always had it. Beginning Saturday, January 18, the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory‘s permanent collection of tropical plants becomes an even bigger Garden highlight during Tropical Paradise, with special events and activities planned to help you ditch the galoshes and scarves for some time in the rain forest. And the photographers among you—novice and veteran alike—should take note!
The past few years have seen a number of rising stars among local photographers taking part in our annual Tropical Paradise photography contest, but there’s always room for a new face on the winner’s podium. And if you’re thinking of taking part, don’t worry—there’s more than just street cred’ up for grabs. We’re offering each of the two grand prize winners a seat in an Adult Education photography course of their choice. And, yes, I did say two winners. The only motivation you need is to find paradise in the natural beauty of the Conservatory, and share that vision with the community of fellow photographers.
This Weekend: The Train Show Leaves the Station!
Posted in Holiday Train Show on January 10 2014, by Ann Rafalko
Like all good things, even the Holiday Train Show must come to an end, and this Sunday is your last chance to see this wonderful family exhibition until November comes around again. But that doesn’t mean the train fun is done! All Aboard with Thomas & Friends continues its run in the Ross Hall for several more weeks.
In addition, we have a few tours planned—including the always popular Saturday Bird Walk—to help you stretch your legs after hibernating during this week’s cold snap. And if your little ones have a serious case of cabin fever, bring them along for the last weekend of holiday family fun in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden!
So what’s next on our agenda? Starting January 18, take a trip to the tropics without leaving New York! That’s right, Tropical Paradise returns, along with the very popular Tropical Paradise Photography Contest. So grab your dusty old SLR and brush up on your techniques while you take in the last weekend of everyone’s favorite holiday event!
Morning Eye Candy: Camera at the Ready
Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on January 10 2014, by Matt Newman
Tropical Paradise is nearly here, and with it come new opportunities to put your camera to work. The plants in the Conservatory are beyond ready for their close-up!
Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Train Conductor’s Last Call!
Posted in Holiday Train Show on January 9 2014, by Matt Newman
The clock is running down on this year’s Holiday Train Show, meaning there are only a handful of opportunities left for you to experience this most beloved of seasonal traditions! Our trains have made more runs than we can count, zipping about the rails that wind through dozens of iconic New York landmarks, and the season’s cocktail evenings and family events have been a delight to host. But “all good things,” and so forth. This Sunday, January 12, is your very last chance to stroll under the twinkling lights of the Conservatory before we switch gears for 2014!
That’s not to say we’re entirely done with the holidays at the Garden, though. All Aboard with Thomas & Friends is only just getting started, with fun-filled, sing-along performances scheduled through January 26. But tickets go fast! If you’re planning to join us with your kids for an adventure alongside that most famous of tank engines, make a point of registering early to ensure you get the time and date that you want.
And if you’re looking for a little time spent admiring the outdoors, winter is a better time to wander the Garden’s trails and collections than you’d think. Barren branches and the serene quiet of the Forest define winter’s charm—and it’s even better when the trees are dusted with snow. Now is also the ideal time to observe the punchy colors of winter berries painting the Garden, or the deep spectrum of greens showcased in our historic conifer collections.
Step into a Tropical Paradise
Posted in Exhibitions on January 8 2014, by Sonia Uyterhoeven
Sonia Uyterhoeven is the NYBG‘s Gardener for Public Education.
From January 18 through February 23 the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory will be hosting Tropical Paradise, an exhibition of our permanent collections that encourages you to take refuge from the chilly winter weather and indulge in a tropical retreat! On weekends and select holiday Mondays the Garden will also be hosting Tropical Interactive Encounters, allowing you to see, taste, and smell tropical plants such as coconut, nutmeg, and annatto. During this warming winter treat, visitors are invited to learn the historical and cultural significance of many tropical plants while enjoying the sensory experience of these unique species.
And back again for another year, photographs from the International Garden Photographer of the Year contest will be on display in the Conservatory to highlight tropical plants and landscapes from around the globe. This photography collection, entitled The Beauty of Paradise, will be complemented by our annual Tropical Paradise Photography Contest, where eager shutterbugs can enter their own images for a chance at an NYBG prize!