A Winter Oasis is On Its Way!

Posted in Exhibitions on January 17 2012, by Matt Newman

Each year, as winter charges through, every commercial break on television chimes in with the daydream of a tropical paradise–swimsuits, warmth, and salsa music. Suddenly a car horn blares and the vision fades, leaving a woman with a headcold shivering at an icy New York bus stop. It’s as predictable as the sun rising. But while we can’t just let you hop through the visitor gates in your neon two-piece, The New York Botanical Garden brings more than a mirage to the table; the daydream becomes reality this month. Starting January 21, the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory brings the tropics to the city with Caribbean Garden.

News anchors keep telling us how this winter is so mild and balmy, but who are they trying to fool? I still had to step out of the house in two layers and a scarf this morning.

At the NYBG, you can dance off the chill during one of our Saturday salsa lessons–you’ll feel like you’re in old Havana among the palm trees. Bring your camera and better your craft with a few keen pointers from an expert photographer, or test your skill with a lens through our International Garden Photographer of the Year partnership. And new this year, we’re pointing the kids’ wild energy toward a tropical scavenger hunt! When they’re finished exploring the Conservatory with their field notebooks, checking off exotic species and rare flowers, follow them to the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden to help pot up Caribbean plants of their very own. (You can’t take your kids anywhere without bringing home a souvenir. I think it’s a rule.)

R&R is most definitely on the agenda if that’s more your speed.

There’s escape from the miserable cold, so take advantage of it! Make the trip to our oasis in the city. Because even if you can’t find your way to the Virgin Islands this winter, we can still bring the heat of the tropics to New York.

Our Caribbean Garden runs from January 21 through February 26, but you’ll need a ticket to enjoy the Conservatory’s color and warmth. Stop by our online reservation page before you head out to ensure you don’t miss it!