This Weekend: Opening the Orchid Show!
Posted in Programs and Events on March 1 2013, by Matt Newman
At long, long last, the wait ends this weekend! Just in time for the first arriving sights and sounds of spring (the crocuses are looking especially lovely), the crowned star of the season opens this weekend in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Thousands upon thousands of orchids–cymbidiums, vandas, moth orchids and more–have been carefully arranged under our famous glasshouse roof, inviting the entire city to experience the return of warmth and color with what is undeniably the most flamboyant combination of the two: The Orchid Show.
Alongside the paradise of blooms our horticulturists have curated in the Conservatory, we’re offering tours, music, free advice for the casual home grower, or more in-depth workshops and lectures for those looking to take their orchid madness to the next level. This Sunday’s lecture in particular highlights the expertise of David Taft, Chair of the Conservation Committee of the Greater New York Orchid Society, whose knowledge of native orchids will make a believer of those who thought these florid beauties kept only to the tropics. Afterward, you can stop into our Shop in the Garden to peruse a collection of rare, delicate, or even easy-to-grow orchids for purchase.
With plenty of time until The Orchid Show comes to a close on April 22, we’ll be offering all sorts of future events and activities to keep your orchid cravings piqued, so stay tuned to Plant Talk in the coming weeks for more on our Orchid Evenings and other entertainments. And for now, think about picking up tickets for this opening weekend–the fanfare is through the roof, and for us, the start of this exhibition is something of a Garden holiday!
Saturday, March 2
Bird Walk – 11 a.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
The diverse habitats of the Botanical Garden offer visitors a chance to see dozens of species of birds throughout the year. Bring your binoculars and walk the Garden grounds with an expert.
Roaming Orchid Experts – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Throughout the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory exhibition houses
Garden experts highlight parts of the permanent collection and special exhibition to add insight to your experience of The Orchid Show.
Music from the World of Orchids – 1 & 3 p.m.
In the Ross Hall
Orchids fascinate and touch the lives of people in every country and culture. Enjoy a selection of music from around the world–different artists play popular tunes from a featured continent each weekend—to compliment your visit.
Orchid Care Demonstrations – 2 & 3 p.m.
In the Conservatory GreenSchool
This series of hands on demonstrations takes shows you how to grow and care for orchids at home. Topics vary each weekend and will cover popular inquiries like Potting and Dividing Orchids, Basic Orchid Care, and Fragrant Orchids.
Orchid Care Q&A – 2 to 5 p.m.
In Shop in the Garden
Gardening and orchid experts share their best secrets and explain the simple steps to healthy plants as they help you choose the right plant for your home.
Sunday, March 3
Roaming Orchid Experts – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Throughout the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Garden experts highlight parts of the permanent collection and special exhibition to add insight to your experience of The Orchid Show.
Music from the World of Orchids – 1 & 3 p.m.
In the Ross Hall
Orchids fascinate and touch the lives of people in every country and culture. Enjoy a selection of music from around the world–different artists play popular tunes from a featured continent each weekend—to compliment your visit.
Orchid Care Demonstrations – 2 & 3 p.m.
In the Conservatory GreenSchool
This series of hands on demonstrations takes shows you how to grow and care for orchids at home. Topics vary each weekend and will cover popular inquiries like Potting and Dividing Orchids, Basic Orchid Care, and Fragrant Orchids.
Orchid Care Q&A – 2 to 5 p.m.
In Shop in the Garden
Gardening and orchid experts share their best secrets and explain the simple steps to healthy plants as they help you choose the right plant for your home.
Special Lecture — Adders’ Mouths And Ladies’ Tresses: The Colorful World Of Native Orchids
4 p.m.
In the Ross Hall
The Torrey Botanical Society presents David Taft, Chair of Conservation Committee of the Greater New York Orchid Society, and Supervisor of National Park Service Gateway National Recreation Area as speaker at its first talk of the year. Find out what makes an orchid an orchid, what the “orchid mystique” is all about, and why we should care about the preservation of plants and wild spaces in and near our cities. Orchids are stand-outs even in the best habitats, and it still surprises some that they are neither exclusively tropical nor tender hothouse darlings. In fact, many can be found growing throughout our temperate, heavily developed northeast.
Ongoing Children’s Programs, March 2 – April 22
Little Landscapes
In the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden
Weekends, 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. / Weekdays, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.
The plant world comes alive in a big way at the Discovery Center this spring. Kids step inside the world of plants and create their own terrarium to bring home. They’ll be inspired to create a rocky and mossy world in a jar by looking closely at a wide array of artistic and scientific terrariums, and while they’re at it, they can use a microscope to take a closer look at some classic terrarium characters like moss, lichens, and rocks. The Discovery Center will feature an exhibition of detailed and whimsical terrariums made by Brooklyn-based artists from Twig Terrariums.
