This Weekend: Dad’s Day Out
Posted in Around the Garden on June 14 2013, by Matt Newman
Slowly, very slowly, set down the paisley necktie and back away from the home improvement store gift cards. Good, that’s a start! Now, think about what dad could really use, like maybe—just maybe—some outdoor relaxation. As we head into this Father’s Day weekend, it’s time to set aside the stress of thinking about last-minute boxed gifts and breakfast in bed. Instead, focus on bringing some no-strings-attached fun into his life.
We’re expecting easy temperatures and a bit more sun going into Saturday and Sunday, with plenty of activities and outdoor exploration on deck for dads and not-dads alike. Wild Medicine is only picking up steam as the weeks roll by, with exciting, dynamic plant collections on display in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory for The Italian Renaissance Garen facet of our exhibition. And under the vaulted dome of the Library Building, you’ll find a slew of renowned botanical texts for The Renaissance Herbal—some of them centuries old—on display courtesy of our expert (and generally awesome) library staff. It’s maybe the most unique dive into literary history you’ll find in the city right now.
Spring being what it is, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the heaps of activities and collections on offer outdoors in our 250 acres! From our long-running Saturday morning Bird Walk to Mario Batali’s lush Kitchen Gardens, the vibrant Rose Garden, and curiosity quenching events for kids in the Adventure Garden, paying us a visit might be the least stressful thing a gear hungry dad had to do all year. Don’t forget to check out yesterday’s “What’s Beautiful Now” update to get an idea of the must-see blooms coloring the Garden right now—the daylilies are just coming into their own for 2013!
Saturday, June 15
Tour Wild Medicine in the Conservatory
In the Conservatory, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Guides throughout the exhibition help bring the stories of Wild Medicine to life and guide your experience. Learn about featured medicinal plants and their cultural significance, the origin of medicinal gardens, and more.
Bird Walk
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center, 11 a.m.
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.
Rose Garden Tour with ASL interpreter – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden
Immerse yourself in the fragrance, color, and beauty of the award-winning Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden on a tour with a Garden Tour Guide. Learn the differences between Heritage and Modern roses and between floribundas and hybrid teas as well as facts about rose history, cultivation, and folklore.
Music and Dance of the Italian Renaissance
In Ross Hall – 1 and 3 p.m.
Enjoy a rich repertoire of music and dance of the Italian Renaissance period presented by members of The New York Baroque Dance Company.
Home Gardening Demonstration: Gardening with Dad – Plant Giveaway for Families
In the Home Gardening Center – 2 p.m.
Join us for an event that will be fun for the entire family. Pot up a plant for Dad and learn basic gardening techniques that will help you grow your way through the season.
Sunday, June 16
Tour Wild Medicine in the Conservatory
In the Conservatory, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Guides throughout the exhibition help bring the stories of Wild Medicine to life and guide your experience. Learn about featured medicinal plants and their cultural significance, the origin of medicinal gardens, and more.
Bronx Arts Ensemble Family Concert: The Three Little Pigs
In the Ross Hall, 11:30 a.m. & 1 p.m.
The Three Little Pigs meet Charlie’s Angels in this hilarious Kung Fu Wolf Caper spoof of the classic children’s story. Children will be introduced to the oboe, clarinet, and bassoon in musical selections before the show.
Home Gardening Demonstration: Gardening with Dad – Plant Giveaway for Families
In the Home Gardening Center – 2 p.m.
Join us for an event that will be fun for the entire family. Pot up a plant for Dad and learn basic gardening techniques that will help you grow your way through the season.
Music and Dance of the Italian Renaissance
In the Ross Hall, 3 p.m.
Enjoy a rich repertoire of music and dance of the Italian Renaissance period presented by members of The New York Baroque Dance Company.
Ongoing Children’s Programs
Mario Batali’s Kitchen Gardens
In the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden
April 6 – October 11, 2013; 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Kids can explore with Mario’s Menu Mystery game, featuring favorite vegetables and herbs from nine of his restaurants’ kitchens, including Otto and Del Posto.
Included in any All-Garden Pass.
Cooking Demonstrations
In the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden, at the Whole Foods Market® Family Garden Kitchen
May 11 – October 11, 2013: Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays: 2 & 4 p.m.
From late spring into early fall, learn to cook up flavorful new recipes using garden-fresh ingredients, twice a day on Wednesdays and weekends in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden.
Salad Days
In the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden
May 19 – June 15, 2013, 1:30 – 5:30 p.m.
The “salad days” of the Garden year are here! The finale of spring is a bonanza of ripe roots, succulent stems, glorious greens, and a kaleidoscope of colorful–and edible–flowers. Use real plants and flowers to decorate a salad bowl collage. Learn tips on how to combine this array of plant parts into an assortment of salads and prepare a healthy dressing to take home.
Plants and imaginations grow at the Howell Family Garden, where kids are allowed–no, encouraged!–to play in the dirt. Display gardens such as the Global Gardens and the Breakfast Bowl, and daily activities delight and inspire
Sweet and Stinky
Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden
June 11 – July 19, 2013, 1:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Aromatic alliums and spicy herbs thrive in the summer heat. Follow the sweet and stinky smells to the Family Garden and discover these culinary champions. Savor the scents and tickle your taste buds with cooking demonstrations and samples, and become a green thumb by planting your very own herb to tend at home.
Plants and imaginations grow at the Howell Family Garden, where kids are allowed–no, encouraged!–to play in the dirt. Display gardens such as the Global Gardens and the Breakfast Bowl, and daily activities delight and inspire.
