This Weekend: Fall Perfection

Posted in Around the Garden on October 4 2013, by Ann Rafalko

The weather forecast for this weekend looks equally as wonderful as our slate of weekend activities. Blue skies and golden sunshine pair perfectly with Japanese chrysanthemums, pumpkin carving demonstrations, bird walks, and garden tours. It just doesn’t get better than early October in New York City! So get outside and soak up this perfect weather in the Garden!

Children of all ages can join a bird walk (Saturday only), get pumpkin carving tips, thrill to the sounds of Japanese taiko drumming, and learn about the bugs and creepy creatures of Halloween. Adults hunting for horticultural knowledge will love our Bulb Basics demonstration in the Home Gardening Center, ikebana demonstrations in the Conservatory Courtyard, in-depth tours of Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Garden in the Conservatory, and an expert-led tour of the Native Plant Garden.

Saturday, October 5

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 to learn about bird-friendly habitats, migrating species, and birds that make a permanent home at the Garden.

Pumpkin Carver’s Studio – 11 a.m. – 5 p .m.
In the Discovery Center’s Bendheim Global Greenhouse
Watch how pumpkin creations are carved as an expert carver translates ideas into art. Learn some tips to try at home on your own pumpkins and gourds.

Ikebana Weekend – 12-4 p.m. with demos at 12 & 2 p.m.
In the Conservatory Courtyard
Japanese ikebana–“flowers kept alive”–is a complex form of asymmetrical flower arranging. Join expert-led demonstrations of this timeless and elegant art and sign up for an Adult Education class on the subject.

Ugh! Bugs & Creepy Creatures of Halloween – 12 & 2 p.m.
At the Clay Family Picnic Pavilions
Some of the animals that make us scream are actually the coolest animals around. Come slither, slide, creep, and scurry along with us and learn why these “creepy” animals aren’t so scary after all. Participants will meet critters from around the world for some hands-on animal presentations and discover the unique adaptations which help them survive in their habitats.

Kiku Tour – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Learn about these special chrysanthemums, the stars of our current exhibition, Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Garden, and see why they are the most celebrated Japanese fall-flowering plants.

Taiko Drumming – 1 & 3 p.m.
On the Conservatory Lawn
Thunderous and thrilling, the taiko (Japanese drum) has been called “the voice and spirit of the Japanese people.” From its roots in agriculture and use in the ancient music in shrines and temples, traditional taiko folk music is believed to have entertained the gods, attracted good fortune, driven away evil forces and insects, lent strength and courage to warriors, and celebrated life.

Home Gardening Demonstration: Bulb Basics: Know and Grow
In the Home Gardening Center – 2 p.m.
Now is the time to get out and plant your bulbs. Join us and learn the basics of bulb planting and cover some of the more challenging topics such as rodent damage.

Native Plant Garden Tour – 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Join a tour guide for an insider’s view of the newly designed Native Plant Garden. Enjoy a mosaic of nearly 100,000 native trees, wildflowers, ferns and grasses designed to flourish in every season.

Sunday, October 6

Ongoing Children’s Programs

The Haunted Pumpkin Garden
In the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden
September 21 – October 31; Tuesdays – Fridays 1:30 – 5:30 p.m.;
Saturdays, Sundays, and Monday, October 14, 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Experience the thrills and chills of the season with a garden full of intricately carved pumpkin sculptures, bugs, and bats. On October 19 & 20, watch Master Carvers Ray Villafane and Andy Bergholtz of Food Network fame transform humongous pumpkins into unearthly creatures. It’s so much fun, it’s scary!

Parades Daily! – Weekdays, 1:30 p.m., Weekends and Holidays, 1 & 3 p.m.
Story Readings – Weekends and Holidays only, 2 & 3:30 p.m.

Pollinator Pals: Bees and Butterflies
In the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden
August 20 – October 11, 2013; 1:30 – 5:30 p.m.
The Family Garden is buzzing in late summer! Join us to learn about important pollinators: our honeybees and the monarch butterflies passing us by on their way to Mexico. Get buzzy doing the honeybee dance, observe up-close the workings of a beehive, and sample honey from different nectar sources.

This Weekend: Fall Perfection

Share this: