Admire the blossoms yourself this weekend as you sample craft beers and ciders to the sounds of live bluegrass and blues! Blues, Brews & Botany will explore the botanical side of beer, with expert-led demonstrations of the plant science behind your favorite beers. Visitors get a souvenir tasting Tumbler—but supplies are limited so be sure buy your ticket online in advance.
This weekend also marks the debut of Scarecrows & Pumpkins! The Everett Children’s Adventure Garden comes alive with a festive display of friendly scarecrows set among rare and unusual pumpkins and gourds. Sculptor Ray Villafane brings a spooky installation of scarecrows along the Mitsubishi Wild Wetland Trail, an entirely new display from our favorite Halloween artist.
View scenes from the Garden below and plan your first outing of the new season to NYBG!
Recently, The Wall Street Journal examined an obscure and surprising piece of New York’s botanical history that began right here at NYBG nearly 80 years ago—the Bronx Seedless table grape, a species of the common fruit hybridized in the 1930s by one of NYBG’s most prolific scientists, Dr. Arlow B. Stout. Sophia Hollander interviewed Stephen Sinon, the LuEsther T. Mertz Library’s Head of Special Collections, Research, and Archives, to learn more about this obscure grape species and the enormous impact it had before fading into obscurity—and near extinction.
In addition to his groundbreaking research into avocado plants and hybridizing many new daylily species that continue to delight visitors to the Garden each summer, Dr. Stout partnered with Cornell University’s New York State Agricultural Experiment Stationto make a better grape. Seedless, tasty, and hardy, the end result of “more than 20 years tinkering with grape genetics” was the Bronx grape, named for its home borough. Cultivation of this species faded over time. While not successful as a commercial crop, all seedless grapes that we enjoy today are descended from this Bronx native, the result of NYBG’s commitment to plant science and conservation that continues to be one of our core values.
Now, from the brink of disappearing altogether, this species is being rediscovered as a source of local pride and historic interest. Click here to read the Wall Street Journal article (subscription required) and learn about Dr. Stout’s remarkable life. NYBG has always endeavored to teach people about where their food comes from—sometimes the answer is closer than you think!
The first week of August brings summer at NYBG to new heights of lush greens and eye-popping flowers. Blooms stretch forth across the Perennial Garden and Seasonal Walk. Water lilies and lotuses bring bursts of color to the Conservatory Pools, while the Native Plant Garden is abuzz with pollinators enjoying the perennials in the meadow and the wetland.
Indoors or out, the Garden is full of life, from the classic plantings of Impressionism: American Gardens on Canvas in the Haupt Conservatory, to the thriving vegetable beds in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden—the heart of the future Edible Academy that you can help launch through our first-ever Kickstarter campaign.
Getting outside in summer is a must, and it just so happens we’ve got 250 acres to explore.
At NYBG we’re enjoying a lush summer season, with flowers and greenery abounding across our historic landscape. The Native Plant Garden is full of colorful perennials and graceful ferns, while Daylily Walk is ablaze with these warm flowers. In the Rose Garden, you’ll still find a wealth of blooms—hundreds of varieties of floribundas, hybrid teas, and shrub roses creating an unbelievable palette of colors.
Early summer at NYBG brings blooms aplenty for Father’s Day this weekend, and well into next week. Come admire the grounds, and plan your visit around tomorrow night’s inaugural NYBG/125 Evening, Canciones de mi Padre, featuring Ernesto Villalobos & Gizel Xanath. These talented musicians are joined by Mazarte Dance Company for a summer evening al fresco concert in celebration of Father’s Day.
On Sunday, the Garden comes alive with a display of artistic talent as NYBG hosts more than 20 talented painters for the Plein-Air Invitational. Get more information about the artists here, or view this exclusive video. NYBG/125 Evenings continue next Thursday with tap and jazz by The Manzari Brothers and DIVA’s FIVE PLAY—featuring an evening viewing of Impressionism: American Gardens on Canvas in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.
The Rock Garden and Native Plant Garden have entered their lush summer growth already, so enjoy a stroll in the shade of our tree canopy this Memorial Day Weekend. We will be open on Monday during regular Garden Hours.
Herbaceous peonies are in full bloom right now! The Matelich Anniversary Peony Collection, one of several new collections inaugurated this year in honor of NYBG’s 125th Anniversary, is bearing massive flowers that are wonderfully fragrant and colorful. The new peony collection is a must-see and is conveniently located just across from the Perennial Garden.
Beautiful throughout the year, the Perennial Garden is especially colorful this month as the perennials fully stretch out for the season. There is always something eye-catching blooming in this garden, with more on deck when they finish. The Native Plant Garden has many blooming perennials of its own, with Sarracenia species in the wetland, and native rhododendrons and azaleas coming into flower as well, all amid sweeps of a variety of lovely ferns.
The Rock Garden is awash in color, and the display can change daily and even hourly on a sunny day. Take a stroll through this secluded, historic collection, and enjoy the peaceful babble of the restored cascade. Visitors this weekend enjoy a unique glimpse into NYBG’s ongoing plant science and conservation endeavors during our Science Open House.
Ahead of the fall foliage, the flowers of late summer dominate NYBG’s landscape this week. Dahlias bring color and complexity to the Perennial Garden, Seasonal Walk, and Home Gardening Center; The Conservatory Pools still boast some water lilies; and the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden is in the midst of its second bloom.
