Inside The New York Botanical Garden
Posted in Photography on October 29 2015, by Matt Newman
Our Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) festivities continue all this weekend with live music, food, dance, face painting, and all the colorful trappings of this important—and fun!—holiday. This is the closing weekend of our FRIDA KAHLO exhibition, so don’t sit home!
Face Painting in the Perennial Garden – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Photography on October 28 2015, by Matt Newman
Would you have guessed at first glance that such a scene—the only freshwater river in New York City—could be found in the Bronx?
The Bronx River in the Thain Family Forest – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in People on October 23 2015, by Matt Newman
Few have had such immeasurable impact on the lives of the people of the Bronx like local resident Karen Washington. As an NYBG Board Member and an urban farmer, she’s transformed this borough’s landscape for so many local residents, taking neglected city lots and using them as the foundation for verdant and prolific community gardens. Each new greenspace she champions is a testament not only to the work she’s put in over the last 30 years, but the care and effort of the many people she’s inspired to help create these sources of food, happiness, and livelihood.
For everything Karen’s done, it only makes sense for us to give back, and help her out in 2015 as she competes for the NationSwell AllStar Award—a $10,000 honor that will benefit her ongoing work to beautify the lives and locales of this incredible borough.
NationSwell’s competition puts Karen up against the country’s greatest innovators and builders in their respective communities, and all it takes is a vote each day (it resets every 24 hours, so try to vote around the same time from day to day!) to keep her in the running for this important recognition. Better yet, it’s easy to participate—just head over to the NationSwell site; have a look at the video about Karen, her background, and her work; and cast your vote at the bottom of the page. You can check in once each day to revote, which will add up to quite a swell of support if we all chip in!
Posted in Photography on October 23 2015, by Matt Newman
Can you spot the busy little guest making a racket in the Native Plant Garden?
A woodpecker in the Native Plant Garden – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Photography on October 22 2015, by Matt Newman
Here’s a first look at our gargantuan record-breaker from North American grower Ron Wallace, a 2,230-lb. pumpkin from Rhode Island that you can see here now and throughout the next two weekends of our Giant Pumpkin Carving and display!
North America’s heaviest pumpkin in the Visitor Center – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Photography on October 21 2015, by Matt Newman
The last of the giant pumpkins arrives at the Garden today, just in time for our Giant Pumpkin Carving Weekend and Día de los Muertos celebration beginning this Saturday. If you’ve never seen Ray Villafane and his crew of expert sculptors turn these monstrous fruits into works of spooky art, it’s not to be missed!
This year’s record-breaking pumpkin from the North American crop, weighing in at 2,230 pounds, is right here at the Garden—come check it out!
Giant pumpkins in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Photography on October 20 2015, by Matt Newman
View the Haupt Conservatory through the lens of autumn. It’s not hard to find a vantage point nowadays.
The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Holiday Train Show on October 19 2015, by Matt Newman
Nearly a half-mile of track winds its way through the Haupt Conservatory come November, when a twinkling 24-year tradition of model trains and cityscapes in miniature returns to NYBG for another winter season. The Holiday Train Show has fast become New York City’s most beloved holiday pastime, a moment when children, parents, and train lovers alike flock to the Garden for a stroll through the nostalgic little world that we’ve dreamed up. And this year, we’re doing it bigger than ever.
Beginning November 21, the show brings along 3,000 square feet of additional exhibition space, making plenty of room for more trains, tracks, and bridges. Look for locomotives chugging along overhead and zipping between 150 landmarks crafted from bark, leaves, and other plant parts; among them, our brand-new Conservatory replica, reimagined just last year, is joined in 2015 by a jaw-dropping model of the New York Public Library building.
Don’t expect to go hungry while you’re here, either. Alongside our year-round offerings, like the casual dining of the Pine Tree Café and the full-service experience of the Hudson Garden Grill, stop for family-friendly seasonal treats from our new Gingerbread Café. And if you’re looking to warm up amid the snow flurries, head to the new Frosty’s Schnapps Haus in the Visitor Center, where fresh-made pretzels and hot spiked drinks are sure to hit the spot before you set off to explore our winter wonderland.
Posted in Photography on October 19 2015, by Matt Newman
Waterfall in the Thain Family Forest – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Programs and Events on October 16 2015, by Matt Newman
Time’s running out for FRIDA KAHLO: Art, Garden, Life, and there’s so much going on in the final weeks of October that you won’t want to let this one pass you by. Fall’s presence is undeniable as you walk through the Garden, tinging the trees with reds and yellows, and Halloween is fast approaching. More importantly, Día de los Muertos is just around the corner. It would be an understatement to say that we’re celebrating the holidays with style.
Alongside this weekend’s schedule of outdoor tours, music, food, and other exhibition programming, we’re preparing for the coming week of after-dark events and lively holiday fiestas that all begin with Frida for Families: A Spooky Nighttime Adventure. On Friday, October 23, grab tickets and bring your little ones (don’t forget their costumes!) for a night of trick-or-treating in the Garden, hands-on Halloween fun in the Adventure Garden, live costumed performers, giant puppets, and more. It’s a safe and exciting way to celebrate the holiday a little early.
For adults, join us during our Frida al Fresco LGBT night on Thursday, October 22, and don’t forget to register for our last Frida Look-Alike contest of the exhibition—accepted entrants get free admission to the evening event and a chance to win prizes from NYBG Shop!