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Plant Talk

Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Plant Talk

Morning Eye Candy: Jade

Posted in Photography on January 17 2011, by Plant Talk

Even the flowers on this jade plant look as if they might be carved in the beautiful stone.

Crassula ovata

Crassula ovata Jade Plant (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)

The 11th Annual Winter Lecture Series: The Very Best Kind of Lecturing

Posted in Learning Experiences on January 13 2011, by Plant Talk

Michael Van ValkenburghA good lecture can serve as a catalyst for change, and this year’s 11th Annual Winter Lecture Series at The New York Botanical Garden should send you away with a lot to think about, and some serious tools for precipitating change in your own community, city, or just our own backyard.

The series kicks off on Thursday, January 20 with Michael Van Valkenburgh‘s ”Plants Make Places.”  Van Valkenburgh, a renowned landscape architect, will discuss the role of plants in recent projects at Princeton University, Teardrop Park in lower Manhattan, and Brooklyn Bridge Park.

On Thursday, February 17, garden designer, award-winning author, photographer, naturalist, and
C. Colston Burrellteacher C. Colston Burrell will talking about ”Native Plants and Ecological Design.” Burrell will explore what actually makes a plant ”native,” the definition of ecological gardening, and the issues surrounding sustainable landscape design.

Last, but certainly not least, Annie Novak, urban farming evangelist and director of The New York Botanical Garden’s Children’s Gardening Program will ”Raise The Roof!” on Thursday, March 17.  Novak is the founder and director of Growing Chefs field-to-fork education program, and the co-founder of Eagle Street Rooftop Farm in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and will discuss the challenges, successes, and lessons learned from farming the skyline.

Annie Novak. Photo by Toby Adams via Civil Eats The lectures are being held at the Garden in the Ross Lecture Hall 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Each lecture is $39 for non-members, and $35 for Members, or buy the whole series and save 10%.

And while you’re at the Garden, why not make a full day of it? Visit Caribbean Garden for a mini-vacation in the historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory; snap a few pictures to enter into our photography contest; grab a bite from one of our two cafes dedicated to sustainable, local, tasty cuisine; and shop the Winter Sale at the Shop in the Garden.

Gotham’s Furriest: The Urban Coyote

Posted in Wildlife on January 13 2011, by Plant Talk

Mark Weckel is Director of Research and Land Management, Mianus River Gorge Preserve

From Westchester down to Manhattan, reports of coyote sightings cropped up throughout 2010.

The truth is, coyotes don’t live everywhere (and so far not at The New York Botanical Garden), but they are becoming increasingly more adapted to urban living Researchers from Mianus River Gorge Preserve and WildMetro are using remote cameras (see footage of a coyote at Nature Study Woods in Westchester County below) to monitor urban coyotes to try to figure out one important question: Just how urban can an eastern coyote get?

Coyotes are native to the western U.S., yet have expanded their range throughout the east As of now the only large landmass without a coyote population is Long Island. If coyotes are to colonize Long Island, those living in Westchester and New Jersey will have to go through New York City!

This is giving wildlife biologists the rare opportunity to learn more about how animals adapt to urbanization in real time, which parks and natural areas will support coyotes, how they use man-made and natural corridors, and hopefully, what role these new predators will have to the ecology of the greater NYC metropolitan  area.

Video: Nature Study Woods, Westchester County, NY 2010