Inside The New York Botanical Garden
Plant Talk
Posted in Programs and Events on July 9 2008, by Plant Talk
Kate Murphy, a junior at Fordham University, and Genna Federico, a senior at St. John’s University, are interns working in the Communications Department this summer.
Any time you visit the Farmers Market at NYBG, you’ll find seasonal recipes that incorporate the locally grown foods available. These recipes are provided by Community Markets, which co-organizes the Garden’s weekly event and is dedicated to “supporting local agriculture, strengthening local communities, and making fresh produce available to neighborhoods with limited access.”
We tried out the recipe for Blueberry Blast Smoothie this past weekend. It’s a great energizing start to the day or a cool treat on a warm summer night. A delicious alternative is adding in some blackberries and strawberries. It takes on a mix of sweet and tart and even gives the smoothie a new color. We also added bananas to kick up the fruity flavors. The recipe worked great with soy milk or almond milk, too. Try making the recipe when all the ingredients are nice and cold.
Check out some great recipes for yourself after the jump, and make your way to the Farmers Market to stock up on the delicious ingredients!
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Posted in NYBG in the News on July 7 2008, by Plant Talk
Blooming in the Bronx
In the summer of 1977 the Bronx was literally burning. In the midst of a devastating blackout, New Yorkers were faced with looting, bankruptcy, municipal layoffs and the very real threat of the Son of Sam killer.
You’d have to be Rip Van Winkle to not notice that much has changed in the 31 years that have followed, but to some the rugged, urban stigma of the Bronx remains. No longer, says Associated Press Travel Editor Beth Harpaz. In her article, “The Bronx Is Blooming,” she celebrates the more than 7,000 acres of park land, and in particular, The New York Botanical Garden. As one of the many luscious “green spaces” in the borough, Harpaz credits the Garden and others as instrumental in revitalizing tourism in the Bronx.
The article is generating a lot of buzz and has been picked up by major outlets such as USAToday.com, CNN.com, AOL.com, NYPost.com, AMNY.com, Newsday.com, CBSNews.com, the Poughkeepsie Journal.com, and more.
Also in the News, Michael J. Balick, Vice President for Botanical Science at the Garden was quoted in a New York Times article about picking your own berries this summer. He doesn’t exactly give a ringing endorsement to the flora found along the Bronx River Parkway, but you can learn more about what not to eat in a book he co-authored, “Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants.” And, if you want to pick some of your own berries this summer, here are a few tips to get you started.
Posted in Programs and Events on July 3 2008, by Plant Talk
Happy Fourth of July!
The weather forecasters have good things in store for us this holiday weekend, so why not spend our nation’s birthday at one of the best getaways NYC has to offer? If you’re not scarfing down hot dogs and “ooh” and “ahh”-ing at the fireworks display, there’s plenty of stuff to keep you busy at the Garden all weekend long.
Guided tours, screenings of The Art of Henry Moore, edible herbs and flowers, and much more are on tap.
Saturday, July 5, schedule
Sunday, July 6, schedule
Posted in Darwin's Garden, Exhibitions, People on July 3 2008, by Plant Talk
Jane Dorfman is Reference Librarian/Exhibitions Coordinator in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library.
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| © English Heritage Photo Library |
I just returned from a short visit to the United Kingdom where a colleague from the Royal Horticultural Society Lindley Library arranged for a private tour of Down House, the home of Charles Darwin. He lived there with his family for the last 40 years of his life, experimenting with plants.
The tour of the house and garden was led by author and conservationist Randal Keynes, a great, great grandson of Charles Darwin. Erudite and charming, Mr. Keynes offered insights and details about the life and work of his extraordinary relative that enlivened and inspired the experience.
Come and be inspired, as well, by the work of Charles Darwin in the Mertz Library’s Rondina Gallery exhibit, Darwin’s Garden: An Evolutionary Adventure, which continues until July 20.
Posted in NYBG in the News on June 30 2008, by Plant Talk
People Are Talking About…
June is renowned for roses, and plenty of media took note of the magnificent Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden. But beyond the roses, which will be in bloom through the fall, people across the Web were talking about The New York Botanical Garden.
The The New York Sun featured the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden with a front page photo. Don’t fret if you missed it; you can still read the accompanying story and browse a cool photo slideshow of a gorgeous afternoon in the Rose Garden.
While there is nothing more glamorous than a beautiful rose in full bloom, the people at Glam.com took notice that some of the products at NYBG Shop in the Garden are pretty snazzy in their own right. Reviewer Jennifer Kopf had plenty of nice things to say not just about the Rose Garden but also about the wide selection of terra-cotta pots, planters, and other garden-related items.
The New York Academy of Sciences Web site, Science & the City, listed the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden’s cooking demonstration Herbal Tea and Snack Sampling. Why not take their advice and come snack on savory eats and sip herbal tea, all from plants grown at the Family Garden, during July from 1 to 5:30 p.m.
Blogger Marie from Bethlehem, PA, documented her recent trip to NYBG with a rundown of her favorite spots in the Garden, complete with full-color pictures.
Posted in Programs and Events on June 27 2008, by Plant Talk
Ah, when to the heart of man
Was it ever less than a treason
To go with the drift of things,
To yield with a grace to reason,
And bow and accept the end
Of a love or a season?
— Robert Frost, “Reluctance”
(final stanza)
Nothing lasts forever, and spring has given way to summer here at the Garden. We tried to stop it, but there are just some things that have to come to an end. Unfortunately, that holds true for some of the programming at the Garden as well. This weekend is the last time you can…
- Go on a guided bird walk (until the fall)
- Make your way to the strawberry patch in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden and create your very own berry botanical button and sample a strawberry smoothie (until next year)
- Conduct a Charles Darwin-like experiment to explore how seeds travel by water, create herbarium specimens, or explore an interactive Tree of Life in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden (closing)
- View the photography exhibit A Passionate Grower: Heirloom Melons and Squashes from the Gardens of Amy Goldman — An Exhibition of Photographs by Victor Schrager (closing)
But that’s far from all the goings on at the Garden this weekend, check out:
Posted in Programs and Events, Science on June 26 2008, by Plant Talk
How would you like to help us collect information that can lead to a better understanding of the impact of climate change on plants?
The New York Botanical Garden is looking for volunteers who are interested in being trained by experts on various aspects of plant biology and ecology, data collection and input, and then gathering facts about the Garden’s own 50-acre, old-growth Forest, the last remnant of the forest system that once covered much of New York City. The time commitment is one to two hours per week in the spring and fall for one to two years. The program is in partnership with the Northeast Regional Phenology Network and Cool Air–Clean Planet, organizations whose renowned expertise in phenology and climate change will contribute to this dynamic effort.
If you are interested in helping out, come to the open house on Friday, August 22, from 5 to 7 p.m. By becoming a Citizen Scientist, you will reap the benefits of being a Garden volunteer, including free admission, free parking, guest passes, and discounts on classes and at Shop in the Garden. For more information, contact Jackie Martinez, Director of Volunteer Services, 718.817.8564, or email volunteer@nybg.org
Posted in NYBG in the News on June 24 2008, by Plant Talk
Summer Sculpture Spectacular
Summer is descending on New York City, and that means it’s time to dust off those shorts and sandals. Right now the weather couldn’t be better, which is why it’s no surprise that NYBG’s current exhibition, Moore in America, has been noticed as one of the best outdoor sculpture exhibits in the city!
Artinfo.com gives a nice rundown of the top five NYC oudoor sculpture exhibits this summer. Moore in America is compared favorably to the other shows in the city, outranking works by Jeff Koons, Richard Deacon, and Tom Otterness.
While the art scene can seem a little stuffy and exclusive to the uninitiated, BLACK20 News breaks down Moore in America for the average Joe. According to its site, the weather commands you to come see the show: “Get a taste of culture amid your typically brain-numbing summer fare. Nature demands it!!!” How can you argue with that?
Some of the Garden’s fans in Germany and France will get the chance to see a new documentary, The Gardens of New York. European filmmaker Veronika Hofer shot portions of the doc at the Garden and other locations across New York. Hopefully we’ll get an Engligh-language version soon.
Channel Thirteen/WNET continues to air its captivating episode of New York Voices about Darwin’s Garden. Those of you who woke up too late to catch last Saturday’s 7 a.m. airing can always view the entire episode on-line. If that’s not enough, the program has an entire NYBG-devoted web page with interviews of people such as Dr. Dennis Stevenson and a tour of the Pfizer research lab.
And just because he’s so cute, here’s a preview of WNET’s piece on Snowflake, the white gorilla. Try and resist his cuteness!
Posted in Programs and Events on June 23 2008, by Plant Talk
This weekend saw rose-themed programming, the spectacular sculpture of Henry Moore, and equally spectacular weather! This week, the Garden will be especially exciting because the Farmers Market returns, chockful of sumptuous, locally-grown produce and other products. Check out our Farmers Market Flickr set for pictures of some of the lovely fruits and veggies the market has to offer. Of course, beyond the market, there are guided tours throughout the week, daily family programs, and the monumental sculpture of Henry Moore.
Here’s a rundown of this week’s events
Posted in Programs and Events, Shop/Book Reviews on June 20 2008, by Plant Talk
The new slogan for Shop in the Garden, isn’t simply a figure of speech—everything at the Garden is coming up roses.
The Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden is in full form. You’ve got plenty of chances to view these gorgeous specimens and to learn about them during the Garden’s five-month celebration, Resplendent Roses: Flower, Fragrance, and Form.
Until you come to the Garden to see them live, here’s a beautiful set of photos on our Flickr page to tide you over until your next rose fix!
