Esther Jackson is the Public Services Librarian at NYBG’s LuEsther T. Mertz Library where she manages Reference and Circulation services and oversees the Plant Information Office. She spends much of her time assisting researchers, providing instruction related to library resources, and collaborating with NYBG staff on various projects related to Garden initiatives and events.
Gardening is often praised for the health benefits it provides. Those who garden or have gardened regularly can attest to the physical challenges and demands of the hobby or profession, and the full-body workout that gardening can often provide. Gardener’s Yoga positions itself as a resource that will allow readers to ease the aches and pains associated with gardening, and strengthen muscle groups often used in common garden chores. Additionally, the yoga poses that have been selected are intended to be easy on the hands and knees, as these areas of the body often withstand repetitious movement when gardening.
Happy Arbor Day! There is no better time to show love for trees than during flowering tree season. Right now the crabapples have picked up where the cherry blossoms left off with their own colorful display—and that’s only the beginning of what’s beautiful now at NYBG!
The 25th Anniversary Antique Garden Furniture Fair opened last night with its festive Preview Party, and this weekend’s visitors can admire fine antiques and treasures for the garden and the garden room from 30 leading exhibitors in the Conservatory Tent. On grounds, spring’s progress continues across NYBG’s historic landscape. The Azalea Garden is at 75% of peak color, and the newly-reopened Lilac Collection is debuting its fragrant blossoms for the enjoyment of visitors. View highlights from across the Garden in the gallery below, and plan your visit today!
Nestled in the Norwegian Arctic, secure in an underground vault, rests one resource mankind cannot live without: seeds. The vault is a piece of a larger project of agricultural pioneer Cary Fowler in a passionate race against time to protect the future of our food supply, as captured in a documentary film Seeds of Time.
We sat down with Fowler in advance of our Earth Day screening of Seeds of Time to learn more about preserving biodiversity in agricultural crops and what filmgoers can do to help.
As winter enters its final weeks—and not a moment too soon!—the earliest blooms of the year are beginning to appear on NYBG’s landmark grounds. Kristin Schleiter, our own AVP for Outdoor Gardens and Senior Curator, gives an overview of the unique and intrepid first flowers of this season, including fragrant snow drops and witch-hazel, in this new video.
Beyond the tropical color of The Orchid Show: Orchidelirium, there is still plenty of seasonal beauty to appreciate throughout the 250-acre landscape surrounding the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. View the video below, and join us in eager anticipation of much-awaited spring and many more blossoms to come!
Waves of students pool together inside the queues of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory as they eagerly wait to explore its many biomes and exhibitions. A cluster at the front of the line indicates the children are balancing precariously on tip-toes to glance at the imposing structure placed near the entrance of the building. While some eyes light with recognition of the word “Macy’s” labeled on the brown, box-like creation, others are entranced by the toy train which circles it in an infinite loop. This grand replica of Manhattan’s famous department store, festively decorated with sprouting horns of white branches and red yuletide ornaments, stands as the captivating introduction to The New York Botanical Garden’s annual Holiday Train Show.
As GreenSchool’s intern for the 2015–2016 academic year, I am able to interact with these students and discuss what they observed as they participate in the GreenSchool’s plant science workshop, “Building with Botany.” Just like the Holiday Train Show which was restructured and expanded this year, so was its complementary workshop. “Building with Botany” is now a fully involved STEAM program; like its acronym, it seamlessly integrates science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics.
TheHoliday Train Show is in full swing with plenty of activities to get you in the holiday spirit—and with the thermometer nearing 60 degrees, there aren’t many excuses to stay inside! Better yet, we will be open this Monday as well as the following two Mondays—perfect for when the kids start their vacation or when visiting family members come to town.
Kids and the young at heart will delight in the scaled models of classic New York landmarks, built entirely of bark, twigs, seeds, and other natural materials, while seeing G-scale trains zip between these works of art is a special treat. And this weekend features a holiday a cappella group singing your favorite carols; a live poetry reading with former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins on Saturday, featuring works including those on display at the Leon Levy Visitor Center and Perennial Garden Way; and the first installment of the Winter Harmonies Concert Series on Sunday, featuring Le Train Bleu and acclaimed flutist and music director Ransom Wilson.
Come see why a winter visit to the Garden has become one of New York’s favorite holiday traditions. Grab your tickets today!
Please give today! Your gift makes everything we do possible: conserving the plants of the world, creating a green urban oasis for New York City, teaching science to city kids, connecting gardening to the arts and humanities, and anchoring the community. This year, please consider making a fully tax-deductible gift to help us make a difference.
This year’s all-new Holiday Train Show® opens on Saturday, November 21—with more trains, more landmarks, and more dining options than ever! This year’s exhibition features 3,000 square feet of additional exhibition space, making room for dozens of new trains, bridges, and tracks; a captivating short film of the show’s behind-the-scenes magic; and a stunning multisensory finale of light and sound. With something for everyone, plan your holiday visit today.
New this year, the MasterCard® Gingerbread Café creates a festive setting to enjoy a kid-approved menu of sandwiches, soups, salads, and desserts; two gourmet food trucks offering burgers and tacos; and a variety of holiday-themed activities. Color in a gingerbread activity sheet, and stop by our photo kiosk for a memorable souvenir. MasterCard Cardholders receive a complimentary sweet treat with a purchase of $10 or more.
Frosty’s Schnapps Haus, a Bavarian-themed outdoor dining option to keep you warm in winter, offers a variety of treats such as roasted chestnuts and pretzels from an authentic pretzel cart as well as spiked hot beverages. Also at the Visitor Center, enjoy first-class culinary creations at the Pine Tree Café amid one of the Garden’s arboreal wonders: a world-renowned collection of rare and unusual pines from Asia, Europe, and North America that features century-old specimens nearly 100 feet tall. The family-friendly menu ranges from artisanal panini, Neapolitan-style pizza, and signature salads to sweet treats and snacks. For a full-service dining experience, make a reservation at the Hudson Garden Grill, offering innovative New American cuisine and locally sourced ingredients.
Click through to view the full schedule of special events for this weekend’s grand opening—including our annual holiday tree lighting. Plan your visit, and come hungry!
Summer may be winding down, but the festivities of the Garden are heating up. With FRIDA KAHLO: Art, Garden, Life in full swing there is no time like the present to experience the blockbuster exhibition, amid the backdrop of late summer flora seen throughout the massive garden grounds.
On Saturday, tour the Ross Conifer Arboretum where you will see and learn about the majestic world of conifers, with a few rarities that can only be found in select locations around the world, and of course, here at the Garden. Or Tour the historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, exploring various habitats from around the world, all housed under one ceiling.
Sunday calls for even more tours! Learn about the aquatic house at the Conservatory, where you’ll see an acre of plants under glass. Or explore the Thain Family Forest, a 50-acre uncut woodland area, with experienced guides. But if you really just want a general gist of the Garden, then go on the Garden Highlight Tour, featuring pinnacle gardens and plants of the New York Botanical Garden.
And don’t forget about Frida! See rare works of her art at the Library, then go over to the Conservatory to see her home and garden, Casa Azul, come alive. This exhibition is not to be missed! So get your tickets now, and see the Garden before the summer’s over!
