Inside The New York Botanical Garden
Exhibitions
Posted in Holiday Train Show on January 25 2012, by Matt Newman
Kickstarting the imaginations of children is the kind of gratification you love to run into here at the NYBG. Some exhibitions–the Holiday Train Show, for one–just happen to be especially good at creating the perfect incubator for young creativity. And with stories like these, it’s always a perk to follow up.
Back in December we received a suggestion for our “20 Days” series from an administrator at the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich, Connecticut, explaining just how excited the kids were by their visit to the Garden in 2010. They were so ecstatic, in fact, that the club decided to give its own train show a try. For 2011’s traditional visit, the kids put their patience and skill together in recreating the Greenwich landmarks they grew up with. And this was no half-baked homework assignment: they even set up their own running model train.
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Posted in Adult Education, Exhibitions, Photography on January 20 2012, by Matt Newman
This year’s Caribbean Garden promises to be even more photogenic than the last! The picturesque fronds and flowers of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory‘s permanent collection once again take the spotlight to promote not only the beauty you see, but the beauty you create.
Walk the pathways of the Conservatory on a tour of our verdant living collections. Award-winning photos from the International Garden Photographer of the Year contest–taken in gardens around the world–will be on display alongside plants from around the Caribbean. Enjoy the beautiful photographs and access additional information on the photographers, their inspiration, and the techniques they used to capture these stunning images by simply scanning a code on each sign with your smartphone. And on Sundays, join one of two accomplished photographers for a brief course on the basics of garden shooting.
Whether you’re green to the art or just looking to brush up on your technique, come for some winter weather relief and don’t forget your camera.
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Posted in Adult Education, Around the Garden, The Edible Garden on January 19 2012, by Joyce Newman
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, sign up for “The Temptation of Chocolate” with NYBG expert Jessica Bohn, Saturday, February 11 at the Midtown Education Center.
Did you know the main ingredient in chocolate comes from the fruit of the cacao tree? Perhaps you read our earlier article on “cauliflory” in trees like this one. Lucky for us there are cacao trees (Theobroma cacao) thriving in The New York Botanical Garden’s tropical rainforest, a part of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. In fact, two of our cacao trees now have cocoa bean pods growing on them, each one about six inches long and dark brown.
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Posted in Exhibitions on January 17 2012, by Matt Newman
Each year, as winter charges through, every commercial break on television chimes in with the daydream of a tropical paradise–swimsuits, warmth, and salsa music. Suddenly a car horn blares and the vision fades, leaving a woman with a headcold shivering at an icy New York bus stop. It’s as predictable as the sun rising. But while we can’t just let you hop through the visitor gates in your neon two-piece, The New York Botanical Garden brings more than a mirage to the table; the daydream becomes reality this month. Starting January 21, the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory brings the tropics to the city with Caribbean Garden.
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Posted in Holiday Train Show on January 13 2012, by Matt Newman
There are three days between now and the end of the 20th Holiday Train Show. Hands in the Conservatory are already preparing to pull down the tracks and gently store away the trains and miniatures, and soon the space will host fresh events and exhibitions of a more tropical nature. It’s something of a bittersweet moment for those of us here at the NYBG; it wasn’t that long ago that Paul Busse’s team was rolling out the first of the city’s bridges.
Since we unveiled the display in early November, thousands of people–kids and adults, first-timers and yearly regulars–have passed through the glass doors of the dome to view our sparkling homage to the city and the season. And while we’re sad to see the delicate landmarks disappear until next fall, we’re making the most of the time we still have to show the holidays the proper bon voyage.
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Posted in Holiday Train Show on December 23 2011, by Matt Newman
Can you believe the Christmas weekend is already at our doorstep, and Hanukkah well underway? Before you can bat an eye, you’ll be up to your ears in New Year’s party planning while trying to decide on your resolutions for 2012 (as shaky as they always turn out in practice).
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves! If you’re in search of a way to entertain the in-laws and maybe a place to knock out those last few items on your all-too-lengthy gift list (nothing to be ashamed of; I’m so far behind on my shopping I’m thinking of giving everyone scratch-offs), there are still a few chances to catch the Holiday Train Show before Sunday.
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Posted in Holiday Train Show on December 17 2011, by Matt Newman
“I was so nervous to bring him because he was weak and worn out, but he was so thrilled by the show that I think he forgot about his health issues.”
…
For the past 20 days, our visitors have shared their fondest memories from 20 years of the Holiday Train Show–some of them touching, some comical, and every one of them cherished. Each day Plant Talk has featured a new story, which you can see the last of after the jump, along with a feature on one of the many replica New York City landmarks on display in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory–the Guggenheim Museum, Yankee Stadium, the Empire State Building and more.
As a bonus, read on to find out how you can win a Family Four-Pack of Holiday Train Show tickets for yourself! Today is your last chance!
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Posted in Holiday Train Show on December 16 2011, by Matt Newman
You might be sitting at home right now, wondering if this will be the year you finally visit the Holiday Train Show. We know what you’re thinking, too: “It’s just for keeping the kids busy,” or “What’s the point in going if I don’t have relatives to bring along?” But we understand that not everyone’s out to snap family photos in matching holiday sweaters and Santa hats. Regardless of how old (or young) you are, or whether you’re a tourist (or a native), The New York Botanical Garden has something worth seeing this holiday season.
Our Holiday Train Show is the perfect chance for everyone to get out and make new memories.
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Posted in Holiday Train Show on December 16 2011, by Matt Newman
“And so, with a slight hesitation, I turned over my trusty Canon to the tiny hands of my nephew.”
…
From now until December 17, our visitors will be sharing their fondest memories from 20 years of the Holiday Train Show–some of them touching, some comical, and every one of them cherished. Come back to Plant Talk each day for a new story, which you can see after the jump along with a feature on one of the many replica New York City landmarks on display in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory–the Guggenheim Museum, Yankee Stadium, the Empire State Building and more.
As a bonus, read on to find out how you can win a Family Four-Pack of Holiday Train Show tickets for yourself!
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Posted in Around the Garden, Holiday Train Show, Photography on December 16 2011, by Matt Newman
It might take you a few seconds to figure out what’s going on in this picture. It’s okay–it took me a little while, too. Can you make out the piece of the puzzle that gives it away?
Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Kickstarting the imaginations of children is the kind of gratification you love to run into here at the NYBG. Some exhibitions–the Holiday Train Show, for one–just happen to be especially good at creating the perfect incubator for young creativity. And with stories like these, it’s always a perk to follow up.
