Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Exhibitions

The Train Show–From the Kid’s Point of View

Posted in Holiday Train Show on December 14 2010, by Plant Talk

Ann Rafalko is Director of Online Content.

On Sunday, as promised a month ago, I was finally able to bring my nephews, ages 2 and 5, up to the Holiday Train Show. They were blown away by the experience and were predictably thrilled to see their good buddy Thomas in attendance.

The Train Show - Shot by Jasper, Age 5

What surprised me was when my older nephew, Jasper, grabbed my hand while I was snapping a picture.  Jasper pulled me down to his level and said “Annie, you’re not taking the right pictures. Can I try?” And so, with a slight hesitation, I turned over my trusty G9 to the tiny hands of my nephew.

More photos from Jasper, age 5, below.

Little Trains, Big Trains

Posted in Holiday Train Show on December 10 2010, by Plant Talk

There’s no denying it. Here at The New York Botanical Garden, we love trains.  There’s our amazing Holiday Train Show, of course.  There’s Tootle the Train™, who made his world debut on the stage right here in the Bronx. We’ve got the Little Engine that Could™, and  we hear that Thomas™ will be stopping by for a visit, too. So why not take the train to come see the trains?Holiday Train Show in the Conservatory

To help you do just that, we’ve teamed up with New York City’s MTA New York City Transit! Through December 17, 2010, and then again January 4 – 7, 2011, show your MetroCard you’ll save 30% on weekday tickets to the Train Show!  There’s some fine print, of course, so head over to the MTA’s site and check out all the details, and be sure to plan your trip using Trip Planner–it’ll provide you with step-by-step directions to the Garden, while factoring in any planned service changes.

The Holiday Train Show at The New York Botanical Garden is an entire day of fun for the whole family … especially when you take the train to see the trains!

Let the Holiday Train Show Take You for a Ride

Posted in Exhibitions, Exhibitions, Holiday Train Show, Video on November 25 2010, by Plant Talk

Rustin Dwyer is Visual Media Production Specialist at The New York Botanical Garden.

Don’t miss your chance to walk through a miniature New York cityscape, teeming with garden-scale model trains. Running through January 9, the Holiday Train Show offers New Yorkers (and visitors too!) a chance to see their city in a completely new way. Lose yourself among 140 beloved New York landmarks as the trains zip along over a quarter-mile of track in this miniature world inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.

Your trip to the Garden doesn’t end with the trains though. Performances of Tootle the Train™ and the Little Engine That Could™ along with Gingerbread Adventures in the Discovery Center run daily. Grab a bite in one of our two Cafes, get in some holiday shopping at the Shop in the Garden or just marvel at the 250 acres of natural beauty.

Get you tickets today!

Little Golden Book Comes to Life At Garden’s Tootle Performances

Posted in Exhibitions, Exhibitions, Holiday Train Show, Video on November 24 2010, by Plant Talk

Rustin Dwyer is Visual Media Production Specialist at The New York Botanical Garden.

Even pushing 65 years old, he’s still the lovable little engine who just wants to play in the field. In honor of our annual Holiday Train Show, Tootle the Train™ , the star of the classic Little Golden Book, has pulled into Botanical Garden station for a series of performances at the Janet and Arthur Ross Lecture Hall.

The show runs on most days, so be sure to check the website for dates and times.

Misty Mums

Posted in Exhibitions on November 23 2010, by Plant Talk

Because Tuesday is the new Wednesday (at least in this three-day week), we thought we’d take a moment to celebrate the sublime beauty of the Japanese Chrysanthemums currently on display in the Nolen Greenhouses. The mums will only be around until Sunday, November 28. Be sure to bring your camera and a great macro lens, and join our Flickr group pool to show us your best shots.

So why not take advantage of your four-day weekend and come for a visit! There’s plenty more going on at the Garden, too. There’s the Holiday Train Show, hikes in the Forest, a theatrical performance of the beloved Golden Book “Tootle the Train,” and plenty of great shopping.  Enjoy!

Let’s Hear it For Youth Gardens!

Posted in The Edible Garden on November 23 2010, by Plant Talk

Written by Burpee Home Gardens Team. Burpee Home Gardens was a Supporting Sponsor of The Edible Garden.

I Can GrowGetting kids to make healthy food choices can be a struggle. One of the best ways to encourage children to eat more fruits and vegetable is to provide them with a sense of ownership and understanding of where their food comes from. Children-focused vegetable gardens are a great way to start.

In 2010, Burpee Home Gardens was happy to sponsor a handful of community and youth gardens all over the United States through its “I Can Grow” initiative. We saw the excitement in the participants’ eyes, and we were honored to be a part of programs like The New York Botanical Garden’s The Edible Garden, where the interest in cooking with home-grown produce was celebrated.

Now we’re thrilled to be offering even more chances for youth- and education-focused gardening programs to get the funding and plants they need to be successful and fun. The 2011 “I Can Grow” Youth Garden Award will support and sponsor urban school and community youth gardens with vegetable and herb plants, garden layout expertise, event promotion, and of course money for supplies!

Learn how to apply for this award below.

It’s Official: The Holidays Are Here!

Posted in Holiday Train Show on November 18 2010, by Plant Talk

Sure, we know it’s not even Thanksgiving yet (somebody better tell Ms. Turkey here to go into hiding for the next few days), but that doesn’t mean we can’t start getting festive here at The New York Botanical Garden!

Setting-Up at The Holiday Train ShowFriday marks the unofficial start of the season here at the Botanical Gardens when members are invited to take a sneak peek at the amazing Holiday Train Show.

We've got so many great things planned for Saturday, the first public day of the Train Show. Get the full details below!

I Hear Those Trains a Comin’

Posted in Exhibitions, Holiday Train Show on November 17 2010, by Plant Talk

Rustin Dwyer is Visual Media Production Specialist at The New York Botanical Garden.

Thanksgiving is almost upon us and that means one thing at The New York Botanical Garden: The Holiday Train Show is coming!

The artists and craftsmen from Applied Imagination made their annual journey from Kentucky to set up and decorate an array amazing botanical creations and model trains. Right now, they’re busy inside the recently renovated Enid A. Haupt Conservatory They’re putting the finishing touches on in time for opening day this Saturday!

Join director of exhibitions Karen Daubmann for a quick tour of the making of the Holiday Train Show.

Historic Images of Stone Mill on Display

Posted in Exhibitions on November 12 2010, by Plant Talk

Jane Dorfman was Reference Librarian/Exhibitions Coordinator in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library.

In recognition of the newly renovated and rededicated Lillian and Amy Goldman Stone Mill, the LuEsther T. Mertz Library has installed a display in the Rare Book and Folio Room window that details the evolution of the building.

The display includes historic images of the dam and the two mills built by the Lorillards, the family who purchased the site in 1792 on the property that would become The New York Botanical Garden. The family built a major tobacco manufacturing company, one that rivaled those in Virginia. The top image pictured is circa 1936 and the other is from 1967.

Originally built in 1840, the current structure was the third mill on the site. The mill used the Bronx River to power the waterwheels that produced tobacco and snuff. The mill was abandoned in 1870 when the company moved to New Jersey and was later purchased by the City of New York for parkland. It wasn’t until 1937 that the mill was officially transferred to the Garden.

The display will run through January and is available for viewing during Library hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 12–6 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 12–5 p.m.

Click here to view a video of the opening of the Stone Mill in September.