Rustin Dwyer is Visual Media Production Specialist at The New York Botanical Garden.
An Ethno-what? It’s an all too common question for New York Botanical Garden Research Specialist Ina Vandebroek. Ethnobotany is a field many people take for granted and Ina finds that just saying “I work with plants” doesn’t quite explain it. Traveling the Caribbean, Ina has worked with local communities to document how plants have been and continue to be used medicinally. We took a quick visit to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory with Ina, where many Caribbean specimens are on display during The Caribbean Garden.
“Medicinal plants are a source for a lot of today’s pharmaceutical medicines,” said Vandebroek. “In a lot of places around the world people use plants as their only and first form of health care, so basically what ethnobotanists do is we go out to these remote places and we study how people use plants.”
Despite the fact humans have been using plants since the dawn of time, when thinking of ethnobotany many find it hard to get past the ideas of beat-influence Richard Schultes and Sean Connory’s rugged grey ponytail in the film Medicine Man. “It’s so much more than hallucinogenics and finding the next cure for cancer,” Ina said, laughing. “Its about helping communities that are really in need. We try to promote it as a science that can help local communities in conservation of their bio-cultural diversity.”
Ina’s current focus is on the flora of the Dominican Republic. She works not only in the Caribbean, but here in New York City with Dominican immigrants, frequenting many Botanicas.”We try to give those results back to them in the form of guides books as well as workshops within the community. We can also have programs together with universities to isolate bioactive compounds and those could lead to new medicines for humankind.”
Here’s a quick video about Ina’s thoughts on ethnobotany and a few of her favorite Caribbean plants on display now in the Conservatory.
You can find out a little more about her work here.
Travis Beck, Landscape and Gardens Project Manager, The New York Botanical Garden
Every time I’ve spoken to a landscape architect or nursery grower about taking an ecological approach to landscape design–something I’ve been doing a lot throughout the planning and development of the Garden‘s new Native Plant Garden–I keep hearing the same phrase repeated over and over: “You should talk to Colston Burrell.”
Up until this point I’ve known Burrell mostly through his writing. Of recent note is his American Horticultural Society (AHS) award-winning Hellebores: A Comprehensive Guide. This is the time of year when I really start looking forward to the blooming of the Lenten Rose and other garden hellebores, but Burrell’s knowledge goes far beyond the mere beauty of these harbingers of spring. Another book of his that won an AHS book award is A Gardener’s Encyclopedia of Wildflowers. Wildflowers . . . Now isn’t that just a friendly term for native plants? Burrell is deeply involved with using and promoting native plants, whether he’s lecturing on plants and ecology at the University of Virginia, getting his hands dirty in his own garden, or working on designs through his firm Native Landscape Design and Restoration.
There are a lot of reasons to use native plants. They’re also commonly misunderstood, both by those who overestimate their powers, and those who underestimate their potential. I’m looking forward to getting a real plantsman’s perspective on how to use native plants in the landscape, the perspective of someone who loves wildflowers and hellebores with equal passion. That’s why I’ll be in the front row on February 17, when Colston Burrell speaks as part of NYBG’s 2011 Winter Lecture Series. I hope to see you there!
It may seem hard to believe, but signs of spring are all around us here at the Garden. The Chinese witch-hazel has unfurled its sunny, yellow streamers, the Magnolia kobus near the Visitor Center is covered in buds, and there’s still a faint glow in the sky when we all head to Botanical Garden station to catch the 6:04 p.m. train back into the city. But, this is not to say that we all couldn’t use another assurance that spring is on its way. And isn’t the promise of being taught how to arrange the most gorgeous, fragrant spring flowers–lilies of the valley, muscari, lilacs–by two of Brooklyn’s most sought-after florists the very thing to raise your spirits?
Arrangement from the class Spring Flowers 101, photo courtesy of the Little Flower School
The first class, Fragrant Flowers, will be held on Wednesday, May 16 from 6-9 p.m in Manhattan at our Midtown Center. The class will focus on the art of layering flowers, not just to form a pleasing arrangement, but also to create an amazing aroma.
On Saturday, June 4, from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. join Sarah and Nicolette at the Garden for From Garden to Vase. The class will begin with a curator-led tour of the Garden, and then after a break for lunch students will head inside to make wild, lush arrangements inspired by the Garden and featuring some very special cuttings from the grounds!
From Garden to Vase will be repeated on Sunday, September 11 from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. to take advantage of fall’s beautiful flowers, fruit, and foliage.
We are so excited to have Sarah and Nicolette joining us for these amazing classes at the Garden! Space is limited, so be sure to register for one, two, or all three soon.
A 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.
On Thursday, February 17, garden designer, award-winning author, photographer, naturalist, and teacher 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.
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.
Christmas has always been a DIY holiday. Who hasn’t strung cranberries and popcorn on thread to use as a homemade garland? Or maybe you’ve used an old hanger from they dry cleaner as a frame for a wreath of pine boughs scavenged from the woods or dusted pine cones in sparkling glitter for a pretty candlelit party buffet?
Know someone who would love to take a class at The New York Botanical Garden? Adult education gift certificates make a fantastic Christmas gift for the gardener or crafter in your life.
Our friend and fellow New York City institution, MoMA, has gotten in on the terrarium trend with the installation of two absolutely astonishing terrariums in their 53rd Street lobby by the garden designer and terrariumist, Paula Hayes. Paula’s fantastic installation (be sure to watch the video) are definitely a step beyond what most of us are used to cobbling together in an old fish tank or cookie jar, but that doesn’t mean they’re beyond our reach.
Landscape Design Alumni Give Back in Honor of Fellow Student
Valerie D’Antonio holds a Certificate in Landscape Design from The New York Botanical Garden’s Continuing Education program and is principal and owner of D’Antonio Landscape Designs, Inc.
The principle of genius loci, a Latin phrase indicating the spirit of a place, is one that landscape designers use to get a sense of a space before they begin to create a garden.
The idea is that every space has its own unique qualities and atmosphere, factors that should be respected during design. There is a feeling one gets when experiencing the intangibles that define a space. For example, a long, winding path through the woods can evoke a quiet, churchlike air.
This particular drizzly, cloudy day as I drive through the Conservatory Gate at The New York Botanical Garden, which I have done countless times, I am greeted by exuberant waves of giant striped grasses, blood-red coleus, and purple Russian sage, which light up the gray skies and fill me with excitement and anticipation.
Another wonderful space, the allée of majestic tulip trees, leads me to the beautifully restored Library building, which gives me a feeling of calm and wonder. The Jane Watson Irwin Perennial Garden, designed by Lynden B. Miller and punctuated with evergreen ‘Sky Pencil’ hollies, Japanese maple fall-colored leaves, and bird-favorite seed heads of perennial black-eyed Susans and coneflowers, is another one of the Garden’s spaces that exudes a feeling of lushness and beauty.
I love bulbs. When we bought our house upstate a few summers ago, I couldn’t wait to see what would come up in our yard come spring. After several chilly gray months, my impatience … I mean patience, was rewarded with a dazzling display. It turns out our front garden is a perfect place for naturalizing not just daffodils, hyacinths and crocuses, but also tulips!
And so for the past two falls I have diligently supplemented the beautiful display entrusted to us by our old farm house’s previous owners. But the thing I’m realizing now is that I don’t really know how to plant bulbs. I mean, sure, I can dig a little hole and stick the bulb in (and the plantings have become much more successful now that my husband knows which end of the bulb goes up), but I don’t know anything about designing my bulb plantings. And don’t even get me started on integrating bulbs with perennials!
So it is with great anticipation that I am looking forward to a class being offered here at the Garden on Tuesday, November 23 with acclaimed landscape architect Jacqueline van der Kloet and renowned Dutch bulb expert Frans Roozen. I absolutely love the Seasonal Walk here at the Garden which was designed by Jacqueline and her collaborator Piet Oudolf (with whom she worked on Manhattan’s High Line). It is a gorgeous, long stretch of a garden that intermingles bulbs and tubers, perennials, flowering shrubs, trees, and amazing ornamental grasses. Jacqueline will offer insight into this wonderful technique while Frans will offer technical advice on planning, planting, and naturalizing bulbs.
Teachers Come Free October 11 for Special Workshop & The Edible Garden
Jamie Boyer, Ph.D., is Director of Children’s Education.
Now that autumn has arrived, most gardeners are turning their attention to harvesting and preparing their garden beds for winter. It would seem an unlikely time to think about starting a garden, especially at a school. However, anyone who has ventured down this road of creating and integrating a garden into a school curriculum knows there is a fair amount of needed preparation. In order to make the garden everything that is desired, school teachers and administrators need a planning period; autumn is the perfect time to start that process.
What many may not realize is that there are many different reasons to create a garden as well as many designs to accommodate the needs of the school community. For example, a garden may seem like an easy fit for those who teach science and desire a display garden to explore life cycles, soils, and plant-animal interactions.
Less obvious may be the important math, literacy, cultural, and community connections that a garden can offer. A garden that demonstrates dazzling patterns and quick-germinating plants to measure growth may be perfect for learning real-life math. A theme garden that displays a concept or a culture, such as a Native American three-sisters garden, is a great way for students to understand how plants are integral to communities.
Whatever the need or desire, The New York Botanical Garden has school garden experts who can help.
To this end, the Children’s Education department will be hosting its annual Teacher Open House from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Columbus Day, October 11. In addition to learning about the engaging nature programs in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, and forest explorations with the GreenSchool, this year’s event will include workshops at the Howell Family Garden to help teachers learn about building, managing, and integrating a garden into their everyday school routine.
So come for free (20 percent discount for family members) and enjoy The Edible Garden, see celebrity cooking demonstrations, chat with Children’s Education staff, and participate in gardening workshops. For more information or to RSVP, please call 718.817.8157. See you there!
Susan Cohen, Portfolio Series Founder, Named to ASLA Council of Fellows
Jeff Downing is Vice President for Education.
Often, landscape design is most successful when it is least apparent. Perhaps because landscapes serve partly as transitions from the natural to the built world, many great landscape projects are noteworthy for being so harmonious with their surrounding environments that they seem timeless, as though they were always there.
The same could be said for the Landscape Design Portfolio Lecture Series. The Portfolio Series, which features renowned landscape architects from around the world discussing their most important projects, is presented each year in midtown Manhattan on Monday evenings in October and November. Over the years, the series has become so ingrained in the Garden’s fall calendar as a must-see event that it is easy to believe it has always existed. But it did not.
The Portfolio Series is the brainchild of Susan Cohen, Registered Landscape Architect and Coordinator of the Garden’s Landscape Design Certificate Program. From its inception in 1998, Susan envisioned the series as a platform to showcase world-renowned landscape architects, and a logical extension of the Garden’s popular landscape design program. In the 12 years since, the portfolio series has featured 50 influential designers of outdoor spaces large and small, public and private.
An Ethno-what? It’s an all too common question for New York Botanical Garden Research Specialist Ina Vandebroek. Ethnobotany is a field many people take for granted and Ina finds that just saying “I work with plants” doesn’t quite explain it. Traveling the Caribbean, Ina has worked with local communities to document how plants have been and continue to be used medicinally. We took a quick visit to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory with Ina, where many Caribbean specimens are on display during The Caribbean Garden.
Every time I’ve spoken to a landscape architect or nursery grower about taking an ecological approach to landscape design–something I’ve been doing a lot throughout the planning and development of the 
A good lecture can serve as a catalyst for change, and this year’s 
The lectures are being held at the Garden in the 
Christmas has always been a DIY holiday. Who hasn’t strung cranberries and popcorn on thread to use as a homemade garland? Or maybe you’ve used an old hanger from they dry cleaner as a frame for a wreath of pine boughs scavenged from the woods or dusted pine cones in sparkling glitter for a pretty candlelit party buffet?
