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Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Bringing the Japanese Garden Home

Posted in Adult Education on October 9 2013, by Ann Rafalko

japenese-maple-bonsaiKodai Nakazawa, the horticultural genius behind our current exhibition, Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Garden, learned his trade at Tokyo’s Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. And while it might be hard for you to replicate his genius at home (11 months of careful tending to one single plant would probably be challenging to all but the most dedicated of home gardeners, disregarding entirely the fact that some of these plants are huge!), that doesn’t mean you can’t replicate a little bit of Japan’s amazing horticultural heritage at home, and we’re setting out to prove it.

During the months of October and November, the NYBG’s acclaimed adult education program is offering a selection of classes dedicated to teaching you a variety of Japanese gardening traditions.

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This Week at the Greenmarket: Fresh & Filling

Posted in Programs and Events on October 9 2013, by Matt Newman

CauliflowerWe’re a bit under two months from the grand conclusion of 2013’s NYBG Greenmarket season, and while the hourglass is winding down for fresh, locally-grown produce at the Garden, the quality, quantity, and variety of just-picked edibles isn’t dwindling in the least. Fall is an amazing time for fruits and vegetables from our vendors, and judging by the enormous cauliflower, bright cobs of corn, and rainbow of sweet and tart apples out on display as I passed by the stalls this morning, the chill in the air should be the last thing holding up your visit.

Today, alongside the Macoun, Empire, Golden Delicious, and other varieties of fresh fall apples, there are Niagara grapes, quince, and of course the fruit juices that Red Jacket Orchards is famous for. Migliorelli Farm is in town today with green and purple kohlrabi varieties, as well as golden beets, Japanese turnips, and flat beans in abundance. And from Gajeski Produce, plan to take home Tuscan kale, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, tomatillos (amazing salsa from these) and at least three colors of gigantic cauliflower. It goes without saying that their mini pumpkins and gourds should also be on your list. Meredith’s Bread rounds out the vendors with cookies, carrot cakes, savory breads and rolls, homemade jams, lots of gluten-free options, and a seasonal specialty known as the “pumpkin explosion.” So if you’ve got a one-pumpkin-flavored-goodie-per-day rule, maybe skip the pumpkin spice latte.

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Spooky Good Fun!

Posted in Programs and Events on October 8 2013, by Ann Rafalko

halloween1It’s October, which means it’s time for pumpkin everything, leaf peeping, and spooky good times, and we can promise you all three at NYBG!

Beginning the weekend of October 18, explore the Garden after dark on four special Spooky Nighttime Adventures in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. Use all your senses to explore what happens in the dark. Listen for creepy critters in the leaf litter, thrill to the entertainers greeting you in the Visitor’s Center, decorate your own Halloween gourd to take home, and so much more!

Kids of all ages are encouraged to come in costume to really get into the spirit of the season! Spooky Nighttime Adventures have timed entrances at 6:30 and 7 p.m. on Friday, October 18; Saturday, October 19; Friday, October 25; and Saturday, October 26. If you’re looking to get the party started early, MasterCard cardholders can access special, early entrance tickets that include treats and an exploration of carnivorous plants. Why carnivorous plants? We thought you’d never ask!

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Dazzling Dahlias

Posted in Gardening Tips on October 8 2013, by Sonia Uyterhoeven

Sonia Uyterhoeven is the NYBG‘s Gardener for Public Education.

Dahlia 'Bashful'
Dahlia ‘Bashful’

The other day I was working opposite the Garden Cafe on our Seasonal Walk, the border that was designed by Dutch Designer Piet Oudolf. This border is characterized by an intermingling of permanent and ephemeral plants that drift through it, and my late season task was to deadhead the dahlias.

We have some stalwarts of the garden in this border, one of my favorites being the popular flower known as Dahlia ‘David Howard’. This dahlia was immortalized years ago in Christopher Lloyd’s borders at Great Dixter in Sussex, England, sporting dark black-purple foliage and bright apricot-orange flowers. The contrast between the foliage and flowers is stunning, while the flowers alone are quite showy with their large, 4-inch-wide, blousy double blooms. In our garden, the height of ‘David Howard’ ranges from 3 – 3.5 feet tall.

Giving ‘David Howard’ a run for his money is the stunning, blushing Dahlia ‘Bashful’. She is a prolific bloomer and grows from 30-36 inches. Her flowers remind me of a raspberry parfait. She has purplish petals that fade to mauve-lilac on the tips, each surrounding a buttery golden center. Delicious! On the morning that I went out to deadhead the dahlias, several bees were asleep on her flowers.

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Close: The Photography of Allan Pollok-Morris

Posted in Exhibitions on October 7 2013, by Matt Newman

CloseI haven’t traveled to Scotland yet, but in my thoughts it’s a green and airy place, textured with the golems of mountains, cairns, and foggy grasslands. Admittedly that’s a romantic generalization better left to youthful misconceptions. But there’s still something to that old notion when I view the landscapes in Allan Pollok-Morris’ atmospheric photographs, prints of which are now being hung in The New York Botanical Garden‘s Ross Gallery. From what I’ve seen so far, the opening of our visiting Close exhibition should be an escape for any visitor.

Inspired by the outdoor art installations, gardens, and sculpted landscapes that multinational artists have wrought throughout Scotland’s challenging country, Pollok-Morris’ set out over the course of five years to meet these creators and photograph their lasting contributions to the world around them. But the name of the exhibition, “Close,” might warrant a deeper explanation for those without the benefit of a Scottish upbringing.

“No one collective description can be applied to the wide variety of subjects in this group,” Pollok-Morris writes. “Instead, when choosing a name, I opted for a small, unassuming word which, in Scottish dialect, was used to describe a landscape so inspirational that heaven seemed closer to earth in that place. For example, I grew up in MacGregor country, where it is said the most famous member of this clan, Rob Roy MacGregor, was buried in Balquhidder because he had described the glen as ‘close’.”

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