After October’s storm and the following clean-up period, we hopped right into November’s seasonal preparations with the Holiday Train Show. Our kiku bid a fond “adieu” as they made room in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory for New York’s most cherished winter tradition. And did I mention the leaves on the trees? Fall had arrived–loud, clear, and bursting with the warmest hues.
Paul Busse and his team at Applied Imagination are nothing if they’re not diligent (and brilliantly creative). Setting up the Holiday Train Show takes no small amount of time or ingenuity, and for the last 20 years they have continued to produce one of New York’s most delightful holiday experiences. This year, we set up a time-lapse camera in the Conservatory so our readers could get a better idea of just how the whole process goes down.
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.
Joyce H. Newman is the editor of Consumer Reports’ GreenerChoices.org, and has been a Garden Tour Guide with The New York Botanical Garden for the past six years.
In front of our Visitor Center Café is an amazing specimen of Norway spruce (Picea abies), a species often known for its annual appearance as the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.
Our Norway spruce is part of the Arthur and Janet Ross Conifer Arboretum at the NYBG and was planted around 1940. Its medium to dark green needles are four-sided, resting on branches that gracefully droop down, designed to be flexible in a heavy snowfall.
Norway spruces can grow to as high as 90 or 100 feet, with a lifespan similar to that of a human being. They are native to the mountains and foothills of Northern Europe rather than the U.S., although they have become popular screening plants here. They grow just about one foot each year, which is considered fairly quick.
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.
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?
Last week’s Shopping and Champagne was the kind of evening you always hope to enjoy in New York! I decided to head over to the Shop in the Garden a few minutes early to see how things were panning out for the organizers before the guests arrived. I passed a few families on the way, just come from the Conservatory, the kids bouncing around and the parents pushing strollers toward the gate; everyone seemed to be in an upbeat mood after seeing the Holiday Train Show.
The chill in the air made for the kind of stillness that pairs so well with holiday lights, which you’ll find dotted all around our Visitor Center (you can’t possibly miss the sparkling conifer display). Then six o’clock rolled in and brought with it a new crowd.
The weekend is just about here! I’m sure you’ve been anxious to see those words over the last couple of days (or the entire week). But if you don’t have any Saturday or Sunday plans just yet, might I make a suggestion? The New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show is approaching peak weeks, and now is the best time to get in before the rest of the city realizes what it’s missing! It’s about to get busy here at the NYBG.
Our Saturday and Sunday events offer plenty of seasonal entertainment, but we’ll also be hosting several fun outdoor and educational activities to make your trip even more worthwhile. That’s why this weekend is the perfect time to hop a Metro-North train to the Bronx and drop by our 250-acre stretch of beauty. Prep your itinerary, because there’s quite a bit to do!
You want to pay a visit to this year’s Holiday Train Show, but you’re not sure when you should stop by. We understand the dilemma! Seasonal events are popping up all over the city, and as we hurry toward the December holidays, more and more people are venturing out to see the sights and take in the lights. It seems like everyone is on the same schedule! And sooner or later, you find yourself stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on a Saturday night, wondering if you’ve actually been sucked back into the weekday commute. It can be hectic. But there’s a way to avoid the hassle.
One of the highlights of the winter social calendar is, without doubt, The New York Botanical Garden’s Winter Wonderland Ball. The Ball serves as an exclusive chance for the Garden’s Junior Patrons to enjoy the magic of the Holiday Train Show as well as cocktails, dinner, and dancing.
But what to wear when the invitation suggests “Winter white, and black, black tie”? We asked fashion designer and member of the Ball’s Benefit Committee Chris Benz what he thinks ladies should wear to this most festive event.
I think the Winter Wonderland Ball is the perfect moment to dress up in full holiday glamour Think white, silver, texture, glitter and luxury It’s also a great time to play with accessories A little bit of dramatic sparkle
and shine go a long way!
~ Chris Benz
The look at the right from Benz’s 2011 Resort Collection is a perfect example of this luxe look, and it looks perfectly delightful to us!
