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.
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.
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!
Even with the chill of the coming winter, there’s a warmth to holiday decorations. Wind a string of soft white icicle lights over the hedge outside, hang a few glittering strands from the curtain rods–it’s the easiest way to forget mornings spent shoveling snow or scraping ice off the car windshield (they’ll be here soon enough). And with the smell of pine trees drifting on the breeze, the combination makes for picturesque evenings, especially here at The New York Botanical Garden.
Nights at the NYBG aren’t often open to the public, though, as it’s sort of challenging to see our spring flowers in the dark–trust me on that one. But come winter, with the Holiday Train Show’s model trains humming about the tracks and the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory glowing like a beacon in the city, we throw open the doors to show you a Garden in rare form. The lights laced like garlands throughout the Train Show bring out the elegance of the miniature landmarks with a subtlety that sunlight just can’t match, lending a kind of fairytale charm to the display.
Walking up the path through the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, I noticed something hanging on the air that I haven’t caught in a while. I don’t mean the sound of kids giggling, though there’s often plenty of that floating around if you simply stop and listen. It was something else. Something…decidedly unpumpkin.
Yes, it’s that quintessential holiday potpourri: the smell of sugar and spice!
And I’m talking about authentic sugar and spice–not the cloud of cinnamon air freshener that tackles you as soon as you wander into a department store after Thanksgiving. It’s the smell of evening baking sessions, bite-sized candy canes, and vanilla frosting, all part of the recipe to Gingerbread Adventures.
The Holiday Train Show is in full swing under the glass of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, and we’ve even got a few new faces in this year’s display! Can anyone recognize this long-gone New York original? (I’ll give you a hint: back when the Dodgers baseball club was still a part of NYC, it took its name in honor of these rail regulars.)
This weekend’s historic storm caused a large amount of severe damage to the Garden’s vast collection of trees and celebrated woodlands.
Our crews are hard at work cleaning up the damage and working to save every tree they can. Simultaneously, we are busy getting ready for the beloved seasonal tradition of the Holiday Train Show. We hope that we will see you soon under the glittering dome of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.
The Holiday Train Show is over, and we’re already setting-up, planning for, and dreaming about future exhibitions here at The New York Botanical Garden. Up next is a quick mini-vacation to the tropics via the Caribbean Garden. And then, it’s curtains up for The Orchid Show: On Broadway.
Oh, and one other thing: 2011 also marks the Garden’s 120th birthday!
It’s going to be a big year up here in the Bronx. We’ve got a lot of exciting things planned for the coming 12 months, but while we have a moment to sit and think and be contemplative, we thought we’d share this video we made with you. We asked a few people that work in, around, and with the Garden to answer the question, “What does the Garden mean to you? What does it mean to the world?” We hope you enjoy their answers.
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.
