Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Enid A. Haupt Conservatory

Morning Eye Candy: Rare Air

Posted in Photography on September 28 2013, by Ann Rafalko

Ready to commit to a career in horticulture? Better make sure you’re not afraid of heights! Who knew that part of the job included occasional trips to the top of the dome of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory?

eahc-dome

Photo by Rafael Moricete Jr.

Morning Eye Candy: Heartfelt

Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on June 23 2013, by Matt Newman

Nifty Wild Medicine factoid: it’s been found that residents of the islands east of Panama, who drink a lightly-processed cocoa beverage up to five times a day, are almost entirely free of hypertension. Researchers lean toward the chocolate as a prime suspect in this discovery, though I’m guessing most of us don’t need a peer-reviewed report to justify buying ourselves a treat now and then. Just remember to go for the real thing—at least 70% cacao!

Check out our cacao-focused table in the Conservatory when you visit, and be sure to keep an eye out for the pods growing in our cacao trees.

Cacao

Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen

Wild Medicine: Healing Plants Around the World

Posted in Behind the Scenes, Exhibitions on May 9 2013, by Ann Rafalko

_IVO5459Do you know what plant is in your aspirin? In your mouthwash? How about your lotion? Plants are all around us, even in the concrete jungle. They’re in your medicine cabinet, vitamins and supplements, makeup bag, and at your local hospital. And beginning May 18—with a special introductory lecture featuring world-renowned expert Andrew Weil, M.D.—Wild Medicine: Healing Plants Around the World, Featuring The Italian Renaissance Garden will introduce a world of medicinal plants on display throughout the 11 galleries of the one-acre Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.

On Saturday, May 18, hear Andrew Weil, M.D., a world-renowned leader in the field of integrative medicine, share fascinating experiences and offer unique perspectives on the power of plants to maximize well-being and quality of life. The recipient of the Garden’s first H.H. Rusby Award, Dr. Weil, a Harvard-trained physician, botanist, and Founder and Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, is being recognized for his distinguished contributions to the fields of ethnobotany and integrative medicine, and for advancing our understanding of the importance of plants in clinical care. After his remarks, meet Dr. Weil, who will sign copies of his recent books, True Food: Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure and Spontaneous Happiness: A New Path to Emotional Well-Being.

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Morning Eye Candy: Summer Whites

Posted in Photography on April 6 2013, by Ann Rafalko

While you may remain unconvinced that it is in fact spring, we’re already thinking about summer and dressing the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory in her seasonal coat of whitewash. Because, even though the temperatures may not yet be sweltering, the sun’s radiative properties are noticeably stronger already!

eahc

Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen

Morning Eye Candy: Show Some Passion

Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on March 29 2013, by Matt Newman

Keep an eye out for these saucer-shaped oddities in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, flaunting reds, blues, and luscious purples! Passion flowers are perhaps most fascinating for the fact that, despite looking like some of the most exotic blooms in the glasshouse, they’re really very common–there are around 400 species in their genus, many of which grow along roadsides in the U.S. In this case, “diamond in the rough” sounds about right.

And growing passion flowers at home is as easy as giving your vine or shrub a pot to grow in. Be sure that you know what you’ve got, however. Many species are considered invasive depending on the region, so it’s best to check in with a local Cooperative Extension before committing to one breed or another.

Passiflora vitifolia

Passiflora caerulea

Passiflora 'Royale'

Passiflora — Photos by Ivo M. Vermeulen