Skip to main content
 
Plant Talk

Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Family Garden

This Week in the Family Garden: Sweet & Stinky!

Posted in Around the Garden on June 17 2013, by Matt Newman

Sweet & StinkyThis week we’re diving headlong into the Family Garden harvest with Sweet & Stinky, our celebration of all things, shall we say, “superlatively aromatic.” But fear not: it’s the best kind of smelly! With garlic and onions coming into their own in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden, and the summer not yet here, it’s the perfect time to have a little fun in the vegetable beds, get your hands dirty, and pick up a few handy new recipes to try at home.

Of course, we wouldn’t leave you hanging when it comes to new learning experiences—that’s why Annie Novak is on board.

We caught up with the Edible Academy Manager as she was poking around the onion beds, and picked up the gist of what’s taking place in the Family Garden over the coming weeks. Have a look and take note: the schedule’s full!

Sweet & Stinky takes place in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden, June 11 – July 19 from 1:30 – 5:30 p.m. daily.

Morning Eye Candy: Buttoning Up the Family Garden

Posted in Around the Garden, Photography on October 26 2012, by Matt Newman

They really do laugh uncontrollably and without cause while working in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden. Well, all right, Ivo was probably telling a patently terrible joke at the time this photo was taken. Here’s a big thanks and hello to Annie Novak and Toby Adams, whose tireless efforts have kept us knee-deep in vegetables all through the summer and into fall. They’re buttoning up the Family Garden’s edible options until spring, but we’ll be waiting patiently for the next harvest!

Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen

The Weekend Buzz

Posted in Around the Garden on August 24 2012, by Matt Newman

Would I say there’s a busy atmosphere about the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden this weekend? Definitely. But would I say there’s a…buzzy atmosphere? Seeing as I’m absolutely the kind of guy to kick off a wave of pained groans by dropping such a boulder of a pun, I’m going to go ahead and affirm that one. As of this week, New York’s favorite vegetable garden is looking beyond the tomatoes and cucumbers to the pollinators that make them possible, and that includes our lively honey bees!

Overlooking the NYBG‘s one-acre vegetable plot is a pair of active beehives that you can see and read about in one of our earlier picture galleries, but if you really want to grasp just what it is that has New York City’s rooftop gardeners going mad for apiculture, you and your children should come and visit. Through “Pollinator Pals,” we’re opening up this integral piece of the agricultural puzzle with fun activities for kids, as well as the opportunity to see first-hand how a beehive works and even sample a few different types of honey. The experience isn’t limited to what you get in a bear-shaped squeeze bottle at the supermarket–what’s growing near the hive can noticeably influence the nuanced flavors of the honey the bees produce.

Read More

Spring Break Weekend!

Posted in Around the Garden on April 6 2012, by Matt Newman

Cherry blossoms and Easter pastels make for a fair combination, don’t you think? The calendar’s once again rolled into a holiday weekend at The New York Botanical Garden, which just happens to fall in line with the start of spring break for the schoolyard set. That makes for a rare opportunity: a Monday opening! This weather is too marvelous for the kids to sit at home.

The Orchid Show is, of course, the belle of the ball right now, but our 250 acres are making a strong showing as new plants and trees burst into their spring finery with each passing day. Walk among the fields of daffodils and tulips, admire the hellebores, or peek in on the early azaleas–and don’t forget the brilliant cherry and plum blossoms brightening trees throughout the Garden.

Read More

Fun, Fresh and Simple — Cooking in the Family Garden

Posted in How-to, Video on August 3 2011, by Rustin Dwyer

The Children’s Gardening Program at the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden gives kids ages 3-12 a chance to team-up to plant, tend and harvest their very own plot in the Garden. But that’s only half of the story — of course the most fun part is eating all of that homegrown produce!

Stop by the Family Garden to enjoy cooking demonstrations throughout the week, offering simple but delicious ideas on how to take advantage of our garden’s bounty. Our hands-on activities will help you to remember that growing, preparing and eating good food needs to be FUN!

All this month, the gardening fun in the Family Garden focuses on plants that are pickled. Enjoy the harvest of fresh cucumbers by making your own pickles to take home. For a rundown of what’s happening now, check the “plan your visit” section of our website.

Here’s a short video featuring two of the amazing staff members in the Family Garden, Rachel and Annie, showing you one of the easiest dishes around – a simple herb confetti. But as you’ll see, harvesting and preparing the dish is almost more fun than eating it!

Sweet and Stinky!

Posted in Learning Experiences on July 21 2011, by Ann Rafalko

Garlic growing in the Family GardenThe Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden is a New York City treasure. It’s an amazing one-and-a-half acre site where children and families can learn about plants and the natural world through hands-on gardening. Each afternoon children–with help from their parents, volunteers, and staff–are encouraged to dig, weed, compost, plant, tend, and harvest in garden plots. These ongoing gardening activities are complemented by a changing roster of programs that encourage children to explore seasonal garden-related themes.

This month’s theme is Sweet and Stinky! Aromatic alliums such as onions and garlic, and herbs such as basil and oregano love the summer heat. Follow the “sweet and stinky” smells to the Family Garden to discover these culinary champions. Savor the scents and tickle your taste buds at our cooking demonstrations or try these delicious recipes at home!

Get the recipes below!