The weekend is here at last—and it’s an eventful one! For those of you enjoying a three-day weekend for President’s Day, NYBG will be open on February 15 for three days of programs and activities. Culinary Kids Weekend welcomes families all weekend long with educational food activities in the Conservatory Tent. See what The New York Times and NBC New York have to say about this festive family celebration, and come join the fun!
Couples are invited to celebrate Valentine’s Day with that special someone in the warmth of our Victorian-style glasshouse, where special chocolate tastings and a pop-up bar complete the experience of New York’s most romantic date destination. Read on for the full schedule of tours and programs for February 13 through 15, and plan your midwinter escape to NYBG today.
It’s a veritable ice box out there right now, but you’d never know it inside our tropical Conservatory. Tickets are still available for both of NYBG’s Valentine’s Day Experiences from Priceless New York—a romantic evening of champagne and tropical plants for adults, and a fun-filled daytime chocolate workshop for kids—so if you’re still making plans for tomorrow, plan your visit to the Garden!
Monday, February 16, is Presidents’ Day, and the Garden will be open for regular hours, making this one a long weekend with plenty of opportunities for exciting activities. Come enjoy the day off at NYBG and join us for the start of Carla Hall’s Culinary Kids Week with a special appearance by the celebrity chef herself, who will lead a live cooking demonstration to kick of this weeklong family-friendly food festival.
NYBG is ready for the extended holiday weekend, and I’m sure you are too, so click through for details on all of our special programs and activities.
This Valentine’s Day, skip the usual dinner-and-roses routine and immerse yourself in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, a sultry escape from the winter chill if ever there was one! Inside, you’ll find Tropical Paradise in full swing with complimentary champagne and delectable chocolates setting the mood for the perfect night out.
Whether you come to stroll hand-in-hand with a loved one, learn about our permanent tropical collections, try some equatorial aphrodisiacs, or simply escape the frigid February weather, there’s a little something for everyone on these loveliest of evenings. Valentine’s Day Dates this February 14 and 15 at the Garden are sure to be a welcome change from your annual norm!
And for your little ones, our pals at Priceless NY present the MasterCard Budding Masters Chocolate workshop on Saturday, February 15. During this interactive experience, kids have a chance to learn all about the life of chocolate and vanilla—from cocoa seeds and beautiful orchids all the way up to their favorite treats. As amateur botanists for the day, they’ll study living cacao trees, put together a field notebook to record their discoveries, and (of course) sample some Mayan-inspired hot chocolate of their own.
This year, think about leaving the cut flowers at the bodega and opt for an entire rain forest of blooms instead. Tickets to our Valentine’s Day Dates are beginning to disappear, so register while you can!
An ex-girlfriend once observed in my presence: “Chocolate and men… some things are just better rich.” Understandably, she didn’t last long. Between the basic cable package and my favorite old jeans with the hole in the knee, I figure our relationship was more than her soul could endure. But let’s be honest–you don’t have to be a millionaire to make your significant other truly happy this Valentine’s Day. Money may not buy love, but–and it pains me to say it–she was right about one thing: the chocolate. Go ahead and upgrade the cable package, because you’ll be spending plenty of time on the living room couch if you forget to pick up the good stuff.
Once you’ve secured a delicious prize for your sweetheart, what better way to accumulate a few extra points than regaling them with the epic story of chocolate; its fantastic history and that mysterious process by which cacao makes its way from the deepest rain forests to that cellophane-wrapped, heart-shaped box gathering dust on the shelf of your local drug store? The object of your desire will undoubtedly wonder at your knowledge of obscure things and immediately find you more intriguing. You’re welcome in advance, friends.
Forget the Valentine’s Day bouquet, give her (or him) a rainforest full of flowers instead! Thanks to our partners at MasterCard® this year we are offering two exclusive events that are the perfect Valentine’s Day treat.
Experience an inspired and romantic departure from the average date as we transform the historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory into New York City’s most romantic Valentine’s Day date destination. The evening begins with chocolates and champagne at Shop in the Garden. After experiencing these delicious plant-based treats head over to the Conservatory for a tour through the sultry warmth of Tropical Paradise. The tour will have a special focus on plants that are well-known for their love-inducing qualities, including delicious chocolate! Buy your tickets.Currently Sold Out. For Wait List, call 718.817.8716
Schedule of Events: – 4:00-4:30 p.m. Champagne and chocolate in Shop in the Garden
– 4:30-5:30 p.m. Tour of Tropical Paradise
– 5:30-6:00 p.m. Free time to explore the Haupt Conservatory
If you and your sweetie are more into the science behind the romance, then our Botany of Indulgence classes are for you! Delve into the world of plant-based aphrodisiacs with this three-part class at our Midtown Center. Explore how chocolate, beer, and herbal aphrodisiacs have been used through the centuries to influence human behavior. Begin the day by concocting your own “love potion,” then explore the science and art of fermentation. In the afternoon sample several varieties of chocolate and study the neurobiological effect of theobrome, the ingredient in cacao that can simulate the feeling of “being in love.” Class participants will leave with a goodie bag filled with treats including two All-Garden Passes you can use to visit the Garden and drop some serious science about the biology of love on your companions! Buy your tickets.
Class Schedule: – 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Herbal Aphrodisiacs
– 12-12:45 p.m. Lunch break
– 12:45-2:45 p.m. Home-brewing
– 3-5 p.m. The Temptation of Chocolate
Did you know the main ingredient in chocolate comes from the fruit of the cacao tree? Perhaps you read our earlier article on “cauliflory” in trees like this one. Lucky for us there are cacao trees (Theobroma cacao) thriving in The New York Botanical Garden’s tropical rainforest, a part of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. In fact, two of our cacao trees now have cocoa bean pods growing on them, each one about six inches long and dark brown.
Stroll the warm greenhouses of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, take a winter walk in the 50-acre Forest, cuddle up on a brisk Tram Tour (weather permitting), pick out a gift at Shop in the Garden, and hold hands over a cup of hot chocolate in the cafe. Then go for a wonderful Italian dinner on Arthur Avenue.
The New York Botanical Garden is waiting for you and your Valentine this holiday weekend. The New York Times and the Daily News both list the Garden as among the most romantic places in the city.
Come see for yourself. And then let us know the best spot in the Garden for stealing a kiss!
The weekend is here at last—and it’s an eventful one! For those of you enjoying a three-day weekend for President’s Day, NYBG will be open on February 15 for three days of programs and activities. Culinary Kids Weekend welcomes families all weekend long with educational food activities in the Conservatory Tent. See what The New York Times and NBC New York have to say about this festive family celebration, and come join the fun!
This Valentine’s Day, skip the usual dinner-and-roses routine and immerse yourself in the 
