NY Botanical Garden

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I joined a group from the Bethlehem Garden Club to visit the 18th Annual Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden.
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From Statue of Liberty to Coney Island, over 140 miniature buildings and bridges filled the Haupt Conservatory’s entire wing. Model trains and trolleys zipped by. The display, created by the award-winning designer Paul Busse of Applied Imagination, delighted young and young and at heart.

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The buildings made of twigs, bark, nuts, vines fungi, berries, pine cones, seeds and other natural materials create a wonderland display of both the huge and the small.

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Our group was surprised by the New York Yankees car flying past the Empire State Building, the Chrysler and other familiar skyscrapers. We wondered if it would have been Phillies train if our favorite Phils had won the World Series.

Kalanchoe, cyclamen, cactus, begonia, croton, gardenia, miniature evergreens and all manner of plants are set to scale with the buildings and trains creating a natural wonderland.

The train show continues until January 10. It was a delightful way to spend a December morning.

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New York Botanical Garden

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New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY - 250 acres of trees, gardens and every manner of plant and shrub. I can’t shake the image - green oasis in a concrete jungle - trite but true. http://www.nybg.org/

My view of the gardens:

Enid A. Haupt Conservatory – A Victorian-style greenhouse filled with plants from 11 distinct habitats. The rain forests’ gentle mist only rarely reached our skin. The flora is well marked and signs explain each environment. It was hard not to bump into people while looking open-mouthed at the overwhelming amount of plants. Moss covered rock walls and never-seen-before cacti stand out in my memory. It is a great place to linger as you try to take in the all the extraordinary plants. The outdoor water lily pond is full of koi and other fish. Tour guides are available. Our guide was a personable volunteer but not a knowledgeable plantsman.

Everett Children's Adventure Garden – This large area includes winding paths, mazes, clever topiaries, and delightful surprises. We followed a short winding path and found a wooden and glass display of seeds. Questions printed on the display were answered by opening wooden doors. I wonder what secrets are on the paths we didn’t follow. The colorful caterpillar topiaries surprised us in several areas.

Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden – An excellent flower and vegetable garden planted by children and adults grows in well-tended rows. In a children’s area, bright, colorful hand-painted signs with each child’s name demonstrated pride of ownership in the healthy tomatoes, lettuce, beans and corn.

Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden – Over 3000 roses arranged by color created a spectacular show. Hybrid teas, floribunda, antique roses, and shrub roses crafted into a profusion of color in a formal setting. Lots of oohs and ahs from me. It’s hard not to be impressed by the sheer number of roses.

In the Jane Watson Irwin Perennial Garden, there were many examples of plants that go well together. Plants for sun with complimentary colors. Shade plants with different textures and heights. It’s a good thing there wasn’t a plant sale nearby. My Visa would have been as tired as my feet.

The formal herb garden was not in the best shape when we visited but we got the idea. I missed the rock garden, but I heard it was spectacular with lots of small plants and evergreens.

250 acres requires a lot of walking and energy. A tram runs every 20 minutes but is sometimes full and not always on time.

It was an exhausting but fun day – hot in the sun, cool in the shade. I could have spent days there. I would love to sneak into the plant-science labs and greenhouses for a closer look.


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(Photo credit. My camera died before I ever got to take a picture. Many thanks to my friend and fellow visitor, Gretchen, for the pictures here.)

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Rose

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"Won't you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you." ~ Richard B Sheridan 1751-1816


The first blush of roses is ending. It signals of the end of spring and always makes me nostalgic.

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I’m on my way to New York Botanical Gardens today with the Lehigh/Northampton County Master Gardeners. I’ll be sure to post my impressions on Wednesday. Please share your impressions of Gardens you have visited.

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