All Aboard! NYBG’s Annual Holiday Train Show® Powers Up Saturday, 11/23

The New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show® opens to the public Saturday, November 23. This annual winter magic tradition weaves something old/something new, excitement, education, architecture, history, art, culture, and of course plants - to elicit astonishment and enchantment. This year, marking the 28th for this much-loved holiday event, the Garden pays homage to another urban oasis - showcasing Central Park—the most popular urban park in America.

At Tuesday’s Sneak Preview for the Press, we were given an overview and a guided tour through the new exhibit, led by Karen Daubman, Associate Vice President for Exhibitions and Public Engagement, NYBG and Laura Busse Dolan, President and CEO, Applied Imagination. Laura’s father Paul Busse is the original creator and craftsman of the plant-based art exhibit.

Greeting us and kicking off the press conference was NYBG’s president, Carrie Rebora Barratt, a garden glamour icon who never disappoints. Tuesday, Barratt was wearing Comme des Garçons.
It’s tempting to suggest that Barrett and her style always strike me as gilding the lily. I love it!

NYBG President Carrie Barratt 

The press had been huddling, broadcaster cameras set up and ready,

while tasting treats from Bronx Night Market. The red velvet miniature cupcakes with their rosette flower icing from Cozi Treats were perfect, as was her creme de brulee. Thank you, Sheri.

  

While Barrett spoke, we could hear the trains running on their tracks in the room next door. It’s important to note that the Train Show is a very immersive, transporting experience that tickles the senses. It also needs to be mentioned that the Train Show is not in the Conservatory, as usual. It’s regrettable because nothing can top being in a greenhouse. In the winter. With its incredible oxygen boost and lighting magic and sense of mystery. Yet alas, the Conservatory is under construction so the Garden has built a series of rooms in front of the iconic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.

You have to suspend the feeling that this is too akin to a mall holiday presentation. Don’t be tempted. I recommend looking at the displays - really looking, No one, nowhere - can create these kinds of displays — all made from plant parts! Once you grasp that element and embrace the fact that these compositions are made from birch bark and limbs (more than 500), lotus pods, fungi, acorns, cinnamon sticks and more - not to mention the landscape design of moss (more than 200 boxes of North Carolina moss), berries, ferns, conifers, waterfalls, red-twigged dogwood, and hollies to mimic nature - you will be smitten - and transported. Of course, so will the kids.

This year, there are more than two thousand plants in the exhibit - double previous years because they needed to accommodate the new space and were not creating the composition with the benefit of the existing Conservatory plants that are part of the permanent collections.

It was pointed out that the buildings are not constructed on a one-to-one scale but rather from a perspective - in order to create a much more experiential approach. That is artful design …. The Imagination team researches the history of a chosen building, secures dimensions to render the building in plant parts, then builds the base, continues the embellishments and architectural details.

The show begins with a video on two screens in two separate theaters, right off the queuing area, where you can park strollers, etc. The video’s give you an idea of how the artists at Applied Imagination research and create these plant-based wonders.

Video Theater looking into the exhibit beyond

Then, you step into the miniature metropolis.
The first one you see is the NYBG Haupt Conservatory. Seems fitting.
Overall, there are nearly 200 landmark displays in the show.

There are compositions at three levels, low, mid or eye level and above - with trains traversing and zipping about seemingly everywhere. In the Holiday Train Show, more than 25 G-scale model trains and trolleys hum along nearly a half-mile of track


All the featured buildings have labels, citing the year it was built, the address, and in the case of misguided civic management where the building was torn down, such as Penn Station in its glory days, the date of demolition is noted. And when you think about it, the long-lost landmarks are the secret sauce of the show. You get to see what no longer exists… Every borough of New York is represented, in addition to the Hudson Valley.

I love the whimsy of Coney Island (and never having visited, the composition makes it a place of dreams):

And the otherworldly charm of the Hudson River School and one of its leading painters,

Frederic Edwin Church’s home: Olana:

The TWA Building is getting its due of architectural love of late and here at the Train Show, the gateway to flight transport is a standout. It was pointed out that the roof is a giant coco lobo plant!


Look at this cherub on the parapet of Kykuit:


Look at Macy’s department store awnings - made from gourds; the Macy’s logo made from barley and red pepper flakes:

Look at Yankee Stadium - it has its own corner - and Thomas the Tank runs circles around the stadium!

The new replicas of Central Park’s architectural treasures, including Belvedere Castle, Bethesda Terrace, the Naumburg Bandshell, the Dairy, and two graceful pedestrian bridges are along one side of the show - with graceful, lacy, white birch branches as backdrop. While lovely in the day, I can only image the twinkling dream at night…

The landmarks are arrayed in a tableau with existing Central Park replicas in NYBG’s collection, including the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater and the Old Bandstand.


Enjoy this video of Central Park at the Garden:

In addition, famous New York buildings that are either next to the park or just inside it are on display, including the Plaza Hotel, the Metropolitan Museum of Art,


The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum,

And the Rose Center for Earth and Space, part of the American Museum of Natural History.

By the way, all the “windows” in the landmark buildings are made from poured resin.

NYBG provides this interesting background to the Central Park Landmarks:
“The Belvedere Castle was built as a Victorian “folly” on the highest natural elevation in the park, offering visitors a “beautiful view”—the English translation of its Italian name. Completed in 1872, the turreted castle includes Gothic, Romanesque, Chinese, Moorish, and Egyptian motifs. In June 2019, the Belvedere reopened after a 15-month restoration. Bethesda Terrace opens on the Lake at the heart of Central Park. The 1873 Angel of the Waters sculpture crowns the Terrace’s majestic Bethesda Fountain. In one hand, the angel holds a lily, a symbol of purity. Designer Emma Stebbins, the first woman to receive a public art commission in New York City, likened the healing powers of the angel to that of the Croton water system, which brought clean, fresh water to the city beginning in 1842. The Dairy, built in 1870, was intended as a place where children could enjoy a glass of fresh milk, which was not always easy to get in mid-19th-century New York. The hybrid design is a playful combination of a Swiss chalet and a Gothic country church. The Naumburg Bandshell, a neoclassical structure of cast concrete built in 1923, has hosted performers from Irving Berlin and Duke Ellington to the Grateful Dead. The Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater was Sweden’s exhibit at Philadelphia’s Centennial Exposition in 1876. The enchanting Swedish architecture and craftsmanship, suggestive of a model schoolhouse, caught Olmsted’s eye, and he brought it to the park in 1877. A theater designed for marionette performances was built inside in 1973. The Old Bandstand was a 1862 Victorian-style cast-iron bandstand designed by Jacob Wrey Mould. It was demolished in 1922 to make way for the Naumburg Bandshell. Also dating from 1862 is the graceful Bow Bridge, the first cast-iron bridge in Central Park. Spanning the Lake between Cherry Hill and the Ramble, its subtle shape is reminiscent of the bow of an archer or violinist. Designed by Calvert Vaux and originally built of white oak, Oak Bridge crosses Bank Rock Bay and is a popular destination for bird watchers.

Enjoy this video of the Holiday Train Show

For more information, you can visit the Garden’s web site at: nybg.org or call: 718.817.8687.

But Wait - there’s more!

While there’s no doubt the annual Holiday Train Show® is the centerpiece of the Garden’s winter extravaganza, don’t overlook the lineup the Garden has produced -- it’s chock-a-bloc loaded with fun, cultural, and education elements, including Evergreen Express, Sounds of the Season Performances, films, Bar Car Nights, and more,

Here are some highlighted events, activities, and programs that are scheduled during the exhibition: (please check NYBG’s web site for a full listing.)

• The festive and popular Bar Car Nights return to NYBG on select Fridays and Saturdays. This has to be my favorite - this kind of winter holiday magic can only be experienced at the Garden - a combination of cocktails - yeah! - dance, artful ice carvings, along with the authentic beauty and warmth of fireplaces to heat up the cocktail chatter. What else do you need? Exclusively for adults 21 and over, the wintry landscape of NYBG sets the scene for lively outdoor adventures, with an after-dark viewing of the Holiday Train Show as the centerpiece. Purchase a spiked hot chocolate or a holiday specialty cocktail from one of our seasonal bars and a bite to eat from the Bronx Night Market Holiday Pop-up, then set out to explore the night’s offerings. Warm up around the handcrafted fire pits (so romantic!) in the Leon Levy Visitor Center, feel the excitement of the season with artistic ice carving and festive performers such as contortionists and acrobats from American Circus Theatre, sing along with dueling pianos in the Pine Tree Café, and dance the night away to DJ sets curated by Uptown Vinyl Supreme.

Bar Car Nights take place 7–10:30 p.m.; November 23, 29, & 30; December 7, 14, 20, 21, 27, & 28, 2019; January 3, 4, 11, & 18, 2020. Performers vary each night and advance tickets— Non-Member $38/Member $28—are recommended.

• During Evergreen Express in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, children can pretend to ride the rails aboard the child-sized play train and caboose, hike winter trails to discover evergreen trees and shrubs, and put on a winter woodland puppet show. In the Discovery Center, they can design an evergreen-scented swag (a simple miniature evergreen wreath with a bow), craft a cone critter with googly eyes, and learn how to create a conifer collection at home. Young scientists can discover why evergreens stay green all winter and then test their identification skills outdoors.
• NYBG’s Annual Bird Count is for both novice and expert bird-watchers. Collect data on resident bird populations and migratory species across the Garden’s 250 acres. The information helps scientists assess the health of bird populations and guides conservation action. December 14, 2019, at 11 a.m.
• New York poet, NYBG Poet Laureate, and former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins returns to NYBG for The Poetry of Trains: Billy Collins and Young Poets. Collins will read poems inspired by trains, the holidays, and The New York Botanical Garden on Sunday, December 15, 2019, at 2 p.m. As part of the Young Poets Contest and in partnership with the Poetry Society of America, he will also select 12 winning poems to be displayed at NYBG during the Holiday Train Show and will be joined by the selected student authors to share their work during this special reading. They look great adorning the Garden at key spots.
• Enjoy favorite holiday movies on the big screen in Ross Hall during the Holiday Favorites Film Festival, featuring a rotating selection of titles for kids and adults alike. Films include Trolls Holiday, ‘Tis the Season to be Smurfy, and Merry Madagascar. December 21–24 & 26–29, 2019; 11 a.m–4 p.m.
• Embark on an invigorating 45-minute walking Winter Wonderland Tree Tour. View the Garden’s stately conifer collection and old-growth forest in the beauty of winter. Saturdays, December 7, 2019–January 25, 2020, at 12:30 p.m. Get a fascinating overview of the Garden’s history and its importance as a vital New York City cultural destination since 1891 on our Holiday Landmarks Tour. Walking with an expert 3 guide, explore the Mertz Library Allée, the Lillian Goldman Fountain of Life, and the LuEsther T. Mertz Library. The tour concludes at the Garden’s iconic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Sundays, December 1, 2019–January 26, 2020, at 2:30 p.m.
• Children join Thomas and Driver Sam on a fun-filled, sing-along, mini-performance adventure during All Aboard with Thomas & Friends™. In Thomas Cleans Up, everyone’s favorite blue locomotive arrives at Knapford Station with a trainload of materials to dispose of. Kids help him and Driver Sam figure out how to recycle everything to protect the environment and save Earth’s precious natural resources. Make sure to have a professional photo taken with the Really Useful Engine to capture the special day. January 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 25, & 26, 2020. © [2020] Gullane (Thomas) Limited

Enjoy the Holiday Train Show and as many of the great programs as possible. Get out. Walk the garden. Meet folks. Bring a friend and family. You can plan your winter schedule and return often. It’s a happy, warm, green way to celebrate a season more often marked by white - snow - that is.

True garden glamour is waiting for you at the Garden.

How to Earn a Fast-Track Certificate at NY Botanical Garden This Summer Plus Save on Tuition!

Summer is the optimum time for gardens, there’s no doubt - especially in my northern hemisphere where garden or planting zones run from 3 to 7. The green bounty of trees and shrubs, along with the zing of color rendered by the seemingly limitless, leafy perennials and annuals is just so hearth-clutching. Ahhh - Mother Nature smiles...

But then. There is the reality. Like any good mother, she recognizes that her children need discipline. The “green kids” should know about the botanical and landscape design art, the nurturing garden management skills, the healing properties of forests and gardens and - of course - the plants.

But wait - doesn’t Mother Nature just take care of all that?

No.

Like any mother or Pacchamama goddess - she wants to teach you how to take care of her gifts. What’s that proverb? Give a man/woman a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man/woman to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Well in this case, The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) - the premiere museum of plants and the optimum place to learn about all things garden art - is offering five, fast-track, plant-based disciplines certificate programs where you can learn:

• Landscape Design
• Gardening
• Floral Design
• Botanical Art & Illustration
• Horticultural Therapy

Incentives for Intensives
If the green education wasn’t enough of its own motivation, the Garden has generously come up with a value-add gift or incentive swag to persuade you to sign up. Now. (You know you want to…)

NYBG is offering you, dear readers and social media Followers, $50 off of the Floral Design, Gardening, and Landscape Design Intensives by using Code GG50 at checkout when you purchase the course. The code is valid until June 15, 2019.
In addition to the $50 discount off of the Intensive Program(s) you’re eligible to win the All-Garden passes to those who enter in the Comments section here on the blog. The Garden will consider each Comment an entry and then select one winner based on all the entries.

So blab away, below!

You can also re-post on social media with a Comment and be eligible for the Passes.

You know you have a lot to get off your chest and share! Some Comment suggestions might be how you always wanted to learn about the transformative power of gardens. Or how you have a black thumb and want to change this. Many folks tell me they changed their health by growing organic fruits and vegetables. Others have given themselves - and their family and friends - the gift of arranging floral bouquets, table decor of seasonal flowers, and vases brimming with color, scent, and native beauties. And don’t leave out how gardening with your children or grandchildren changed your lives…

So what’s it gonna be this summer? All that beach sand won’t get you anywhere. (Except maybe to the shower to rid that grainy dust out of your swimsuit!)
Jump in here. Take this plunge!

Learn a coveted skill, express your inner garden artist, and maybe pursue a new career.
The Summer Intensives have launched or kick-started more than a few second or third “acts.” Or what the Garden refers to as an “encore career.” I like that.

You can earn a prestigious NYBG Certificate in the time it takes to grow your tomatoes. Or your Joe Pye Weed.
This summer is your time to take one of the accelerated Summer Intensive Programs.

Classes begin July 8th.

Individual Intensive classes are also available in Botanical Art & Illustration and Horticultural Therapy.
So, whether you aspire to change your career or simply luxuriate in a new passion, you’re sure to enhance your knowledge and skills at the gorgeous Botanical Garden with their exceptional, on-site instructors available at this world-class learning facility.

Fast-track your landscape design training.

The Landscape Design Certificate Program at NYBG is an engaging, career-oriented program that gives you a solid, plant-focused foundation along with the skills and confidence you need to start your own business. Or work as part of a design team. NYBG covers every aspect, from design principles and drafting, to site analysis and construction.

I’m a graduate of the Landscape Design program. I did it the long way over many years as I was working corporate - with its own intense hours and travel. I started off in the program just to up my design prowess and better understand garden history. I am fascinated by all history - but when I became smitten by the garden bug an entirely new world of “she-roes” and heroes opened up to me. And I thoroughly believe that one can’t truly be accomplished at their passion or art until you learn about the masters who went before us. Therefore, learning about the various garden cultures we celebrate and revere most today - think Persian, Italian, French, Chinese, Japanese, Peruvian, English - as well as the pioneers of garden design - was rather life altering. In fact, I became such an acolyte or garden history buff long before my studies concIuded, that I was networked to help contribute research on landscape design pioneer Nathan Barrett for the book, “Pioneers of American Landscape Design, The Cultural Landscape.” There was no turning back for me…

The study of Landscape and Garden Design quite literally, changed my life. I pivoted to not only work for NYBG and later for Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) - still utilizing my communications and writing skill set - while at the same time, designing gardens for clients. I can readily assure you - it’s a most rewarding profession. It’s artful, challenging and exciting. There’s never a dull moment. You can create your own business or work for a design and build firm. I’ve been blessed to have many of the same clients - who are now friends - since I started Duchess Designs. We do design and garden maintenance - for yards, cityscape rooftops, decks, containers, and more.

And if you like continuing education - this is the world for you. All winter, we designers and horticulturists gather and learn at a number of professional organizations, including Metrohort, where experts, authors, and thought leaders inform and lecture. Likewise, NYBG offers it’s notable Landscape Design Portfolios Lecture Series - and lectures following our Landscape Design Alumni Group’s winter, monthly meetings; Wave Hill and BBG, too, offer talks.
We love our garden design community, always seeking to help each other and better our knowledge base in order to provide the very best for our clients. You’ll make lasting friends at the talks or the many conferences held across the country - and the globe.

See, the world of plants and garden art and design, and garden history, are endlessly beguiling. 

Plus, learning how to design and grow edible gardens, sustainable gardens, organic gardens - and more - is critically important and becoming ever more so.

There’s just so much to learn.

But when you sign on for the Intensives, in just five short weeks, you’ll complete more than 25% of the courses required for the Certificate in Landscape Design. The Garden’s hands-on summer intensive program combines interactive coursework with plant walks led by NYBG Garden Curators, guest designer talks, and open studio time. You’ll develop a tight network of like-minded colleagues while coming up with solutions to real-world design challenges.

Classes:

• Landscape Design History
• Graphics Basic Plant ID
• Plants for Landscaping
• NYBG Curator Led Tours
• Off-Site Garden Visits
• Guest Designer Portfolio Presentations
• Open Studio Time

Dates: July 8–August 9

Tuition: $3,865 (Member) / $4,249 (Non-Member)
Special financing options are available.

Register Here


The Gardening Certificate Program provides you with the core knowledge, hands-on training, and credentials you need to succeed in any garden setting with complete confidence.

Where better to learn gardening than in the Garden?! What an extraordinary experience...
The Summer Intensive Program offers the New York City area’s most in-depth courses on sustainable gardening techniques, soil science, plant propagation, garden care and design, and more.

In just three short weeks you’ll finish over 45% of all the gardening classes required to complete the Certificate Program, giving you a solid base in the principles of environmentally sound gardening. Special electives and curator-led tours of various Garden collections combine the best of the classroom and real-world field exposure.

Classes:

• Fundamentals of Gardening
• Soil Science for Gardeners
• Insect Identification and Management
• Plans for Landscaping
• Container Gardening
• Fundamentals of Garden Design
• Gardening with Native Plants

Dates: July 8–26

Tuition: $1,925 (Member) / $2,125 (Non-Member)
Special financing options are available.

Register here.


The Floral Design Certificate Program at NYBG is considered the true “Ivy League” of instruction for budding floral designers. Whether you want to up your home style or launch a florist business - this program offers the most in-depth training in the region, covering every aspect of this creative art.

The Floral Design program helps you develop your own aesthetic, master the mechanics for any arrangement, and gain practical business skills, so you graduate client-ready.

In just five short weeks, you can complete all of the classroom credits required for the Floral Design Certificate Program, and be ready to get started on your internship requirement ASAP.

Working alongside floral design professionals, you’ll create dozens of arrangements in diverse styles for many different occasions. This concentrated summer intensive program focuses on real-world situations, and includes a trip to New York’s flower district.


Classes:

• Fundamentals of Form
• Fundamentals of Style
• Wedding Design I: Personals
• Wedding Design II: Ceremony & Reception
• Color Theory for Floral Design
• Flower ID from A to Z
• Interior Plantscapes
• Shopping the New York Flower Market
• Practical Planning for Designers
• Grand-Scale Arrangements
• Event Planning for the Floral Designer
• Four Specialty Electives

Dates: July 8–August 9

Tuition: $6,435 (Member) / $7,079 (Non-Member)
Special financing options are available.

Register here



Fast-Track your nascent Monet art skills.
If you’re like most of us, botanical art is always, consistently, irresistible. Why is that?

At one time, it was de rigueur for plant explorers to take an accomplished botanical artist with them on adventurous journeys to discover new, exotic plant cultures from around the globe. While this era clearly predates photography, the benefit to horticultural and science is that the botanical artist rendered the plant and the plant parts with formidable artistic skill so that scientists, pharmacists, and other professional trades could identify and understand these exciting new plants and pollinators. Do visit the NYBG Herbarium to see exciting samples of what Darwin and others brought back and see the work of these groundbreaking botanical artists.

It was later, that the illustrations became their own art - admired for their painstaking, astonishing detail.

Early artists still lusted after today include such masters as Pierre-Joseph Redouté (1766-1854). Think you have a tough boss - his job was working for Marie Antoinette - of the “Let them eat cake” style of management…




Then there’s Anne Pratt (1806-1893) - an English botanical illustrator from the Victorian age who popularized the burgeoning world of botany by writing and illustrating more than 20 books.

Today, I have a number of botanical friends, distinguished by their botanical art oeuvres.

I’ll tell you about a few of these amazing talents. Former NYBG Botanical Art & Illustration Coordinator Wendy Hollander is a favorite.

When I was the Director (and later, VP) at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, I asked Wendy to offer us a design to choose from for a milestone Sakura Matsuri / Cherry Blossom anniversary. Of course, Wendy provided us a breathtaking design.

Later, for me personally, I asked her to render native plants to highlight a window treatment design I wanted to create on a whisper light Spoonflower fabric that serves as a kind of scrim - allowing us to see out to the garden beyond but still offering privacy. Wendy and I worked together to select the botanical, natives - from viburnums to shore mallow to orchids - that would adorn the relaxed Roman shade, with other smaller botanicals to create the shade’s borders. Wendy worked her art magic while somehow getting the art onto the fabric…


The shade art continues to fascinate and thrill my husband Bill and I - along with our guests, friends, and family.

Then there is the extraordinary art of the botanical artist and garden designer Jean Galle - (this woman can’t be limited to just one art form! In fact, she was also an award-winning fashion designer!) Jean transcends garden categories with her artful expressions…

I adore her intimate botanical art. Follow Jean on Instagram  You can also purchase her art directly. "Suitable for framing," as they say.  And then some... 

Jean Galle Botanical Art

In fact, I rather cheekily asked if I could use one of her peony renderings (peony being my favorite bloom for its ridiculously lush and sexy blossom and fragrance). I was thrilled that Jean not only said yes, but modified the size so I could print out for table name cards or place settings for a recent “Ladies Who Lunch” party! I just cut and pasted onto the name cards for a pretty-in-pink experience.

Jean Galle Botanical Art

My point is that there is so much joy to come from these artful garden pursuits. Besides your own gratification you can pursue a business enterprise. There are more ways to use your art - from interior and exterior design to home-branded accessories, greeting cards, fashion and more…

The Botanical Art & Illustration Certificate Program provides a solid foundation in scientifically accurate drawings so you can recreate plants, plant parts, and pollinators in amazing detail, natural color, and convincing form. The Garden’s extraordinary instructors share their expertise in the nurturing yet rigorous botanical art classes.


With the summer intensive schedule, students can advance their artistic skills quickly. Newcomers to Botanical Art & Illustration can complete Botanical Drawing I & II in just four weeks—less than half the time it normally requires. Other required classes are also offered in a reduced time frame.

Plus, you’ll have the rarest of opportunity - to learn to draw and paint surrounded by all the inspiring plants who live at the Garden!
Do you want to paint a native black tupelo tree (Nyssa sylvatica ‘Wildfire’ to ahem, fire up an autumn harvest invitation? No worries.
Do you dream of rendering a white Chinese peony (Paeonia obovata var. alba) for a Mother’s Day or birthday gift?
Do you yearn to create a line of personalized place cards for your next pastry party featuring chocolate pods? No problem - you can head over to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and cozy up to a Theobroma cacao tree.
It’s all so exotic yet you have ready access...


Classes:

• Botanical Drawing I: Methods and Materials
• Botanical Drawing II: Developing Your Skills
• Pen and Ink
• Colored Pencil

Dates: Classes start July 8—August 9



The Horticultural Therapy Certificate Program at NYBG offers the most in-depth training in the New York City area.

Taught by practicing horticultural therapists, this program will train you to design, implement, and manage programs that use plants and the natural environment to heal a broad range of people in need.

With the Garden’s summer intensive schedule, you can immerse yourself in the Hort Therapy study in a limited amount of time. Take just one class or go all in for the nine required horticultural therapy courses in just three months.

My personal belief is that Horticultural Therapy is destined to become a burgeoning, much sought-after profession because there will be (ahem) such a “growing need.
Especially because of the aging baby-boomer cohort, and increasingly, as urban populations rise further removing them from nature - there is, at the same time, a parallel recognition that plants heal. Naturally.
It’s been called nature therapy or ecotherapy -where instructors teach how to leverage nature to boost immunity and mood. From “forest bathing” or Shinrin-yoku (I greatly enjoyed this class at NYBG last spring) to mindfulness, health and wellness, Hort Therapy practitioners will experience ever more interest and need for their services.

You’ll also have the opportunity to get a close-up look at the day-to-day practices of local horticultural therapy programs at NYU Langone Medical Center, the Horticultural Society of New York’s Greenhouse Program on Rikers Island, or Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center.


Classes:

• Introduction to Horticultural Therapy
• Horticultural Therapy for Older Adults
• Horticultural Therapy for Physical Rehabilitation
• Horticultural Therapy for Exceptional Youth
• Activities Analysis for Horticultural Therapy
• Horticultural Therapy in Behavioral Health Settings
• Horticultural Therapy Methods & Materials
• Garden Design for Special Populations
• Horticultural Therapy Program Management

Dates: Classes start June 10—August 24

If you have any questions or want to talk it through, the wonderful, Adult Education staff is happy to help you. Call 718.817.8747 or e-mail adulted@nybg.org

* Remember to Comment and re-post to win. And use the code to save money on your next garden adventure.

See you at the Garden. 

All photos courtesy of The New York Botanical Garden  

Rare & Exotic Orchids Dazzle at New York Botanical Garden's Annual Orchid Show - Homage to Thailand's Plant Culture

Gateway to a world of Orchids at The New York Botanical Garden - an homage to Thailand (see elephant topiaries)

At last - the moment every flower enthusiast waits all year for: The Orchid Show. The dazzling display of orchids at the 15th annual Orchid Show at The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) does not disappoint; especially those who are crazy, passionate about these glamour pusses of the plant world.

This is where science and beauty meet head on in a full frontal assault. Wow.

Vanda Orchids!

This year’s Orchid Show (exhibit runs from February 18 through April 9th) pays homage to Thailand because of “the wealth of orchids, acclaimed tropical gardens, renowned breeding, and rich cultural history of this Southeast Asian nation… (and) home to to more than 1,200 native orchid species,” according to NYBG. Further you should know that “Thailand is a leading producer of cultivated orchids - in fact, it is the biggest exporter of tropical orchids in the world.”

Did you know that orchids are found on every continent save one? Orchids make up approximately 10 percent of all the plant species on earth; 25,000 species are known to scientists and more than 10 times that number of hybrid varieties.

No wonder we find orchids endlessly fascinating -- there’s just no end to their drama, shape, size, fragrance, and color.

And color is the frisson of this show.




I learned color is so important to the Thai culture - they LOVE color and utilize it extensively in their garden design, decorative arts -- in patterns and texture - with a kind of kaleidoscope display of diversity.

The show features a mix of native Thai orchids and hybrids: sourced from the Garden’s growers located in Florida and Hawaii, for example, in addition to what is grown at the Garden.

Marc Hachadourian, NYBG

And the respected authority for all things orchids at NYBG (and a kind of “Plant Whisperer” as he nurtures orchids seized illegally in the wild) is Marc Hachadourian, Manager of the Nolan Greenhouses for Living Collections .

I asked Marc about this year’s show upon arriving at the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory's Palm of the World Gallery where elephant topiaries (elephants are the official national symbol of Thailand) and lush and luxuriant orchids captivate.

Marc explained that the Garden hadn’t produced a “geographic-themed” show in awhile -- then they got brainstorming and with Thailand acknowledged as the “epicenter” of tropical plants and horticulture, along with orchids - especially Dendrobiums and Vandas a key part of the Thai’s iconic culture along with Thailand’s connection to nature - made the decision a, ahem, natural one. “There is extreme diversity in the country’s orchids,” Marc said, underscoring how important plants are to a culture. Marc amplified the power of plants as contributors to a culture, saying “It’s no secret humans have had a long term love affair with orchids -- they are a supreme, global garden ‘flower.’”

I asked Marc what his favorite orchid is - to which he initially responded with a kind of punt, saying “whichever is in bloom at the moment.” Spoken like a true plant diplomat… 

He then embraced the Dendrobiums, (“cane-like stems” and some sport those impossible, purple-patterned blooms) saying he is a big fan of the miniatures. Agreed. Good things come in small packages.

There is a suite of miniatures at the Orchid Show - and in the Garden’s permanent collection.

Christian Primeau, NYBG explains the curated Orchid Show to journalists at Press Preview

Christian Primeau, NYBG’s Manager of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory responsible for the tropical and subtropical plant collections, spoke about the design of this year’s show, detailing the cultural reference displays.

Thai Garden Culture 

Entering the main part of the Orchid Show always leaves me a little breathless. There is so much of a spectacular sensation. It’s warm. It’s colorful. It’s fragrant -- and all that oxygen. Ahhhh. (Restores the giddy, breathless lightheadiness!)  

First up in this other-worldly, exotic delight are the hanging gold and white fabric decorative Sky Lanterns positioned in the tree branches overhead -- in the “Thai tradition of sky lanterns (khom loi) “lit on celebratory occasions to symbolically carry away bad fortune and bring good luck,” notes NYBG.

Sky Lantern “kissing” appropriately-named, ‘Dancing Ladies’ Oncidium and its yellow-gold color complement. 

The exhibit signage noted the full story of the symbolic lanterns.

Two of Thailand’s traditional Spirit Houses are replicated here, as well. They are sweet “shrines.”

The show’s educational signage explains how many Thai houses, businesses, and more have at least “one spirit house - (phra phum) and in cities such as Bangkok - they are probably on rooftops. Like our gardens in urban areas.

I think we all need these spirit houses. Christian joked the spirits can’t fly; and pointed out the ladder… The Spirit Houses are decorated with protective dragon spirits.

In a mirror exhibit, the Garden also showcases the Daily Offering Spirit House - demonstrating how the Thai people’s offerings of flowers, fruit, incense -- and strawberry soda (really?!) keep the spirits in a good mood and ensure good fortune.

The fragrant orchids are represented by the Cattleya oncidium - or “corsage orchid” - that in earlier times brought on good moods for all the lucky ladies who’s prom dates showed up with an orchid - - and Oncidium Irish Mist ‘Big Hot Sun.’

I was intrigued with the small Mai Dat - a tribute to the tradition of clipping trees and shrubs into a variety of shapes - a kind of topiary that dates from the 13th century and not unlike a kind of bonsai except that mai dat is meant to be “abstract and fanciful.”

One is hopelessly and lovingly drawn to the center of the Conservatory where the crowning pinnacle of any NYBG show reigns. Here for the Orchid Show, there is a replica of a Sala or place of relaxation from the sun -- and life. It is an homage to famed contemporary landscape design architect: Mom Tri, a descendent of King Rama IV - evoking a traditional Buddhist Thai garden. 

The Sala featured a temple-like hardscape structure studded with boatloads of phalaenopsis orchids -- on a topiary elephant “saddle” and on moss balls, along with those glorious Vandas - with their epiphyte kind of necklaces hanging below. Those epiphyte roots help absorb moisture and catch falling detritus, explained Christian.  

The Sala should be viewed also for the plant compositions created by NYBG curators. Please notice the elegant slipper orchids: paphiopedilum, ‘Silver Dollar’ Maidenhair ferns, and gorgeous rocks, placed ever so stylishly.

Philodendrons and ferns and bromeliads et al are the backdrops and foils for the show dazzlers but should not be overlooked.

My hands-down favorite display is the diminutive pool of black water -- accessorized with orchid petals of varying shades of fuschia, red and white. Surrounding the mysterious and captivating pool are more slipper orchids and white Dendrobium ‘Mini Snowflake’ orchids, and delicate Maidenhair ferns.

I dare you to stop looking! 

But I also especially loved a color composition up front in the display. The curators worked the yellow, burgundy and greens to subtle triumph. Look for the Oncostele ‘Wildcat’ - glowing with afternoon sun - low ground cover - Spathoglottis yellow orchids, hibiscus, fuschia-colored leaves… Take it all in.

There is also another grouping of lanterns by the sala -- the bamboo lanterns in a group of nine: a lucky number in Thailand. 

The Thai word for nine is gao, “similar to ‘progress’ and for ‘rice’ a staple food.” Even the pot containers are clustered in lucky number compositions. 

I confess I’m superstitious; to learn how Thais have lucky and unlucky numbers and traditions, resonated with me!  

I plan to return during one of the Orchid Evenings -- for nothing else but to experience the magical glow of these lanterns surrounded by orchids. Yet there is also dance and music -- and cocktails!  A trifecta of plant-entertainment, especially during the winter.  What's better than being in a seductive greenhouse with all those hot-hot beauties when it's cold outside.  Romance is surely "in the air."

I’ve often referred to orchids as “jewelry” and you’ll understand why when you view the Orchid Show -- the displays are priceless and elegant and glamorous. It seems appropriate then that a key sponsor of the Orchid Show is Baccarat (Thank you, Baccarat.)

There is a plethora of spot-on programs developed for the Orchid Show. Especially The Orchid Evenings -- sigh -- I can’t wait to experience those Thai Lanterns glowing at night in the Conservatory…

Orchid Evenings

Saturdays: March 4, 11, 18, and 25; April 1 and 8

Fridays: March 31 (LGBT Night) and April 7

6:30–9:30 p.m. (entry times at 6:30, 7, and 7:30 p.m.)

Stroll through The Orchid Show: Thailand in the lush Conservatory, while music, dance, and unmatched beauty create one of New York City’s most unique and spectacular evening outings. On April 1 and 8, visitors can also upgrade their experience with the Young Garden Circle Lounge for skip-the-line access; free parking; a private open bar featuring beer, wine, and specialty cocktails; complimentary light bites; and a live DJ making for an unforgettable night. Advance tickets recommended. Cash bar available.


Film Screenings

Vanilla: The Sacred Orchid

Saturday, February 18 and Sunday, February 19; 1, 1:30, and 2 p.m.

In Ross Hall

Learn the intriguing life process—from flower to pantry—of a favorite flavor. This scenic film examines the full-year cycle of this spice from Veracruz, Mexico. The vanilla orchid is still cultivated by the same indigenous people who have been growing it for centuries. The film is directed by Curtis Craven and runs 26 minutes.

Adaptation

Saturday, February 25 and Sunday, February 26; 2 p.m.

In Ross Hall

In this popular 2002 feature film inspired by Susan Orlean’s book The Orchid Thief, Nicolas Cage plays Charlie Kaufman, a lovelorn L.A. screenwriter overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy, self- loathing, and the screenwriting ambitions of his freeloading twin brother, Donald (also Cage). While struggling to adapt The Orchid Thief by Orlean (Meryl Streep), Kaufman’s life spins from pathetic to bizarre. The lives of Kaufman, Orlean, and John Laroche (Chris Cooper), the orchid poacher and subject of the book, become strangely intertwined as each one’s obsession collides with those of the others. (114 minutes, Rated R)


Dance Performances

Magical Thailand—A Journey with the Somapa Thai Dance Company

Saturdays and Sundays, March 4–April 9

Performances at 1 and 3 p.m.

In Ross Hall, or seasonally in Conservatory Plaza

The Somapa Thai Dance Company takes you on a journey to experience beautiful and magical Thailand. The Washington, D.C.-based dance company introduces audiences to Thai performing arts and culture with graceful classical and folk dances from various parts of Thailand.

The Orchid Show Tours

Tuesdays–Fridays; 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.

Meet at the Conservatory Entrance

Tour The Orchid Show with an expert guide. Get a brief introduction to the biology of orchids to learn what makes them so different from other flowers, and learn about some of the current research projects that our scientists are working on.

Roaming Guides

Saturdays and Sundays; 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

In the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory

Garden guides highlight parts of the permanent collection and special exhibition to add insight to your experience of The Orchid Show. They will provide an in-depth look at rare and extraordinary orchid specimens on display.

Orchid Care Demonstrations

Saturdays and Sundays; 2:30 and 3:30 p.m.

In the Conservatory GreenSchool

Join NYBG experts as they discuss the basics of orchid care and how to choose and successfully grow these exotic plants.

Orchid Expert Q&A
Saturdays and Sundays; 1:30–4:30 p.m.

In NYBG Shop

Drop in and ask about orchid care tips. Get help selecting the proper orchid for your home.


Also During The Orchid Show

Thousands of top-quality orchids, from exotic, hard-to-find specimens for connoisseurs to elegant yet easy-to-grow varieties for beginners, are available for purchase at NYBG Shop, along with orchid products and books. During The Orchid Show, visitors can enjoy a selection of dining options at the Hudson Garden Grill, NYBG’s full-service restaurant, which will have Thai-inspired offerings, and at the Pine Tree Cafe. 

It's cold outside -- get to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory for the 15th Annual NYBG Orchid Show