South Eastern Connecticut Landscaping

If the flowering magnolias and budding bottlebrushes around the Garden are any evidence, New York really has shifted gears to full-on spring pleasantry. You know it was satisfying to leave your coat on the hook before work all this week! And with the Orchid Show now settled into its groove and flourishing with its thousands of exotic flowers, this is the time to head up to the Bronx and see what everyone is swooning over. You finally get to start off without the screech of an alarm clock, ditch the briefcase, and leave your uncomfortable shoes near the front door for a couple of days–make the most of it!

Between the ”living walls” of the Orchid Show and the fresh flowers sprouting up throughout our 250-acre landscape, the NYBG is the home of springtime in New York. Daffodils are high and bright, the ornamental cherries are stealing the show, and the magnolias may leave you downright speechless (I can’t stop bringing them up, I know, but they’re beyond lovely).

Whatever your interests, this weekend is packed with events from the ever-popular Bird Walk to flower arranging workshops. Be sure to have a look at the schedule below to make a full day of your time here!

Saturday, March 24

Bird Walk–11 a.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center

Search for the many songbirds, raptors, waterfowl and other avian creatures that call the NYBG home. Bring your binoculars and walk the Garden grounds with our seasoned bird expert, Debbie Becker, looking for the species that live here year-round as well as those migrating through. With the owls out and about for diurnal hunting, and a growing family of Red-tailed Hawks patrolling the trees, you’re sure to see something on the wing. Be sure to have a look at some of the NYBG birding classes outlined by Joyce Newman in her hawk update. I can tell you that the birds have been especially chatty of late, and the hawks and owls are alert and on the prowl; they’re enjoying the weather about as much as we are.

Orchid QA
Enid A. Haupt Conservatory; 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Shop in the Garden; 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Ask away! Roaming Garden docents and orchid experts are available to answer all of your orchid questions and to help you choose the right plant for your home. Peruse our large collection of exotic orchids in the Shop in the Garden–you might just end up catching the obsession yourself.

History and Mystery of Orchids Presentation Series — 1 3 p.m.
In the Ross Hall

With more than 25,000 species growing on six continents, orchids fascinate and touch the lives of people in every country and culture. This series of presentations and demonstrations takes you on a journey around the world of orchids and shows you how to grow and care for them at home. Visit the jungles of Costa Rica, the vanilla farms of Mexico, and other exotic locales–all without the need for a passport.

Flower Arranging with Orchids — 1 p.m.

Join floral designer Trish O’Sullivan as she demonstrates how to incorporate the beauty and elegance of fresh orchids in home and party design. Learn how to float orchids on leaves in glass, and to create the latest trends in orchid design.

Orchid Care Demonstration: Potting and Dividing Orchids – 3 p.m.
Your orchids will suffer if you do not periodically repot them. Join Gardener for Public Education Sonia Uyterhoeven as she teaches you how to divide and repot your orchids, about different potting mediums to use, and basic repotting techniques.

Orchid Evening – 6:30 to 9 p.m.
In the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory

Enjoy a signature cocktail while viewing the Orchid Show and its thousands of spectacular flowers. Elegant beauty and the excitement of live DJs combine to create one of New York City’s most romantic date destinations. Your Orchid Evenings ticket includes a complimentary cocktail and special offers from our outstanding partners, including some of New York’s best restaurants. Shop in the Garden will be open throughout the evening, offering a variety of exotic orchids, so you can take home a piece of the magic!

Non-Member $30/Member $20 (Adults 21 and over) Includes one complimentary cocktail. Advance tickets recommended. Choice of 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. entrance times.

Support provided by: Dylan’s Candy Bar

Sunday, March 25

Orchid QA
Enid A. Haupt Conservatory; 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Shop in the Garden; 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Ask away! Roaming Garden docents and orchid experts are available to answer all of your orchid questions and to help you choose the right plant for your home. Peruse our large collection of exotic orchids in the Shop in the Garden–you might just end up catching the obsession yourself.

History and Mystery of Orchids Presentation Series — 1 3 p.m.
In the Ross Hall

With more than 25,000 species growing on six continents, orchids fascinate and touch the lives of people in every country and culture. This series of presentations and demonstrations takes you on a journey around the world of orchids and shows you how to grow and care for them at home. Visit the jungles of Costa Rica, the vanilla farms of Mexico, and other exotic locales–all without the need for a passport.

Film — Vanilla: The Sacred Orchid — 1 p.m.

Learn the intriguing life process–from flower to pantry–of the world’s favorite flavor. This scenic film examines the full year-cycle of this spice from Veracruz, Mexico. The 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 27 minutes.

Orchid Care Demonstration: Potting and Dividing Orchids – 3 p.m.
Orchids can suffer if they’re not periodically repotted. Join Gardener for Public Education Sonia Uyterhoeven as she teaches you how to divide and repot your orchids, different potting mediums to use and basic repotting techniques.

Ongoing Children’s Programs

Outdoor Nature Explorations: Little Landscapes
Everett Children’s Adventure Garden — Weekdays 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.; Weekends 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Growing tiny worlds in a jar is the latest craze in the gardening world, though terrariums have been around for ages. Look closely at a wide array of artistic and scientific terrariums, and create your own rocky, mossy, or floral world in a jar to take home. Use a microscope to take a closer look at some of the featured terrarium specimens such as moss, lichens, and rocks.

Tags: bird walk, orchid show, weekend

This entry was posted
on Friday, March 23rd, 2012 at 11:00 am and is filed under Around the Garden, The Orchid Show.
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Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/03/exhibit-news/the-orchid-show/back-to-the-weekend-at-the-nybg/

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Judging from our Morning Eye Candy posts, you might think the unconscionably talented Ivo Vermeulen is one of only a few people on NYBG grounds gallivanting about with a camera in tow. He’s certainly prolific enough. But if you follow us from day to day, you’ll come to notice that photography in general is a core interest here at the Garden. There are so many colors, shapes, and fantastical landscapes on these 250 acres to share with the rest of the world, and we’re encouraging anyone and everyone to jump in with their gear of choice–smartphone, fully-fitted Nikon, homemade pinhole or otherwise.

Much like the Caribbean Garden photo contest before it, this year’s Orchid Show gives our visitors a chance to satisfy their inner aperture fiend with thousands upon thousands of flowers and horticultural design wonders to snap. And with the help of a simple hashtag, our ability to see and share all of this work is quickly becoming a cakewalk. Outlets like Instagram, Twitter, Flickr and Tumblr have given us the opportunity to show off our visitors’ efforts out in the open, where other garden photographers (and those who simply enjoy an artful capture of a dancing lady orchid) can enjoy it.

Our Orchid Show‘s home page now throws the spotlight on a few of the talented contributors we’ve had slinging the “#OrchidShow” hashtag around since the exhibition opened. These folks know their way–front and back–around a lens. And in honor of their efforts (not to mention our gratitude for the wonders of social connectivity on the internet), I’m giving them their due attentions on Plant Talk.

Amy Weiss — Backlit Orchid

If you’re paying us a visit for this year’s Orchid Show, I suggest bringing your camera along–it doesn’t matter how simple or fancy it is, or how much practice you’ve had. And if you’d like to share what you create with the rest of our little community, be sure to stick “#OrchidShow” in your posting! We’re always on the lookout for new contributions, whether you’re a regular member of our Flickr group, or just looking to share your photography with the Twitter crowd.

The Orchid Show runs from now until April 22, and you can reserve your tickets here. If you’re coming to take photos of our exhibitions, please remember to leave your tripods at home! Thanks!

Tags: Flickr, hashtag, orchid show, Photography

This entry was posted
on Friday, March 23rd, 2012 at 1:00 pm and is filed under Photography, The Orchid Show.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/03/photography/just-add-orchidshow/

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Have you been following Plant Talk this week? If you have, you’re already well aware that the skies are criss-crossed with soaring hawks, the daffodils are bobbing alongside the paths, and the NYBG‘s tenth annual Orchid Show is proving every bit the belle of the ball we knew it would be. With or without a few hems and haws from departing winter, a welcome spring is here more than two weeks early.

If you’re looking for escapism, the walkways of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory are a sure bet, ringed as they are with thousands of orchids in nearly every color of the spectrum. Better yet, you can start the day with Debbie Becker’s Saturday Bird Walk, then jump into orchid workshops and lectures of all sorts, with terrarium building in Little Landscapes to occupy the kids; there’s something about holding a miniature world unto itself–all in the palm of your hand–that’s infinitely appealing.

I’m telling you now: don’t waste a minute of this weekend’s just-right weather. Before you can say “cherry blossom,” you’ll be running your air conditioner full tilt for yet another city summer.

Saturday, March 17

Bird Walk — 11 a.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center

Search for the many songbirds, raptors, waterfowl and other avian creatures that call the NYBG home. Bring your binoculars and walk the Garden grounds with our seasoned bird expert, Debbie Becker, looking for the species that live here year-round as well as those migrating through. With the owls out and about for diurnal hunting, and a growing family of Red-tailed Hawks patrolling the trees, you’re sure to see something on the wing. Be sure to have a look at some of the NYBG birding classes outlined by Joyce Newman in yesterday’s hawk update.

Orchid QA
Enid A. Haupt Conservatory; 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Shop in the Garden; 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Ask away! Roaming Garden docents and orchid experts are available to answer all of your orchid questions and to help you choose the right plant for your home. Peruse our large collection of exotic orchids in the Shop in the Garden–you might just end up catching the obsession yourself.

Docent-led Tour with ASL Interpreter – 12:30 p.m.
Meet in the Palms of the World Gallery in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory

Expert volunteers serve as guides, providing an in-depth look at some of the rarest and most extraordinary orchid specimens in modern horticulture.

History and Mystery of Orchids Presentation Series — 1 3 p.m.
In the Ross Hall

With more than 25,000 species growing on six continents, orchids fascinate and touch the lives of people in every country and culture. This series of presentations and demonstrations takes you on a journey around the world of orchids and shows you how to grow and care for them at home. Visit the jungles of Costa Rica, the vanilla farms of Mexico, and other exotic locales–all without the need for a passport.

Film–Vanilla: The Sacred Orchid – 1 p.m.

Learn the intriguing life process–from flower to pantry–of one of the world’s favorite flavors. This scenic film examines the full-year cycle of this spice from Veracruz, Mexico, where it is still cultivated by the same indigenous people who have been growing it for centuries. Directed by Curtis Craven, it runs 27 minutes.

Orchid Care Demonstration: Orchid Sense-ations – 3 p.m.

Join Sonia Uyterhoeven, Gardener for Public Education, for a discussion of some of the best orchids to grow for both color and fragrance. Learn basic orchid care and experience the scents of many orchid varieties.

Orchid Evening – 6:30 to 9 p.m.
In the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory

Enjoy a signature cocktail while viewing the Orchid Show and its thousands of spectacular flowers. Elegant beauty and the excitement of live DJs combine to create one of New York City’s most romantic date destinations. Your Orchid Evenings ticket includes a complimentary cocktail and special offers from our outstanding partners, including some of New York’s best restaurants. Shop in the Garden will be open throughout the evening offering a variety of exotic orchids, so you can take home a piece of the magic!

Non-Member $30/Member $20 (Adults 21 and over) Includes one complimentary cocktail. Advance tickets recommended. Choice of 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. entrance times.

Support provided by: Dylan’s Candy Bar

Sunday, March 18

Orchid QA
Enid A. Haupt Conservatory; 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Shop in the Garden; 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Ask away! Roaming Garden docents and orchid experts are available to answer all of your orchid questions and to help you choose the right plant for your home. Peruse our large collection of exotic orchids in the Shop in the Garden–you might just end up catching the obsession yourself.

History and Mystery of Orchids Presentation Series — 1 3 p.m.
In the Ross Hall

With more than 25,000 species growing on six continents, orchids fascinate and touch the lives of people in every country and culture. This series of presentations and demonstrations takes you on a journey around the world of orchids and shows you how to grow and care for them at home. Visit the jungles of Costa Rica, the vanilla farms of Mexico, and other exotic locales–all without the need for a passport.

Modern Floral Design with Sustainable Orchids — 1 p.m.

Orchids in floral design evoke the powerful eco-philosophy that “less is more.” Join Trish O’Sullivan, Coordinator of The New York Botanical Garden Floral Design Program, as she demonstrates simple, stylish, and modern orchid designs using sustainable floral practices. Kiri wood and reclaimed containers will set the stage for beautiful orchids and natural materials that explore the color and textures of nature’s beautiful treasures in floral designs for a greener future.

Orchid Care Demonstration: Orchid Sense-ations – 3 p.m.

Join Sonia Uyterhoeven, Gardener for Public Education, for a discussion of some of the best orchids to grow for both color and fragrance. Learn basic orchid care and experience the scents of many orchid varieties.

Ongoing Children’s Programs

Outdoor Nature Explorations: Little Landscapes
Everett Children’s Adventure Garden — Weekdays 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.; Weekends 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Growing tiny worlds in a jar is the latest craze in the gardening world, though terrariums have been around for ages. Look closely at a wide array of artistic and scientific terrariums, and create your own rocky, mossy, or floral world in a jar to take home. Use a microscope to take a closer look at some of the featured terrarium specimens such as moss, lichens, and rocks.

Tags: bird walk, Little Landscapes, NYBG, orchid show, weekend

This entry was posted
on Friday, March 16th, 2012 at 5:00 pm and is filed under Around the Garden, Programs and Events, The Orchid Show.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/03/garden-programming/an-early-spring-weekend/

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Instagram fans have flocked to this coy but colorful flower. (Thanks, Bergdorf’s.)

Of all the flowers coloring the scenery of our Orchid Show, one in particular–technically not even an orchid–is drawing gasps and adoration in spades. Known as Medinilla magnifica to science (and the Showy Medinilla, or “Malaysian orchid” to everyone else), its bowing proliferation of pale pink flower clusters has found a home in botanical gardens throughout the world.

And you can have one at home if it suits you.

Contrary to its bold presentation, the Medinilla isn’t quite as rare or exotic as assumptions would suggest. It’s been raised successfully in conservatories from here to Belgium, where the late King Baudouin championed the flower through the latter half of the 20th century. So infatuated was he with this Southeast Asian native that it was placed on the country’s 10,000 franc note. But as a plant endemic to the small island of Luzon in the Philippines, Medinilla’s distribution in the wild has not proven broad enough to escape the consequences of horticultural fascination. It’s said that the demand of collectors has caused a decline in natural populations to such a degree that many believe the plant now exists only within the plant trade.

Of around 400 species of Medinilla in existence, magnifica is recognized as the only species commonly cultivated and kept in home collections. Here in the northeast it’s best to keep it in range of comfortable room temperatures throughout the year–somewhere between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. Dry(er) soil over wet is also the rule, with light leaf mistings to keep the plant from becoming parched in the typically dry New York home. There’s more to it than can be said in a short blog update, of course, but you can gather further tips for keeping your Medinilla here.

Even if it’s not technically an orchid, the soft pink bracts and demure nod of this tropical inflorescence add so much to the many true orchids it accompanies. We’ll welcome it here any year.

If you would like to see the Medinilla for yourself, the Orchid Show runs from now until April 22. See our exhibition page for more information on workshops, lectures, and special evening events, and don’t forget to pick up tickets.

Photo courtesy of Bergdorf-Goodman’s generous Instagram.

Tags: Malaysian orchid, Medinilla magnifica, orchid show

This entry was posted
on Monday, March 12th, 2012 at 1:51 pm and is filed under Around the Garden, The Orchid Show.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/03/exhibit-news/the-orchid-show/a-magnificent-medinilla/

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Much ado about the weather this week. Yesterday was a mid-spring day borrowed straight from early May, sending most of our office staff into ecstatic fits. I’m all but convinced one or two of us were out on the grass, belting out celebratory verses from The Sound of Music. Today it’s a bit cooler, of course. But with the warm sun and a promise of picturesque afternoons for Saturday and Sunday, winter seems all but out the door.

The dogwood is blooming, the crocuses are bright, and the Orchid Show is settling into the groove for its second big weekend. This is the perfect opportunity to hop a subway train to the Bronx and treat yourself to Patrick Blanc’s Vertical Gardens. But even if orchids aren’t your thing (a rare condition, albeit understandable), the schedule is packed with activities to suit.

Saturday, March 10

Bird Walk — 11 a.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center

Search for the many songbirds, raptors, waterfowl and other avian creatures that call the NYBG home. Bring your binoculars and walk the Garden grounds with our seasoned bird expert, Debbie Becker, looking for the species that live here year-round as well as those migrating through. Her expertise tells us that we might even begin seeing the return of native spring migrants in the coming week. With the owls out and about for diurnal hunting, and a growing family of Red-tailed Hawks patrolling the trees, you’re sure to see something on the wing.

Orchid QA
Enid A. Haupt Conservatory; 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Shop in the Garden; 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Ask away! Roaming Garden docents and orchid experts are available to answer all of your orchid questions and to help you choose the right plant for your home. Peruse our large collection of exotic orchids in the Shop in the Garden–you might just end up catching the obsession yourself.

The History and Mystery of Orchids — 1 and 3 p.m.
In the Ross Hall

With more than 25,000 species growing on six continents, orchids fascinate and touch the lives of people in every country and culture. This series of presentations and demonstrations takes you on a journey around the world of orchids and shows you how to grow and care for them at home. Visit the jungles of Costa Rica, the vanilla farms of Mexico, and other exotic locales–all without the need for a passport.

Flower Arranging with Orchids — 1 p.m.

Join floral designer Trish O’Sullivan as she demonstrates how to incorporate the beauty and elegance of fresh orchids into home and party design. Learn how to float orchids on leaves in glass, and to create the latest trends in orchid design.

Orchid Care Demonstration: Aerial Orchids — 3 p.m.

Orchids are the acrobats of the plant world, able to perch on the tips of branches and tumble down the sides of trees. Join Sonia Uyterhoeven, Gardener for Public Education, for a glimpse into the lives of orchids while learning how to successfully grow them.

A Season in Poetry — 4 p.m.
In the Conservatory Green School

Celebrate the season with renowned poets Star Black, Dave Lucas, and Patrick Phillips, each reading classic favorites as well as their own work at one of the largest botanical gardens in the United States. Co-presented with The Poetry Society of America.

Orchid Evenings – 6:30 to 9 p.m.
In the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory

Enjoy a signature cocktail while viewing the Orchid Show and its thousands of spectacular flowers. Elegant beauty and the excitement of live DJs combine to create one of New York City’s most romantic date destinations. Your Orchid Evenings ticket includes a complimentary cocktail and special offers from our outstanding partners, including some of New York’s best restaurants (see below). Shop in the Garden will be open throughout the evening offering a variety of exotic orchids, so you can take home a piece of the magic!

Non-Member $30/Member $20 (Adults 21 and over) Includes one complimentary cocktail. Advance tickets recommended. Choice of 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. entrance times.

Support provided by: Dylan’s Candy Bar

Sunday, March 11

Orchid QA
Enid A. Haupt Conservatory; 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Shop in the Garden; 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Ask away! Roaming Garden docents and orchid experts are available to answer all of your orchid questions and to help you choose the right plant for your home. Peruse our large collection of exotic orchids in the Shop in the Garden–you might just end up catching the obsession yourself.

The History and Mystery of Orchids — 1 and 3 p.m.
In the Ross Hall

With more than 25,000 species growing on six continents, orchids fascinate and touch the lives of people in every country and culture. This series of presentations and demonstrations takes you on a journey around the world of orchids and shows you how to grow and care for them at home. Visit the jungles of Costa Rica, the vanilla farms of Mexico, and other exotic locales–all without the need for a passport.

History of the Orchid: From Chinese Art to the Victorian Era — 1 p.m.

Since the time of Confucius, orchids have been revered for their beauty. Depicted in Chinese art and the objects of obsession in the Victorian-era, the legends and lore surrounding orchids are almost as diverse as the plants themselves. Join Marc Hachadourian, Curator of Glasshouse Collections, on a journey through the fascinating history of orchids that has made them one of the most popular cultivated plants in the world.

Orchid Care Demonstration: Aerial Orchids — 3 p.m.

Orchids are the acrobats of the plant world, able to perch on the tips of branches and tumble down the sides of trees. Join Sonia Uyterhoeven, Gardener for Public Education, for a glimpse into the lives of orchids while learning how to successfully grow them.

Ongoing Children’s Programs

Outdoor Nature Explorations: Little Landscapes
Everett Children’s Adventure Garden — Weekdays 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.; Weekends 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Growing tiny worlds in a jar is the latest craze in the gardening world, though terrariums have been around for ages. Look closely at a wide array of artistic and scientific terrariums, and create your own rocky, mossy, or floral world in a jar to take home. Use a microscope to take a closer look at some of the featured terrarium specimens such as moss, lichens, and rocks.

Tags: bird walk, orchid show, weekend

This entry was posted
on Friday, March 9th, 2012 at 2:09 pm and is filed under Around the Garden, Exhibitions, The Orchid Show.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/03/exhibit-news/the-orchid-show-warms-up/

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Even as big weekends go, this is a big weekend. The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory has gone through a complete metamorphosis over the past several weeks, with a dedicated team of horticulturists primping and preening a luxurious display thousands of orchids strong. As of tomorrow, Patrick Blanc’s careful designs will finally come to light for our guests to enjoy.

Beginning tomorrow, March 3, the doors of the tenth annual Orchid Show (yes, an entire decade) swing open to reveal the French master’s creations to the world. Everyone in New York should see this! Visit the Garden to find yourself surrounded by the artful flowers of the tropics, a virtual architecture of exotic leaves, petals, and vines swirling in and amongst each other. The diversity of orchids that now floods the space in sprays of color is impressive on its own, but the arrangement is simply breathtaking.

Along with the opening of the show, this weekend will also kickstart two months of lectures, workshops, and celebrations! You can join us for the History and Mystery of Orchids, a lecture series featuring seasoned orchid experts on the arrangement, cultivation, and background of the many species, as well as a talk held by Dr. Patrick Blanc himself.

In any case, there’s too much to do this weekend for me to cram it all into a few paragraphs. Here’s a handy schedule for those of you looking to welcome the incoming spring with us:

Saturday, March 3

Bird Walk — 11 a.m.
Meets at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Search for the many songbirds, raptors, waterfowl and other avian creatures that call the NYBG home. Bring your binoculars and walk the Garden grounds with our seasoned bird expert, Debbie Becker, looking for the species that live here year-round as well as those migrating through. With the owls out and about for diurnal hunting, and a growing family of Red-Tailed Hawks patrolling the trees, you’re sure to see something on the wing.

Orchid QA
Enid A. Haupt Conservatory — 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Shop in the Garden — 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Ask away! Roaming Garden docents and orchid experts are available to answer all of your orchid questions and to help you choose the right plant for your home. Peruse our large collection of exotic orchids in the Shop in the Garden–you might just end up catching the obsession yourself.

History and Mystery of Orchids — 1 3 p.m.
In the Ross Hall

With more than 25,000 species growing on six continents, orchids fascinate and touch the lives of people in every country and culture. This series of presentations and demonstrations takes you on a journey around the world of orchids and shows you how to grow and care for them at home. Visit the jungles of Costa Rica, the vanilla farms of Mexico, and other exotic locales–all without the need for a passport.

The Vertical Garden: From Nature to the City with Designer Patrick Blanc — 1 p.m.

French botanist and guest designer of this year’s Orchid Show, Patrick Blanc talks about his travels and projects around the world while discussing the inspirations for his signature “green walls.” His characteristic color-rich, textural, living tapestries have been commissioned for cityscapes, interiors, museum exhibitions, and fashion shows worldwide. He will also be signing copies of his newly revised book, The Vertical Garden: From Nature to the City, as well as Gardening Vertically: 24 Ideas for Creating Your Own Green Walls.

Orchid Care Demonstration: Know and Grow Orchids — 3 p.m.

Celebrate the opening of the Orchid Show by joining Sonia Uyterhoeven, Gardener for Public Education, to learn the basics of orchid care and how to choose and successfully grow these exotic plants. With a little know-how, keeping a collection of the most beautiful tropical blossoms becomes simple.

Sunday, March 4

Orchid QA
Enid A. Haupt Conservatory — 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Shop in the Garden — 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Ask away! Roaming Garden docents and orchid experts are available to answer all of your orchid questions and to help you choose the right plant for your home. Peruse our large collection of exotic orchids in the Shop in the Garden–you might just end up catching the obsession yourself.

History and Mystery of Orchids — 1 3 p.m.
In the Ross Hall

With more than 25,000 species growing on six continents, orchids fascinate and touch the lives of people in every country and culture. This series of presentations and demonstrations takes you on a journey around the world of orchids and shows you how to grow and care for them at home. Visit the jungles of Costa Rica, the vanilla farms of Mexico, and other exotic locales–all without the need of a passport.

Why Native Orchids Grow Where They Do: The Secret is Under Our Feet — 1 p.m.

The vast majority of plants require an association with mycorrhizal fungi to obtain nutrients and grow in natural environments. Orchids are no exception. However, while most mycorrhizal associations are beneficial to both partners, orchids generally parasitize their mycorrhizal fungi, actually digesting them to obtain nutrients. Learn how Melissa McCormick, researcher at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Maryland, has used DNA analysis to find where host fungi grow in the soil to support orchid growth, and how environmental disruptions may affect this important, life-sustaining relationship.

Orchid Care Demonstration: Know and Grow Orchids — 3 p.m.

Celebrate the opening of the Orchid Show by joining Sonia Uyterhoeven, Gardener for Public Education, to learn the basics of orchid care and how to choose and successfully grow these exotic plants. With a little know-how, keeping a collection of the most beautiful tropical blossoms becomes simple.

Ongoing Children’s Programs

Outdoor Nature Explorations: Little Landscapes
Weekdays 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.; Weekends 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Everett Children’s Adventure Garden

Growing tiny worlds in a jar is the latest craze in the gardening world, though terrariums have been around for ages. Look closely at a wide array of artistic and scientific terrariums, and create your own rocky, mossy, or floral world in a jar to take home. Use a microscope to take a closer look at some of the featured terrarium specimens such as moss, lichens, and rocks.

Tags: Lectures, orchid show, weekend

This entry was posted
on Friday, March 2nd, 2012 at 3:57 pm and is filed under Around the Garden, Exhibitions, The Orchid Show.
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Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/03/exhibit-news/the-orchid-show-celebrates-10-years-this-weekend/

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February 3, 2012; Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, Fiordo Garibaldi, approximately 54º58′S, 69º49′W

This morning we collected in Brazo Inutil (approximately 54º58′S, 69º49′W). The day began with patches of blue sky and the promise of a nice day, but it was colder than it had been recently, which I should have known signaled a change in the weather. The collecting wasn’t great, but I know at this stage that I have seen and personally collected much of the flora, and so have to fight surrendering to boredom. Most of my time has been spent looking for mosses and I have not really paid great attention to lichens. NYBG now has three lichenologists, as well as a new lichen graduate student joining us soon. My colleagues at the Garden, as well as various researchers outside of my home institution, have asked me to be on the lookout for certain groups of lichens, and I have decided that now is the time for me to do so! Once I have found what mosses I can at any site, I then devote some time to looking for lichens.

At a safe distance from the glacier in the Garibaldi Fiord

Lichens are not a real strength of mine, but definitely an interest (especially when I have others to identify them!). Add the fact that this is an area that is not well collected for lichens, and suddenly I have a whole new field to captivate me. Since yesterday, every site I have visited has yielded at least a few lichens that have really excited me, things I have never seen before and that look, to my untrained eye, really interesting. And just to make it really exciting, the Spanish lichenologist, Leo Sancho, told me that he has a manuscript of the lichens of the region, and so it means that any interesting finds of mine might be able to be added to the projected lichen biota. What more could a field biologist ask for?!

Birds, not bryologists, disturbed this carpet of moss while looking for insects

This afternoon we moved to the Garibaldi Fiord, our next to last glacier site. Rather than collecting close to the glacier, though, I chose to collect on a small island in the fiord, in the hopes that the increased humidity would increase moss diversity. Unfortunately, such was not the case. Nevertheless I did find a couple of nice things, even if they are not new to our flora region. Blanka–with Juan and Ernesto–went nearer to the glacier and seems to have found something I don’t recognize. I think it is in a family, Pottiaceae, that I do not know well, and I hope it will prove interesting. However, it will require dissection and a compound microscope and so the mystery will have to wait until I get home.

The Don Jose Miguel dwarfed by the scenery while at anchor

I think the trip is beginning to catch up with us. Yesterday, many of us had upset stomaches and skipped a meal or two. Matt’s back has been bothering him, and today he was in a lot of pain. Fortunately, when I am traveling in these remote areas, I try to bring a small pharmacy with me, and I was able to give Matt a strong pain killer that has him mobile again. I find that my patience is beginning to wear thin, but so far I have not really snapped at anyone. That said, I am finding it harder and harder not to do so. It reinforces the need to carefully screen all prospective participants prior to the trip. We are together 24/7 in tight quarters, so it is critical that everyone be considerate of others. Of course it is hard to know this in advance. Overall, I have had a great time and any annoyances have really been minor, even it they didn’t seem so at the time.

I have now been in Chile for a bit over four weeks and am looking forward to going home. We have another two and a half days of collecting before we return to port in Punta Arenas. We then have a week to get everything dry and shipped out. It will be a busy time and the days should pass quickly. All too soon I’ll be home and missing the spectacular sub-Antarctic vistas. I need to keep this in mind and enjoy it while I can.

Ed. note: NYBG scientist and Mary Flagler Cary Curator of Botany, Bill Buck is currently on expedition to the islands off Cape Horn, the southernmost point in South America, to study mosses and lichens. Follow his journeys on Plant Talk.

Bill Buck’s Previous Reports From the Field:

2012

February 2, 2012; Isla Gordon, middle arm of Bahía Tres Brazos, approximately 54º58?S, 69º41?W

January 31, 2012; Isla Gordon, Bahía Romanche, 54º57′S, 69º30′W

January 30, 2012; Isla Gordon, Bahía Romanche, 54º57′S, 69º30′W

January 29, 2012; Canal O’Brien, on the way to the Brazo Noroeste of the Beagle Channel, approximately 54º55′S, 70º35′W

January 25, 2012; Isla Darwin, Caleta Virginia, approximately 54º57′S, 70º10′W

January 24, 2012; Unnamed sound off Isla Whittlebury, in Bahia San Jorge, west of Isla Hoste, approximately 55º16?S, 70º00?W

January 23, 2012; Arm of Estero Webb, SW coast of Isla Hoste, approximately 55º14′S, 69º41′W

January 22, 2012.; Unnamed sound on Isla Gordon behind Cabo El Gorro, approximately 55º02′S, 69º48′W

January 21, 2012; Isla Hoste, Estero Fouque, 55º1′S, 69º35′W

January 20, 2012; Isla Hoste, Estero Fouque, approximately 55º11′S, 69º35′W

January 19, 2012; Chile, unnamed sound on north-central coast of Isla Hoste, approximately 55º00′S, 69º12′W

January 18, 2012; Canal O’Brien, just south of Isla O’Brien, 54º55′S, 70º35′W

January 17, 2012; Punta Arenas, Chile

2011

July 15, 2011; Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

July 14, 2011; Pyengana, Tasmania, Australia

July 13, 2011; Weldborough, Tasmania, Australia

July 12, 2011; Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

July 11, 2011; Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

February 8, 2011; Punta Arenas, Chile

February 5, 2011, unnamed sound northwest of Isla Georgiana

February 4, 2011, unnamed sound directly east of Seno Mama, Chile

February 2, 2011, Seno Courtenay, northern arm, Chile

February 1, 2011, Seno Courtenay, Chile

January 31, 2011, Canal between Isla Georgiana and Isla Clementina,, Chile

January 30, 2011, Unnamed sound on south side of Brecknock Peninsula, NW of Isla Georgiana, Chile

January 29, 2011, Isla Aguirre, Seno Quo Vadis, Chile

January 26, 2011, Punta Arenas, Chile

January 24, 2011, Seno Chasco, just north of isthmus to Brecknock Peninsula, Chile

January 23, 2011, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Puerto Consuelo, Seno Chasco, Chile

January 22, 2011, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Seno Brujo, Chile

January 21, 2011, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Seno Brujo, Chile

January 20, 2011, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Seno Bluff, Chile

January 18, 2011, Punta Arenas, Chile

January 16, 2011, Punta Arenas, Chile

Tags: Bill Buck, Bill Buck Cape Horn 2012, Bryophytes, Lichens, Mosses, Science, Science Expeditions, The New York Botanical Garden, Vascular Plants

This entry was posted
on Friday, February 24th, 2012 at 3:34 pm and is filed under Bill Buck, From the Field, Science.
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Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/02/science/from-the-field-bill-buck-in-cape-horn-day-14/

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Nearing spring, we find plenty to be excited about as we walk through The New York Botanical Garden’s outdoor collections. Not that there isn’t a faint sense of curiosity, too; as Sonia Uyterhoeven has explained before, the weather patterns this winter have tricked certain plants into breaking dormancy early, resulting in a few blooms that will end up missing their spring date. But regardless, we appreciate the beauty whenever it happens to come around. And many of these flowering plants are proving right on time.

As a test of their savvy, our newest School of Professional Horticulture students were sent out into the Garden to record each outdoor flowering plant they came across, perusing the collections from one side to the other. The wealth of information they came up with was too much even for me to soak up. But I was able to sort through and pick out a few of the blooms for visitors to see while walking the grounds. It’s a great jump on spring’s inevitable explosion of color!

Amur adonis (Adonis amurensis)

This one has been catching my eye for the past week or two as I occasionally putter along the Ladies’ Border. The space always carries some of the more interesting blossoms thanks to its location, tucked in between the edge of the Conservatory and a berm that insulates it from the worst of the weather. Plants just thrive more readily there–even those that aren’t quite rated for our growing zone.

The adonis is a welcome addition to the path. Its bright petals flare up like gold in the sunlight, and there always seems to be at least a few honey bees patrolling between the flowers. In recent weeks the yellow blossoms of the Adonis have magnetized nearby photographers, drawing them in droves. On at least one occasion, the crowd actually thwarted my early attempts to photograph these small plants.

Paper bush (Edgeworthia chrysantha ‘Akabana’)

Hailing from China and Japan, the paper bush has been making the rounds in the gardening trade for at least 150 years, though its popularity among gardeners themselves had not spiked until recently. The lore held over from the 1930s suggested that this particular woody, flowering shrub was not hardy anywhere north of Florida. The mistake cost home horticulturists decades of enjoyment.

Another star of the Ladies’ Border, our Edgeworthia is flowering nicely with casually fragrant white and yellow blooms. Whether with a single trunk or multiple stems, the paper bush grows to a reliable size of around four feet wide by five feet tall, making it the ideal addition to any diverse home garden.

Japanese apricot (Prunus mume ‘Matsurabara Red’)

A recent regular in our Morning Eye Candy posts, the Japanese apricot (or Chinese plum) is lighting up the Garden in the cooler months, producing flowers across a wide spectrum of color. In my case, its delicate, parasol-esque blooms remind me specifically of the quintessential eastern Asian aesthetic. Thanks to a tradition of botanical artwork in countries such as Japan, China, and Korea, these flowers have become a centerpiece of the artform, right alongside the ubiquitous cherry blossom.

Lenten-rose (Helleborus x hybridus)

The hellebores in the Home Gardening Center have a regal charm to them, with a dusty-hued purple tone to their flower petals. Appropriately, the breed originates in regions across Europe.

While our hellebores are of a variety that leans toward various shades of red, the genus has become known by many for its broad number of green-petaled species, which stand out in a garden of colorful flowers for their subtle differences in shade between bloom and foliage.

Winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima)

Outside of careful cultivation, winter honeysuckle can in some regions be considered an invasive weed. But here at the NYBG, with proper attention, it’s become a welcome addition to the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. Its cheerful white flowers and light fragrance make it all the more appreciated.

Much like the Red-winged Blackbirds mentioned in a recent post, winter honeysuckle is considered a “harbinger of spring.” Seeing it liven up the Adventure Garden in February gives us hope for the kind of early change of seasons the groundhogs couldn’t agree upon.

Asiatic dogwood (Cornus officinalis)

The Asiatic dogwood is known for its many applications in traditional Chinese medicine, but the NYBG tends to appreciate it for its small and abundant yellow flowers. The sparse branches bursting with collections of blossoms make for a centerpiece addition to the south arboretum.

The fruit of this dogwood is often known as the Cornelian cherry, a raw edible also known for its rumored medicinal uses.

Tags: adonis, dogwood, hellebore, honeysuckle, Japanese apricot, paper bush, What’s Beautiful Now, Witch-Hazel

This entry was posted
on Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 at 4:43 pm and is filed under Around the Garden, What’s Beautiful Now.
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Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/02/around-the-garden/whats-beautiful-now-a-mild-february/

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For most folks, when friends come to visit for a couple of days they’ll send a little note of thanks when they get home. When your friend is a garden blogger, they’ll blog about your garden.

My friend and English garden tour travel partner, Layanee, did just that, posting about my garden here on her lovely blog Ledge and Gardens.

The Woodland Garden and, we hope, future Moss Garden

It’s very interesting to see someone else tell the story of your garden through their eyes with their camera. It was Layanee’s first visit here, although she has seen many photos of my garden over the years on this blog. As we walked around the winter devastation she said more than once, “I haven’t seen this view!”

I particularly appreciated Layanee’s view of what we are currently calling the Woodland Garden. Our hope is that over the years moss will cover this area to create a serene and green woodland setting. On Layanee’s advice, we cleared the underbrush and hauled in and spread about 10 tons of stone dust. (Well, “we” didn’t do it. My 6’4, 180 lb 20-year-old son did it.) The stone dust will keep down the weeds and provide a surface for the moss to grow.

It’s nice to have friends in the horticulture business who can give you free advice!  By the way, you can get your own free advice from Layanee and her radio partner, Sam, by calling into their Sunday morning radio show, “Garden Guys.” You’ll have to find your own strong 20-year-old to do the heavy lifting.

Winter is not the best time to visit my garden, but Layanee kept reassuring me that she could see the “bones.” I do hope that she returns when things are growing and green. Better yet, come visit around July or August when I could use an extra pair of hands weeding it all!

Layanee with my little dogs, Sarah and Sophie

Thank you, Layanee, for a wonderful visit and such a kind thank you note.

Robin

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Filed in: Blogging, Garden Design, Gardening, Gardening Life, Trees

Article source: http://www.bumblebeeblog.com/2012/01/21/when-friends-come-to-visit/

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