South Eastern Connecticut Landscaping

I have this sneaking suspicion that the spaces under “Saturday” and “Sunday” are sitting blank in your planner right now. If you’re not dashing onto a plane to escape the return of chilly weather to New York, I’m going to make a solid suggestion: get your camera. You probably have one sitting on the shelf somewhere, pitifully neglected, waiting for the day you make the commitment to get out and start learning the craft.

If you haven’t etched your plans in stone, put a few bucks on your MetroCard and head to the Bronx with your Nikons, your Canons, your Fujis or whatever else you can come up with. We’re actually going to reward you for participating in our Caribbean Garden photography contest, not just with the chance to come back for a course or workshop of your choosing with our NYBG educators, but for tips and tricks provided by professional garden photographers this Sunday afternoon. You can’t keep making excuses! Because who knows? Wait too long and the steamroller of technological innovation just might make your camera format obsolete.

Okay, that last bit is a patent exaggeration, but we get such a kick out of judging submissions for our weekly Caribbean Garden photo contests that I’m willing to go to any length to get more submissions. The bigger the field of contestants, the better the experience when sorting through all that creativity (my selfish motivations are showing). Take a look at this past week’s winning photos to get an idea of what I’m talking about.

Whether or not the click and whirr of the camera is your niche, there’s something going on this weekend to get you out of the house:

Saturday, February 4

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

I was out and about on Wednesday and happened to catch Rose and Vince–two of our veteran Red-tailed hawks–circling overhead near the Library Building. Join Debbie Becker this Saturday and you’ll probably have similar luck–they’re not exactly hermits. Bring your camera or your binoculars and along the way you might spot diurnal owls on the hunt, songbirds, and a number of other native avian guests.

Conservatory Tour — 12:30 p.m.
Meets at the Conservatory entrance

Explore the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, an acre of plants under glass, with one of the Garden’s docents. Take an eco-tour around the world through 11 distinct habitats, including two types of rain forest, deserts of the Americas and of Africa, and aquatic and carnivorous plant displays. Admission included with an All-Garden Pass.

Salsa: Listen and Learn — 2 p.m.
Meet at the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory’s Green School

When it’s cold outside, you always feel better on the move than you do standing still. Not that this is an issue to consider for the weekend. Throughout the run of our Caribbean Garden exhibition we’re offering the chance to work out the winter in our salsa classes, learning the history, tradition, and steps of Cuba’s favorite dance style in the warmth of the Conservatory.

Sunday, February 5

Conservatory Tour — 12:30 p.m.
Meets at the Conservatory entrance

Explore the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, an acre of plants under glass, with one of the Garden’s docents. Take an eco-tour around the world through 11 distinct habitats, including two types of rain forest, deserts of the Americas and of Africa, and aquatic and carnivorous plant displays. Admission included with an All-Garden Pass.

Photography Tips and Tricks — 1 to 3 p.m.
Meets at the Conservatory entrance

Professional garden photographers Rich Pomerantz and Alan Detrick return for another series of photography mini-workshops. Boost your skill while you take part in our Caribbean Garden photo contest through tips, tricks, critiques and more–these guys aren’t shy about sharing their wisdom with burgeoning photo artists.

Ongoing Children’s Programs

Tropical Discoveries and Wintertime Wonders — Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Meet at the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden

Don’t leave the Garden without a souvenir for your little ones. The kids can stop by the Adventure Garden and take part in the exploration of New York’s native plants, then get into gardening for themselves by potting up tropical plants of their own to take home.

Adventures in Adaptations Scavenger Hunt
Self-guided

For a kid, there’s always the imagination to fall back on, but sometimes a tangible challenge is what really does the trick. To that end, the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory transforms into an adventurous jungle with questions and answers around every bend. Pick up a field notebook at the ticket booth on your way into the NYBG and set the kids on a scavenger hunt to not only figure out what plants Dr. Ed Apshon is talking about, but to find out where in the world he’s headed next.

Don’t forget your tickets! The Caribbean Garden is an event for everyone, but you’ll need a Conservatory pass to get in.

Tags: Adventures in Adaptation, Caribbean Garden, Photography Contest, weekend

This entry was posted
on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 2:00 pm and is filed under Around the Garden, Exhibitions, Photography.
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/2012/02/exhibit-news/clicks-and-whirrs-in-the-conservatory-this-weekend/

Related Posts:

• Clicks and Whirrs in the Conservatory this Weekend
• From the Field: Bill Buck in Cape Horn, Day 4
• From the Field: Bill Buck in Cape Horn, Day 4

I have this sneaking suspicion that the spaces under “Saturday” and “Sunday” are sitting blank in your planner right now. If you’re not dashing onto a plane to escape the return of chilly weather to New York, I’m going to make a solid suggestion: get your camera. You probably have one sitting on the shelf somewhere, pitifully neglected, waiting for the day you make the commitment to get out and start learning the craft.

If you haven’t etched your plans in stone, put a few bucks on your MetroCard and head to the Bronx with your Nikons, your Canons, your Fujis or whatever else you can come up with. We’re actually going to reward you for participating in our Caribbean Garden photography contest, not just with the chance to come back for a course or workshop of your choosing with our NYBG educators, but for tips and tricks provided by professional garden photographers this Sunday afternoon. You can’t keep making excuses! Because who knows? Wait too long and the steamroller of technological innovation just might make your camera format obsolete.

Okay, that last bit is a patent exaggeration, but we get such a kick out of judging submissions for our weekly Caribbean Garden photo contests that I’m willing to go to any length to get more submissions. The bigger the field of contestants, the better the experience when sorting through all that creativity (my selfish motivations are showing). Take a look at this past week’s winning photos to get an idea of what I’m talking about.

Whether or not the click and whirr of the camera is your niche, there’s something going on this weekend to get you out of the house:

Saturday, February 4

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

I was out and about on Wednesday and happened to catch Rose and Vince–two of our veteran Red-tailed hawks–circling overhead near the Library Building. Join Debbie Becker this Saturday and you’ll probably have similar luck–they’re not exactly hermits. Bring your camera or your binoculars and along the way you might spot diurnal owls on the hunt, songbirds, and a number of other native avian guests.

Conservatory Tour — 12:30 p.m.
Meets at the Conservatory entrance

Explore the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, an acre of plants under glass, with one of the Garden’s docents. Take an eco-tour around the world through 11 distinct habitats, including two types of rain forest, deserts of the Americas and of Africa, and aquatic and carnivorous plant displays. Admission included with an All-Garden Pass.

Salsa: Listen and Learn — 2 p.m.
Meet at the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory’s Green School

When it’s cold outside, you always feel better on the move than you do standing still. Not that this is an issue to consider for the weekend. Throughout the run of our Caribbean Garden exhibition we’re offering the chance to work out the winter in our salsa classes, learning the history, tradition, and steps of Cuba’s favorite dance style in the warmth of the Conservatory.

Sunday, February 5

Conservatory Tour — 12:30 p.m.
Meets at the Conservatory entrance

Explore the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, an acre of plants under glass, with one of the Garden’s docents. Take an eco-tour around the world through 11 distinct habitats, including two types of rain forest, deserts of the Americas and of Africa, and aquatic and carnivorous plant displays. Admission included with an All-Garden Pass.

Photography Tips and Tricks — 1 to 3 p.m.
Meets at the Conservatory entrance

Professional garden photographers Rich Pomerantz and Alan Detrick return for another series of photography mini-workshops. Boost your skill while you take part in our Caribbean Garden photo contest through tips, tricks, critiques and more–these guys aren’t shy about sharing their wisdom with burgeoning photo artists.

Ongoing Children’s Programs

Tropical Discoveries and Wintertime Wonders — Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Meet at the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden

Don’t leave the Garden without a souvenir for your little ones. The kids can stop by the Adventure Garden and take part in the exploration of New York’s native plants, then get into gardening for themselves by potting up tropical plants of their own to take home.

Adventures in Adaptations Scavenger Hunt
Self-guided

For a kid, there’s always the imagination to fall back on, but sometimes a tangible challenge is what really does the trick. To that end, the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory transforms into an adventurous jungle with questions and answers around every bend. Pick up a field notebook at the ticket booth on your way into the NYBG and set the kids on a scavenger hunt to not only figure out what plants Dr. Ed Apshon is talking about, but to find out where in the world he’s headed next.

Don’t forget your tickets! The Caribbean Garden is an event for everyone, but you’ll need a Conservatory pass to get in.

Tags: Adventures in Adaptation, Caribbean Garden, Photography Contest, weekend

This entry was posted
on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 2:00 pm and is filed under Around the Garden, Exhibitions, Photography.
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/2012/02/exhibit-news/clicks-and-whirrs-in-the-conservatory-this-weekend/

Related Posts:

• From the Field: Bill Buck in Cape Horn, Day 4
• From the Field: Bill Buck in Cape Horn, Day 4
• Morning Eye Candy: Adonis

For nearly two decades the New England Grows trade show has been among our favorite annual dates on the calendar. For me, it’s where I cut my proverbial teeth in the horticulture industry, first as a landscaper, then as a publisher and television host and in recent years as an activist.

When you’ve been going to the same big party for 20 years you tend to know a lot of people, recognize even more faces and many of those — certainly not all — were smiling my way the past two days in the wake of the perceived “victory” we helped forge against Scotts Miracle Gro. That company, you might have heard, tried to shovel millions of dollars in the direction of the National Wildlife Foundation to whitewash its admission of forged documents among other wrongdoings in federal court.

SafeLawns led the chorus of organizations protesting the National Wildlife Association’s money grab and, as a result, we heard a lot of “Way to go!” comments on the trade show floor in Boston. We also dealt with a few chemical industry supporters saying “You’ve got a lot of nerve to show your face here,” too, but those folks were clearly in the minority.

At one point we engaged in a lengthy conversation with several folks including Steve Castorini, the co-founder of American Beauties native plants. He has his own partnership with the National Wildlife Federation; funds from the sales of his plants are donated in support of the NWF’s Garden for Wildlife Program.

Steve was clearly annoyed. The National Wildlife Association’s self-imposed stain, by association, isn’t good for his stellar brand and it underminds his good intentions.

“The National Wildlife Federation should have known better,” said Nancy Dubrule-Clement, owner of Natureworks Garden Center for the past 29 years.

THE ISSUE OF NON-PROFIT FOUNDATIONS AND TAINTED MONEY has been all over the news lately, constantly raising the question of whether or not it’s OK for organizations like ours and others to accept funds from sources with less than pure intentions.

The National Wildlife Foundation’s ill-fated dalliance with Scotts Miracle Gro isn’t even close to the biggest story of this week. The Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization, the nation’s largest breast cancer fund, is in hot water right now for withdrawing money from Planned Parenthood. Critics say it was a politically charged decision based on the Republican influence of new leadership that doesn’t like Planned Parenthood’s ties to abortion rights.

Just yesterday word came down that the august Sierra Club, perhaps the nation’s most influential environmentally oriented non-profit, had allegedly accepted $30 million from the natural gas industry without most people knowing. The gas industry is embroiled in a nationwide controversy about an insidious practice known as fracking that imperils underground supplies of fresh water. Some suggest that the gas industry “bought” the defacto endorsement of the previous Sierra Club CEO, Carl Pope, who had campaigned openly in favor of natural gas as an alternative to coal.

IN A PROVOCATIVE ARTICLE, the current CEO of the Sierra Club really got to the heart of the issue that all of us face when we’re trying to fulfill our mission of protecting the planet.

“The first rule of advocacy is that you shouldn’t take money from industries and companies you’re trying to change,” said Michael Brune.

That comment flies in the face of remarks by National Wildlife Federation CEO Larry Schweiger last week, who tried to sell the idea that he could help Scotts Miracle Gro “become a better company” — while simultaneously accepting their money.

That, for many of us, just doesn’t pass the sniff test. Or, as my grandfather would often say, “You don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” Put another way: Can anyone really rail against an organization when said organization is, at least indirectly, feeding your family?

It’s not easy, though. For years, my former publishing company People, Places Plants wouldn’t accept advertising dollars from any companies that sold synthetic chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and we also eschewed the big box stores like Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowe’s because they were seen to be bad competition for our core customer — the family owned garden center.

Our publication and television show often suffered financially due to the stubborn refusal to change our standards. At SafeLawns, our corporate sponsorships and private membership funds have never quite recovered from the economic crash of 2008; we could do so much more with more money from the chemical companies who, in our view, are trying to “greenwash” their image by an association with us.

In 2010, when the Sierra Club changed CEOs and stopped taking money from the natural gas industry, reports say that many jobs within the organization were lost — thereby potentially diminishing the organization’s ability to do good things. It’s a valid argument, one to which many adhere.

And the money aside, we all need partnerships to get by in this world. In a perfect world all of our friends, family and business associates would share the same ideals and ethics. But we all know about the world’s imperfections.

The Komen for the Cure folks, for example, have been lauded for practically inventing the idea of cause marketing. In their case they allow companies to “wear” the pink ribbon in exchange for a marketing program that leads to a donation back to Komen. In many cases those programs have worked well, helping to fund hundreds of thousands of breast exams annually.

In other cases, Komen’s motives have been brought into question. Allowing KFC to run long with a “Bucket for the Cure” campaign didn’t go over well with the critics who thought fried chicken wasn’t the optimum dietary supplement for heart patients and cancer survivors. They charged KFC with “pinkwashing,” in other words trying to veil its unhealthy food with the Komen association.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT’S ALL ABOUT being able to walk down the aisle of a trade show, a local grocery store and most importantly your family’s dinner table with your head held high. Many times in my life and career that dinner table could have been more amply covered if I had made different decisions in my business affiliations.

We’re not perfect here. Far from it. I know we’ve made questionable decisions, too.

Be we do think the Sierra Club’s Michael Brune has it right. If you’re an activist or non-profit that really wants to make a difference in the world, you need to roll up your sleeves . . . and keep your hands as clean as possible.

Article source: http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2012/02/the-money-trail-its-tough-to-keep-the-path-and-hands-truly-clean/

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The attempted whitewashing by the chemical companies has been rampant lately. First TruGreen ChemLawn tried to buy public opinion by sending millions of dollars to Earth Day. Then Scotts Miracle Gro did buy out Major League Baseball.

SafeLawns and its allies were able to block the insidious ChemLawn deal with Earth Day, but Major League Baseball didn’t flinch under a barrage of comments and still hangs “Scotts is Used Here” banners in Major League Baseball ballparks to give homeowners the illusion that they can have Fenway Park in their back yard just by dumping on some weed ‘n feed.

Now Scotts Miracle Go is at it again. In the past two days word has come down that the world’s largest purveyor of lawn chemical poisons has bought its way into the National Wildlife Federation’s heart. This is the non-profit organization that is supposed to be protecting our wildlife and promoting a healthy lifestyle, yet NWF is now grabbing fistfuls of cash from the very company that makes heading outdoors unhealthy for our kids.

The environmental community is outraged.

“As far as I’m concerned, there is no amount of greenwashing in the world that can clean up the reputation of Scotts,” wrote Carole Brown of Native Plants Wildlife Gardens. “Why would the National Wildlife Federation want to enter into this deal with the devil? Well, they’re a non-profit organization that exists through the generosity of their donors. And what better way to fill their coffers than to enter into an agreement with a company that generates billions of dollars of profits every year? Who cares if that company makes those billions from dumping tons and tons of chemical herbicides and pesticides into our lawns and gardens, which then runs off wreaking havoc with our streams and watersheds? I care!”

We first heard about this yesterday from our friend and colleague, Joe Lamp’l, the host of Growing a Greener World on PBS. As we were touring our organic lawn trials at the University of Maryland, Joe told us the blogs were afire and folks were calling on SafeLawns to help draw attention to an obvious miscarriage of social justice.

Many other associates began calling us, too, and then posting their opinions on the National Wildlife Foundation Facebook page. Emotions are clearly raw.

“I really really looked up to the NWF as a kid (which I became aware of through reading Ranger Rick!!), and hoped someday I could have a yard certified as a NWF approved backyard habitat,” wrote poster Mary Lai. “It really breaks my heart to see the NWF partner up with a company like Scotts Miracle Gro. I know the economy is going through lean times, but this just isn’t the right way to get funding. ”

Many were calling on friends, followers and colleagues to make life miserable for the NWF. It was the kind of tactic that got Earth Day to cave two years ago and rescind the ChemLawn money. Some suggest tweeting a message to NWF on twitter, including @NWF in your message, or calling NWF: 1-703-438-6000 to chat with the organization’s headquarters.

It’s obvious the NWF is already taking note of the concern and the organization’s PR team is out in force defending its decision and claiming that taking the cash doesn’t equate to a defacto endorsement of Scotts Miracle Gro or its products.

But, of course, it does.

Our board at SafeLawns has long insisted that we review the product offerings of the companies from whom we accept corporate sponsorships. And even though companies like Scotts Miracle Gro do offer a smattering of so-called organic products these days, the vast majority of their stuff is wildly polluting and incredibly toxic for our pets and our kids. So we’d never accept their money under any circumstances. The National Wildlife Federation shouldn’t, either — not until Scotts Miracle Gro stands up and denounces the production, distribution and sale of its products like Roundup, weed ‘n feed, Bug Be Gone and all the myriad products that have been proven to be toxic.

My gut feeling here is that NWF won’t cave to the pressure and it will keep the money. They’ll justify it when they crawl into bed at night with the notion that they’re “cleaning up” Scotts dirty profits. A lot of non-profits feel this way; they don’t care where the money comes from as long as they do good things with the money. Do you think the Catholic church does a background check on everyone before it passes the hat down the pew? Well, neither do most other organizations who otherwise try to do good work with whatever cash they can scrape together.

I’ve also heard impassioned arguments from folks I respect greatly who feel that it’s best to work with the worst environmental offenders from the inside out. Recently I heard Peter Seligmann, the charismatic founder of Conservation International, explain his decision to accept money and other support from WalMart several years ago. The result of his efforts was WalMart’s decision to adopt numerous green initiatives and the company is now the largest seller of organic food in the world.

Seligmann’s well-thought-out “keep your environmental enemies close” strategy has helped effect real change, in other words. WalMart may still be doing some bad stuff, but it’s better than it used to be. That’s how begrudgingly difficult progress happens.

The real problem in the Scotts Miracle Gro marriage with National Wildlife is that nothing in NWF’s rhetoric, so far at least, acknowledges that Scotts Miracle Gro has heretofore been killing the environment. Nothing in the press release states that there’s a goal in place to reduce environmental toxins sold by its newfound benefactor. All NWF appears to be presenting is a series of events that gives Scotts a chance to pretend to give a damn about the environment.

Scotts Miracle Gro continues to claim publicly that its products are safe when used as directed — and the whole damn environmental community knows it’s a lie. NWF knows it’s a lie, too.

So, yes. Please post your opinions to the NWF Facebook page. Leave a message on the organization’s web site: http://www.nwf.org/About/Contact-Us.aspx.

If NWF is going to keep this money then we need to make the organization understand just how soiled we think it has become.

Article source: http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2012/01/miracle-gro-deal-with-wildlife-federation-outrages-environmental-community/

Related Posts:

• Citing Guilty Plea, Wildlife Federation Ends Agreement with Scotts
• Amidst Wildlife Federation Firestorm, Scotts Miracle Gro Fined $4.5 Million for Toxic Bird Seed, Falsifying Records
• As Wildlife Federation Defends Its Greed, Scotts Continues to Assault Our Sensibilities

This year’s Caribbean Garden promises to be even more photogenic than the last! The picturesque fronds and flowers of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory‘s permanent collection once again take the spotlight to promote not only the beauty you see, but the beauty you create.

Walk the pathways of the Conservatory on a tour of our verdant living collections. Award-winning photos from the International Garden Photographer of the Year contest–taken in gardens around the world–will be on display alongside plants from around the Caribbean. Enjoy the beautiful photographs and access additional information on the photographers, their inspiration, and the techniques they used to capture these stunning images by simply scanning a code on each sign with your smartphone. And on Sundays, join one of two accomplished photographers for a brief course on the basics of garden shooting.

Whether you’re green to the art or just looking to brush up on your technique, come for some winter weather relief and don’t forget your camera.

Coming off last year’s successful Caribbean Garden stint as our resident photography expert, Rich Pomerantz returns in 2012 to give demonstrations, offer pointers, and supply helpful photo critiques on Sundays between 1 and 3 p.m. Joining him will be Alan Detrick, a regular face in our Adult Education teaching pool with several photography workshops already under his belt. Between the two of them, their combined portfolios are rather impressive: each has had photos published in numerous gardening magazines, books, and advertisements both here and abroad.

Of course, while skill with a camera is its own reward, we’re sweetening the pot again this year. From opening day on January 21 through March 10 we will once again be hosting the Caribbean Garden Photography Contest! We will be choosing Grand Prize winners in two categories, and the prizes continue the theme of inspiration and learning: gift certificates good toward Adult Education classes at the Garden!

Last year’s contestants worked their way through a challenging field of competition while chasing the prize. Take a look at a few of the winners from 2011:

Photogirl510

Weekly winners will be chosen by a panel of NYBG experts from the photographs receiving the most praise from their fellow photographers in our Flickr group pool. Be sure to check out our dedicated contest page for all the details on how to get started.

So come to Caribbean Garden and help us celebrate our newly-forged partnership with the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition, enjoy the warmth of the Conservatory, and glean inspiration from these beautiful photographs.

The New York Botanical Garden is the U.S. partner in this globally recognized contest of photographic excellence, and we are absolutely ecstatic to be partnered with IGPOTY in spreading the joy of garden photography. We are hoping that you will use the Caribbean Garden Photography Contest as a way  to brush up on your skills for the 2012 contest–for which IGPOTY will begin accepting submissions in mid-2012. Winners of each year’s IGPOTY competition earn worldwide recognition for their work and skill, and take home thousands of dollars in prize money as well. Think of our humble winter challenge as a springboard toward more worldly ambitions–a win in IGPOTY might just fund that mind-bendingly expensive telephoto lens you’ve been drooling over.

Do you think you have it in you to try your hand at our contest? We hope so! The more people snapping away, the more exciting the challenge. But even if you don’t feel like putting yourself in the spotlight, I still recommend coming for our Sunday afternoon mini-workshops. I’m a big proponent of “skill collecting”–as I like to call it–and that camera you got for your birthday could use a little attention. Who knows? Every now and then, moments like these turn into lifelong passions.

Purchase your Conservatory ticket online to make things easier. Photography workshops will be open to all Caribbean Garden visitors Sunday afternoons between 1 and 3 p.m. Come back to Plant Talk in coming weeks to see the participants–and winners–of our photography contest.

Tags: Alan Detrick, Caribbean Garden, IGPOTY, NYBG, Rich Pomerantz

This entry was posted
on Friday, January 20th, 2012 at 11:00 am and is filed under Adult Education, Exhibitions, Photography.
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/2012/01/exhibit-news/grab-your-camera-caribbean-garden-photography-returns/

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Rumor has it we’ll be seeing some snow in New York tonight! Does that mean winter’s finally making its frigid entrance stage right? Or maybe it’s just nature’s subtle way of nudging you to get off the couch and pay us a visit for the balmy opening of the Caribbean Garden. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that–yes–the season is giving you a signal. What could it hurt?

Snowflakes or no-flakes, the NYBG will be buzzing with tours, bird walks, and all the swinging, high-heeled dance numbers of the islands. I’m talking salsa. Salsa and warmth. When’s the last time you got to enjoy that kind of two-in-one in the middle of January? And even if the winter was mild until now, it’s a breezy icebox outside today; I’m convinced the threat of frostbite is reason enough to hang out in the jungle habitats of the steamy Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.

Here’s what’s going on this weekend at the Garden!

Saturday, January 21

Bird Walk — 11 a.m.
Meet at the Leon Levy Visitor Center Reflecting Pool.
It’s raptor season here at the NYBG. Our local Red-tailed hawks have been especially vain this month, posing for local photographers and generally hamming it up at every opportunity. Jr. in particular is making daily appearances–he’s part of 2010′s brood from local celebrity duo Rose and Vince. Join veteran birdwatcher Debbie Becker for a walk through acres of Garden beauty and you might just catch a glimpse of these hunters on the wing. (Debbie has a great track record with this kind of thing.)

Garden Highlights Tour with American Sign Language Interpreter — 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the Conservatory entrance.
Our popular tours are the quickest way to get acquainted with the Garden’s living collections. Join an expert docent for a detailed tour of the permanent exhibitions across our 250-acre grounds. This week’s offering also brings with it an interpreter for those visitors needing assistance.

Salsa: Listen and Learn — 2 p.m.
Meet at the Conservatory Green School.
Educator Jose Obando will be here to teach you a thing or two about the history, culture, and rhythm of salsa music. With classic memorabilia and traditional instruments to help tell the story, Jose will end the get-together by teaching you a few salsa moves of your own. You know the best way to stay warm is to get your feet moving.

Sunday, January 22

Conservatory Tour — 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the Conservatory entrance.
A more specific version of our Garden Highlights tour, a docent will guide you through our Conservatory to view the permanent collections that make our glasshouse the botanical destination of the northeast. Carnivorous plants, steamy rain forests, deserts and more will enlighten and inspire.

Photography Tips and Tricks
Meet in the Conservatory Palms of the Americas Gallery.
Shutterbugs rejoice! Rich Pomerantz returns along with Alan Detrick for a casual photography workshop open to all Caribbean Garden visitors. Bring your camera for tips, encouragement, and critique from these accomplished and undeniably talented garden photographers. Then use your new techniques to take part in our photography contest running into March.

Ongoing Children’s Activities

Tropical Discoveries and Wintertime Wonders — Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Meet at the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden.
The kids will begin with a scavenger hunt under the glass of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, seeking out tropical plants before winding their way to the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden for more native plant exploration. When they’re done, they can pot up a plant of their very own to raise at home.

Don’t forget your tickets! The Caribbean Garden is an event for everyone, but you’ll need a Conservatory pass to get in.

Tags: bird walk, Caribbean Garden, NYBG, tours, weekend

This entry was posted
on Friday, January 20th, 2012 at 4:02 pm and is filed under Around the Garden.
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/2012/01/around-the-garden/snow-day-salsa/

Related Posts:

• Grab Your Camera! Caribbean Garden Photography Returns
• A Winter Oasis is On Its Way!
• The Conservatory Rain Forest: Chocolate Lovers’ Lane

My apartment’s not exactly the first place anyone would think to have a Christmas tree. It’s the size of a toddler’s shoe box and my daft cats have a sweet tooth for pine needles. However, for thousands of New Yorkers who did decorate trees for the holiday season, this past weekend was an opportunity to not only retire 2011′s evergreens, but grant them a second life.

24,231. That’s the number of trees recycled during this year’s MulchFest. It soundly tops last year’s final count of 17,000, and with good motivations–it’s the best way for New Yorkers to keep their conifers out of the landfill (the compost is probably better used elsewhere). On Saturday and Sunday, thousands of city residents hauled their trees to one of 35 MulchFest collection spots throughout the metropolitan area, handing over their firs and pines for a cup of coffee and a bag of mulch.

The remaining mulch is set to be spread around street trees and park landscaping across the boroughs. Not only will this lead to happier city plants, but friendlier garbage men as well. Nothing sets your day on the path to misfortune like a curmudgeonly sanitation worker.

Even if 98% of the over 30 million trees sold each year in the U.S. are cut from dedicated conifer farms, think about recycling yours next season if you weren’t able to this year. Along with being used to nurture new trees and plants, evergreen mulch is often repurposed by recycling groups for animal bedding, creating energy, and more. I think that’s worth a few extra minutes spent vacuuming shed needles out of the trunk of your car.

Be sure to check out Docent Joyce Newman’s article on holiday conifers if you’d like to learn more. 75-foot spruce trees aren’t likely to make their way into your living room unless you happen to be Clark Griswold, but it’s fun to read up on the extreme end of holiday decorating.

Tags: Christmas Trees, conifers, Holidays, MulchFest, NYC, Recycling

This entry was posted
on Thursday, January 12th, 2012 at 1:00 pm and is filed under Programs and Events.
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Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/01/garden-programming/mulch-for-the-masses-tree-recycling-breaks-records-in-nyc/

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Did this week fly by for you, or are you having trouble getting back into the groove of the everyday? Either way, the weekend has finally come chugging back around the bend, and we’re ready to keep on with our holiday celebrations. The weather is going to be beautiful this weekend, so why not hop on the train, or clamber into the car for a visit to The New York Botanical Garden. The weather’s great so head into the Forest for a beautiful winter walk!

Saturday, with very few exceptions, is the day of our morning Bird Walk with Debbie Becker. Meet at 11 a.m. at the Reflecting Pool near the Leon Levy Visitor Center for a chance to see owls, hawks, and all sorts of other avian guests. Debbie’s been doing this for over 25 years, so she knows what she’s talking about! Be sure to bring binoculars if you can, as we have a limited number on loan before the group gets moving.

For both Saturday and Sunday, we’ll also be holding Conservatory Tours at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.–just meet at the Conservatory entrance. One of our talented Docents will guide you in your exploration of our acre under glass, visiting rain forest, desert, and aquatic habitats. If you haven’t been before, now’s the perfect chance to escape the cold and view the lush displays we have year-round.

And if you thought the holidays were already spent, you’re thankfully mistaken! The Holiday Train Show is still running strong in the Conservatory through January 16. This past Monday also marked the beginning of our Thomas the Tank Engine™ mini-performances, running weekdays and weekends alike. If you’re planning on bringing your child, make sure to check for special ticket availability online before you head out–seating is limited and reservations are disappearing quickly!

Tags: bird walk, Holiday Train Show, NYBG, Thomas the Tank Engine

This entry was posted
on Friday, January 6th, 2012 at 11:00 am and is filed under Around the Garden.
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Article source: http://www.nybg.org/plant-talk/2012/01/around-the-garden/the-weekender/

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Chickens are very difficult models. I must have about 4,000 chicken photos. In 3,990 of them the chicken is facing the wrong way, running the wrong way or taking a poop.

To photograph a chicken takes patience and Olympic-class squatting ability. You must get down…wayyyyy down…into a squat position and stay there for about four hours while training your camera on the chicken and waiting for him or her to gaze in your direction. If you try and rush said gaze by, say, whistling, you will alarm the chicken into facing the wrong way, running the wrong way or taking a poop.

So the following represents about three weeks of squatting and waiting patiently. Enjoy. I have to go rub some Bengay on my quads now.

(You should be able to click on the photo to embiggen and see their purdy feathers.)

Robin

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Filed in: Chickens

Tags: Chickens, Flowers, garden, hens, Hillary, Meredith, rooster, T. Boone Chickens

Article source: http://www.bumblebeeblog.com/2011/09/23/the-difficulty-of-photographing-chickens/

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Author: Kay

Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 2:05 pm (GMT 0)

This past February, we had to have an old tired Austrian Pine taken down.





tree stump ( photo / image / picture from Kay’s Garden )







It was really hard to make a decision as to what to do with the space. I had so many ideas. A lot of them weren’t feasible because of the cost (I so wanted another tree!) so after a lot of debate, and being anxious to plant something, we went for a pair of Lilacs. They should reach about 8 feet at maturity. They even had some fragrant blooms still on.

I also put a trellis in the corner and planted a Morning Glory at it’s base. That way, I can change that, perhaps with a perennial vine in the future.







filling in the corner ( photo / image / picture from Kay’s Garden )



As you can see, the perennials have returned, and I had to do some rearranging of them. I moved several Astilbe as it was going to be too sunny for them. The Daylily is happy in it’s new spot. And the stump will serve as a pot stand for now. I wouldn’t let the guys stump grind because I thought they would be too destructive…

This is just one of many of the examples of how we all adapt to the changes that continually take place when we garden each year.

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