Brooklyn Botanical Garden

Rose Colored Evening


I took the red line from Columbus Circle to the Brooklyn Museum stop after work, with an hour to visit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden after hours. There was music, wine, roses out the wazoo, hats and garden wear. 


So many more people than the last time I made it to this event (most were under the cherry trees just over the hedge).


A tidal wave, no an avalanche of roses greets you as you turn lilac corner.





The sheer quantity of Hesperis matronalis decorating the rose garden frees me from the guilt of cultivating just one of these in our garden. Then I thought of the purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria, which decorates City Hall Park, and then I imagined ecologists outside the city gnashing their teeth.


Hell, I should know what this it, saponaria, lychnis, what?










BBG Tuesday



We walked from our place, across Prospect Park, to BBG to sniff the lilacs. We were not alone -Tuesdays the sniffing is free.






I sniffed a female carpenter bee (I think), unknowingly. Fellow sniffers, bee careful. We did notice a lack of honeybees.


I had recently received emails and envelopes touting the newly renovated native plant garden. So we headed in and I began to wonder which component had been renovated. Did they mean the trees that were taken out by recent storms were cut and carted (not completely)? Hmm. Maybe I just don't get here enough to know and see the difference. Above: Heart-leafed Groundsel.


Or did they mean the not yet finished Pine Barrens garden? I love the idea, or I think I do. I wish they did this at the Queens Botanical Garden. BBG is stealing their fire, figuratively and maybe literally because real pine barrens need fire to self sustain. Well, either way, I always love the native plant garden (which has plants from several eco-types and regions) because I always discover and rediscover there.


High bush blueberry in bloom.


Someone knows what this plant is (red stem, geranium type flower). The label said, falsely, Wild Columbine.


Ladyslipper (iphone cameras hate yellow).


The long, cool spring and lack of rain has promoted a late, leafless canopy. Some plants, like this Virginia Bluebell were in sun, under the trees. Other plants, like the May Apples, were wilting under the high sun where they would normally be in shade. This was made especially difficult by the sudden loss of full grown trees last fall.


Snowtacular, the Early Hours


School was closed, as anticipated. My plan was to go to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden during the morning, before the wind and snow picked up. I stepped outside, about two inches had fallen, and an icy mix was falling. It wasn't cold or too blustery. Wind was from the east north east. The bus was on time.

New Dawn, snow, and my lovely building-side.

Climbing hydrangea

But when I got to the BBG, the gate was locked. Before leaving I looked on their twitter/facebook/website for information about opening and I even called their main number, but no info about being open or closed. So I chanced it. Their was a guard in the booth. I hollared "will you be open" to which she replied, "maybe later." I wondered to myself if this was five minutes later or tomorrow later. And moved on.

Sumac Surprise

Yesterday I was taking a break, walking around the Brooklyn Bridge Park area. I noticed that many of the branches of the Staghorn Sumacs (Rhus typhina) planted there were broken, people snapping them for the clusters of red drupes that sit atop the branches. Going over to inspect the damage, I noticed for the very first time why these are called "Staghorn" Sumac. I always thought it was because the branches resemble the antlers of a young stag, which is true, but more than that, it is because the sumac branches are covered in a fine hair, giving them the appearance of a young stag's new antlers.

The hair was soft, felt-like, and attractive up close. I was amazed at discovering this. I really like Sumac, so easy to grow and very attractive. However it does spread, so you may need to have the room to let it go or hem it in with an underground barrier. I really like the cultivar Rhus typhina 'Laciniata', growing in two locations at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Isn't it beautiful?

Winter at Last

I am not one of those people who absolutely loves winter. Yet I am glad it is here. I am glad that those everblooming roses finally threw in the towel. Its good to see the sun set on those goldenrods, asters and sunflowers (those cousins party together into the wee hours of autumn). Maybe it was a little alarming to see the pineapple sage I wish to overwinter so suddenly turn black after being so brilliant green. But still, come on, it is December. As I remember it, its cold in December and the plants should be long dormant.

Yet how magnificent was it last Sunday as I traveled through Manhattan on my way to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a full blown snow? Fresh, dry snow on golden leaves still not dropped by the Honey Locusts. The two seasons came together quite marvelously on Sunday. The sidewalks near my apartment were still littered with freshly dropped yellow maple leaves as the snow began to fall. It is so unusual to see the snow and leaves together. So it is with pleasure that the winter ushered in and the garden gave out.

Besides, I still have a bag of bulbs to plant. Its not that I was in denial of the passing moment for planting, but with the blooms still going, I simply could not bring myself to start digging around. It seems that anywhere I dig I hit bulbs anyhow- even though I do not have a full spring bulb garden. Simply, I have run out of space, yet couldn't resist a deal on some tulips. I really don't like tulips much, yet there I was seduced by those pictures on the boxes at the nursery. Now the anxiety that a warmish, humid day will not present itself and those bulbs will be passed over for other, seasonal activities -like shopping.

Christmas shopping will send me over to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden next week. I am hoping to bring together my own personal interests with the possibility of finding all those small gifts we need to find at this time of year. The garden has two shops now- garden and gift and it is free to enter BBG during the dormant season weekdays, November 20 through February 28. Check out these leafy Christmas ornaments they are selling. There are Gingko, Oak, Maple, Birch, Aspen and others made of metals that are silver, copper, and gold in color.



Jill at brklynstories asked me about a month ago, "By the way, I've always wondered - what can a gardener do during winter while the ground is frozen?" After giving it some thought, I think I have the answer. Rest.