I spent the day in the Bronx today – probably a place that most people I know don’t go out of their way to visit unless it’s to go to see the Yankees or are driving home from the Hamptons. But today I went on purpose – to visit the New York Botanical Garden on the eve of their Daffodil Weekend. What a major league (no pun intended) treat! No other words are really necessary here except to say that if you have the opportunity to go this weekend or very soon, you should – not only because they are celebrating their 125th Anniversary but, if you haven’t been here lately or at this time of year, it will give you a whole new appreciation for life outside of Manhattan, the extraordinary vision of the founders and all the people who have supported this treasure since its inception in 1891 and to this day.
It’s worth reading up on their history: http://www.nybg.org/about/mission_and_history.php
If you take a ride on the trolley while there you’ll get some insight into the benevolence and desires of their founders – to enrich New York in a way that is less visible today. Their ideas and hopes for New Yorkers back then are inspiring.
Yes, I still have on my bucket list a visit to the venerable RHS Chelsea Flower Show and a few others. But, I’ll have to tell you, what I viewed today would rival any extraordinary world-class display in peak season. It may not have included the iconic perennial borders that the UK is famous for, but this was in one word “spectacular”. I can’t quite understand why they don’t promote this as THE New York Flower Show. I for one would support this wholeheartedly. See if you agree:
Tomorrow commences Daffodil Weekend:
some of the specimens – cultivars that number over 25,000:
(wondered if this is where the idea for a drone came from)
from the area: A Million Daffodils – the landscape, near the Azalea Garden
Tulips:
Tree Peonies:
The Structures:
The Rose Garden:
not ready yet
Inside the Conservatory:
Trees – Dogwood, Cherry, Crabapple and Miscellany:
in the ladies gardenI do hope you get to go. It is well worth the day. You may develop a much better appreciation for the borough of the Bronx and may just change your mind about the standing of great American gardens in the world.