If you’re out of ideas of where to go into the city, are tired and need an escape from the urban jungle, or simply want to connect with nature, New York Botanical Garden is the ideal place for you to check out.
New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) in the Bronx covers a 250-acre territory and is a historical place that offers world-class art, beautiful architectural buildings, lots of plants and the experience of flora and fauna life. Inspired by the Royal Botanic Gardens in London, NYBG was founded in the late 19th century. The oldest plants at NYBG which were planted back in 1895, include Japanese winterberry, columnar tulip tree and European beech. One of the most famous trees there is a red oak (Quercus rubra) – it is 275 years old and is located in the Thain Family Forest. One of the most notable facts that not many people are aware of, is that in 1901, botanist Alexander Pierce Anderson invented puffed rice at New York Botanical Garden.
This Spring, NYBG is bringing floral fashion divas as part of their annual show “The Orchid Show: Florals in Fashion.” Thousands of orchids are brought to the speculation of visitors turning the garden into a nature runaway show.
The show starts with the mannequins posing in a pond, which looks like a luxurious shop at first sight. The dresses for this installation were designed by Dauphinette, the brand by Olivia Cheng. The reflections of mannequins through the water create an even more colorful and magical atmosphere. The main mannequin that everybody is eager to see is a towering queen made up of moos, orchids and air plants. The art installations are created by Kristen Alpaugh who is also known for designing a purse with orchid stems, a fountain-turned-skirt, and a jacket decorated with orchids. The queen is immersed in the garden and truly looks like the mother of nature. For a truly natural fashion experience, designer Hillary Taymour created an orchid runaway, where different mythical creatures model in floral clothing. Each scene that takes place in that runaway is noted by huge frames decorated in orchids.
While all those installations mostly feature orchids well-known to us, like the ones that we can buy in grocery stores or flower shops, New York Botanical Garden has a large variety of tiny orchids. Instead of traveling to Mexico, Guatemala, or Puerto Rico, where you can usually find them, check out the collection at NYBG. Some of them are so small that you would need to take a closer look to fully discern them.
Colorful flowers, amazing smells, unique art installations and good, calming music – that’s what you can expect to see at “The Orchid Show: Florals in Fashion.” The show is on view from Feb. 17 through April 21.
The Garden is located at 2900 Southern Blvd and is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday. The best decision is to plan the whole day to visit the garden. There are great dining options there, so immersing yourself in the green life without worrying about anything will be easy. The best ticket or All-Garden Pass costs $31 for students, which will allow you to explore all attractions as well as be a part of the Tram Tour that tells the history, shows the collections, and gives a whole overview of the garden. If you have nothing to do this weekend, visit the New York Botanical Garden and allow your inner self to connect with nature.
