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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 30, 2007
CONTACT
Leeann Lavin: 718-623-7289, leeannlavin@bbg.org
Kate Blumm: 718-623-7241, kateblumm@bbg.org
Celebrate the Holiday Season at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Exciting Programs Help Bring the Garden Indoors and Showcase the Tranquil Beauty of BBG
Free Weekday Admission all Winter Long!
PHOTOS: (left) From the Overlook, a magical view of the snow-covered Cherry Esplanade; (right) Families enjoy a free Wonderful Winter Greens workshop to celebrate the season. (Photos courtesy Brooklyn Botanic Garden)
Brooklyn, NY—November 30, 2007—Brooklyn Botanic Garden's extraordinary winter landscape beckons visitors with the hushed beauty of the season, including the sculpted architecture of the plants and landscapes in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden and the Osborne Garden. Everywhere, the Garden is teeming with activity—from the syncopated calypso of feeding squirrels packing away nuts, to the chirping of colorful birds relishing the red fruits of coralberry, serviceberry, and dogwood, and the bright purple fruits of American beautyberry. When it's time to come inside, visitors can enjoy the glorious vibrancy of the exotic plants in the Steinhardt Conservatory, which houses the tropical, warm temperate, and desert plant collections. In bloom are holiday favorites like poinsettia and Heliconia angusta 'Holiday', plus exotic orchids and elegant gladioli. The Conservatory Gallery boasts regularly changing displays of fine art.
To celebrate nature's special holiday traditions, BBG presents an abundance of programs for visitors of all ages. During this season, BBG's FREE Seasonal Highlights Tours focus on the temperature-controlled Steinhardt Conservatory, where the Tropical Pavilion, Aquatic House, and Warm Temperate Pavilion provide an exquisite seasonal show of flora. Continuing Education's Victorian Holiday Treasures class offers adults a fun way to turn holiday greens into personalized, handmade holiday décor for the home. Plus, gift-givers will find the perfect expression of botanical chic for everyone on their list at the Garden Shop and Gift Shop!
BBG HOLIDAY EVENTS:
Holiday Greens
Section A–Beginner: Saturday, December 1 | 2–5 p.m.
Section B–Intermediate/Experienced: Saturday, December 8 | 2–5 p.m.
Catch the holiday spirit! Attendees will create beautiful holiday decorations—wreaths, swags, and centerpieces of pine and fir—and then decorate them with a variety of natural materials, bright balls, beads, ribbons, and bows. In Section A, beginners learn how to create their own holiday decoration. Students who have already taken the beginner section or have previous experience decorating with holiday greens can get right to it in Section B. Fee and registration required; call 718-623-7220.
Discovery Workshop: Winter in the Garden
Sunday, January 6 | 2–4 p.m.
Plants and animals have many ways of keeping warm all winter long! Kids can explore how creatures big and small survive winter in the Garden. They will learn about winter from a plant's perspective and discover how some plants survive the cold and dry days. They will make and take home a birdfeeder to feed their neighborhood feathered friends. Steinhardt Conservatory, lower level; free with Garden admission.
Special Theme Tour: Chase Away the Winter Blues
Sunday, January 6 | 1 p.m.
It's known that as many as half the people living in the middle and extreme latitudes experience a dip in their moods during the winter months. Exposure to daylight, even on a cloudy day, can help restore energy, alertness, and contentment. Join Lynne Spevack, L.C.S.W., a licensed psychotherapist and veteran BBG tour guide, for this free, hour-long, outdoor narrated walk designed to chase away the winter blues. Visitors learn how to maintain a sunny outlook through the darker, colder days and discover the plants and animals that enliven the garden landscape even in the "dead" of winter. Tour is held rain, snow, or shine; dress warmly and wear comfortable shoes. Meet in the Visitor Center.
Christmas Tree Recycling and Wood Chip Mulch Giveaway
Saturday, January 12 | 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
After the last holiday celebration, recycle that tree! Bring Christmas trees (free of lights and ornaments) for chipping and a bag and shovel for free mulch. BBG Master Composters will be on hand to answer all questions, too. No wreaths or plastic bags, please. Location: Green-Wood Cemetery (5th Avenue and 25th Street entrance, Brooklyn). Mulch is available to the public at Green-Wood all year.
Saturday Winter Watercolors
6 Saturdays: January 12, 19, 26; February 2, 9, 16 | 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
Brighten winter days! Budding artists learn to draw and paint water lilies, orchids, and other plants in the botanically diverse collections of the Steinhardt Conservatory. The class will focus on drawing skills, composition, color, and watercolor techniques and is appropriate for beginners and more experienced artists. Fee and registration required; call 718-623-7220.
Winter Harvest Painting
6 Sundays: January 13, 20, 27; February 10, 17, 24 | 2:30–5:30 p.m.
Capture the beauty and variety of winter garden subjects—from pods and berries to snowy landscapes—in rich and vibrant watercolors. Students explore new approaches and techniques and work outdoors if the weather permits! Emphasis is on color mixing, transparent washes, and direct painting. This class is best for intermediate and accomplished painters. Fee and registration required; call 718-623-7220.
BBG WINTER LECTURE: Exploring the Gardens at the Adachi Museum of Art
Thursday, January 24 | 6 p.m.
The distinctive gardens of the Adachi Museum of Art are ranked among the best in Japan, and BBG is pleased to welcome its directors and curators to Brooklyn for the first time. They will speak about the history, construction, and maintenance of the gardens, with the lecture followed by the film The Gardens in the Four Seasons, which features gorgeous photography of the Adachi grounds. A reception will follow. BBG Auditorium; no charge, but reservations required; call the lecture hotline at 718-623-7230.