BBG: Press

Gotham Chamber Opera Presents La hija de Rappaccini at Brooklyn Botanic Garden

2013-05-03T15:00:47+00:00

June 17 and 24, 2013, at 7 p.m.

Release Date: 05/03/2013

Brooklyn, NY — Gotham Chamber Opera presents Daniel Catán’s 1988 opera, La hija de Rappaccini (Rappaccini’s Daughter), on two Mondays, June 17 and 24, 2013, at 7 p.m. at Brooklyn Botanic Garden (rain date June 25). Seating is by general admission. Tickets are $35 and are available at ticketcentral.com or 212-279-4200. For more information, visit gothamchamberopera.org.

The creative team for La hija de Rappaccini consists of Neal Goren (conductor), Rebecca Taichman (director), Andrew Eggert (associate director), Riccardo Hernandez (scenic design), Justin Townsend (lighting design), Anita Yavich (costume design), and Mark Dendy (choreographer). The cast stars Elaine Alvarez, Daniel Montenegro, and Eric Dubin, with Brian Downen, Jessica Grigg, Ariana Wyatt, Cassandra Zoè Velasco, and Nora Graham-Smith.

With a libretto by the Mexican Nobel Prize winner Octavio Paz, based on the classic short story “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, La hija de Rappaccini tells of a doctor who seeks to protect and control his daughter by keeping her locked in a garden where he experiments with poisonous plants. She is immune to them but is a carrier of their danger, and when a young student falls in love with her, he is faced with the knowledge that pursuing that love will surely lead to his death. The Mexican-born Catán (1949–2011) composed his music in a neo-Romantic style, with long melodic lines, Debussy-like harmonies, and rich orchestrations. Though clearly contemporary, La hija de Rappaccini is as lyrical as works by Puccini and Mozart. Also appealing are the contemporary resonances of the 160-year-old story. “An ideal can be made to serve the most horrific and inhumane causes,” Catán wrote of his opera. “The 20th century has provided us with more examples than we would ever want.” La hija de Rappaccini takes place at that intersection of beauty and danger. Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s expansive Cherry Esplanade features two stately allées of cherry trees and borders the renowned Cranford Rose Garden, which will be in full flower in June. La hija de Rappaccini is the Garden’s first staged opera presentation in its 103-year history.

Gotham Chamber Opera, now in its 11th season, is the nation’s leading company dedicated to the highest quality productions of chamber operas rarely performed today. Its mission is to produce vibrant, fully staged productions of works from the Baroque era to the present intended for intimate venues. Gotham Chamber Opera is recognized nationally as the only company committed solely to producing chamber opera.

Founded by conductor and artistic director Neal Goren as Henry Street Chamber Opera, the company debuted in 2001 with the American premiere of Mozart’s Il sogno di Scipione and in subsequent seasons produced such works as Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Milhaud’s Les malheurs d’Orphée, Bohuslav Martinu’s Les larmes du couteau and Hlas Lesa, Heinrich Sutermeister’s Die schwarze Spinne, Handel’s Arianna in Creta, Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring, and Rossini’s Il signor Bruschino. The company renamed itself Gotham Chamber opera and became an independent 501(c)3 organization in 2003.

In its first decade, Gotham Chamber Opera has produced 18 operas, including 7 American premieres, 2 New York City premieres, and 2 world premieres. Gotham Chamber Opera has partnered with notable New York and U.S. institutions, including Lincoln Center Festival and Spoleto USA for the 2005 production of Respighi’s La bella dormente nel bosco; the Morgan Library and Museum for an evening of song cycles by Janáček and Dvořák, Scenes of Gypsy Life, in 2008; and the American Museum of Natural History and the American Repertory Theater for 2010’s production of Haydn’s Il mondo della luna, which featured lunar exploration video, developed by the Museum and NASA, and broadcast on the Hayden Planetarium’s 180-degree dome. In March, Gotham Chamber Opera presented a sold-out run of Eliogabalo at the Box.

Gotham Chamber Opera has earned a reputation for showcasing outstanding young singers alongside established professional and world-class directors and choreographers, including Mark Morris (the 2009 production of Haydn’s L’isola disabitata), David Parsons (the New York stage premiere of Astor Piazzola’s tango opera, María di Buenos Aires), Karole Armitage (the world premiere of Ariadne Unhinged), Basil Twist (La bella), Christopher Alden (Scipione and Arianna in Creta), and Diane Paulus (Il mondo). In October 2010, Gotham Chamber Opera partnered with director Moisés Kaufmann and his company, Tectonic Theater Project, to coproduce the first U.S. stage performances of Xavier Montsalvatge’s El gato con botas at the New Victory Theater. For the 2011–12 season, the company celebrated its tenth anniversary with the world premiere of Dark Sisters, by composer Nico Muhly, and a revival of Gotham’s first production, Mozart's Il sogno di Scipione (1772).

For more information, visit gothamchamberopera.org.

Sakura Matsuri: A Celebration of Traditional and Contemporary Japanese Culture

2013-04-15T12:59:59+00:00

April 27 and 28, 2013 | 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Release Date: 04/15/2013

Brooklyn, NY—Hanami, the Japanese cultural tradition of enjoying the cherry blossom season, has begun at BBG. Hanami culminates in the Garden’s legendary weekend festival Sakura Matsuri—popularly considered New York’s rite of spring, and the nation’s largest event in a public garden. Sakura Matsuri (April 27 and 28, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) features over 60 performances, demonstrations, and exhibits—many of which are specially commissioned for this dynamic festival—that showcase the best of traditional and contemporary Japanese culture. In recent years, Sakura Matsuri has attracted one of the largest, most colorful audiences for any cultural event in the city.

Sakura Matsuri 2013 will present some performers direct from Japan, including Zakuro Chindon, an all-female marching band, and The Asterplace, whose anime rock is celebrated in the cosplay (costume play) community. Other festival artists hail from the five boroughs, such as Taiko Masala, the renowned drumming group, and jazz pianist Kuni Mikami, who interprets Japanese folk songs to great acclaim.

Saturday’s final main-stage performance features Cobu, which blends taiko drumming with tap dance for a Stomp-style Japanese ruckus. The full festival culminates on Sunday with the Cosplay Fashion Show, presenting in partnership with New York Comic Con more than 20 of the city’s most extravagant and talented cosplayers to a crowd of thousands.

Perennial Sakura Matsuri favorites returning in 2013 include the following:

Dancejapan with Sachiyo Ito, presenting nihon buyo classical dance

the Japanese Folk Dance Institute of NY’s beloved hanagasa odori (flower hat dance) procession

Samurai Sword Soul’s new action-packed martial arts drama

Traditional tea ceremonies with Urasenke Chanoyu Center and Sokyo Shimizu

Ikebana flower arranging with expert Fumiko Allinder

Vintage kimonos for sale from YokoDana Kimono

Tours of the C.V. Starr Bonsai Museum and the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden led by Garden guides

BBG’s Osborne Garden will feature manga and other contemporary Japanese culture, including the following:

BBG’s Parasol Society Games, where hundreds of Tokyo goth girls, Victorian maidens, and sweet shepherdesses will play lighthearted lawn activities Drawing workshops and demonstrations with manga comic master Misako Rocks and ukiyo-e illustrator Jed Henry

Stand-up comedy by geek comedian Uncle Yo

The J-Lounge manga journal, where festival visitors can sketch their favorite Sakura Matsuri sightings

Illusions from magician Rich Kameda, performing classic tricks with a Japanese twist

Kids’ activities include the following:

Six hands-on workshops, including origami, taiko drumming, rice shaker and pinwheel making, and manga drawing

A children’s Suzuki recital and kids’ taiko performance to introduce the next generation of Japanese music masters

The full event schedule is available at bbg.org/sakuramatsuri. The cherry display is tracked in real time on BBG’s web-based CherryWatch feature, which maps the entire collection and provides daily blooming updates. The Garden encourages visitors to share their cherry blossom images—amateur or professional—on social media the hashtag #bbgcherries.

Admission to Sakura Matsuri is $20 for adults, $10 for students (12 to 17) and seniors (65 and over). BBG members and children under 12 years of age enter for free. Admission fees will be charged all weekend during Sakura Matsuri. Events are free with Garden admission and will be held rain or shine.

Advance tickets can be purchased online. Brooklyn Botanic Garden members and ticket holders skip the lines.

Lead sponsorship for Sakura Matsuri 2013 is provided by National Grid.

Note: All press must check in at the Visitor Center (990 Washington Avenue) and are encouraged to email communications@bbg.org or call 718-623-7200 x7032 in advance for press access.

BBG Opens Tree House Installation: Sandy Remix

2013-04-05T15:00:17+00:00

Master Tree House Builder Roderick Romero’s First Work in a Public Garden Opens Tomorrow

Release Date: 04/05/2013

Brooklyn, NY—Sandy Remix, a specially commissioned tree house, opens to the public at Brooklyn Botanic Garden tomorrow after a four-week installation. With the exception of the screws holding it together, the interactive sculpture is constructed entirely of salvaged natural material from the Garden, including wood from dozens of trees felled by Hurricanes Sandy and Irene to create both the structural beams and decorative elements.

Nestled between a majestic Caucasian wingnut tree and Bluebell Wood, the nestlike structure stands five feet off the ground and offers approximately 200 square feet of space to serve as a viewing point, resting spot, and open-air classroom. Artist Roderick Romero worked closely with BBG’s arborists and John Duvall, owner of the milling company Local Sawyer, to prepare the wood of over a dozen kinds of trees—including pin oak, black walnut, Persian ironwood, persimmon, willow, and Japanese flowering cherry—lost to the storms of 2011 and 2012.

“We actively sought ways to give trees the Garden lost to Sandy and Irene a second life in a way that our visitors could experience hands-on,” said Scot Medbury, president of BBG. “The tree house embodies some of BBG’s key qualities: sustainability, beauty, and a deep connection to New York.” When viewed from above, Sandy Remix appears to swirl like the eye of a hurricane, with the tree materials curling up in a twisted motion around the central platform. Romero used wood of contrasting hues to entwine the storm imagery with that of enduring nature, cladding the tree house’s exterior in dark wood and the interior in lighter shades to evoke the natural color composition of a tree.

s to evoke the natural color composition of a tree.

Gary Hattem, president of the Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation, which provided lead sponsorship for Sandy Remix, said “We are delighted to support a project that is not only artful and original, but offers an interactive experience for so many. Sandy Remix is also inspiring in its creative repurposing of storm-ravaged trees, and we commend Brooklyn Botanic Garden for finding a way to grow a positive opportunity from such a difficult moment for New York City.” Volunteers from Deutsche Bank worked with Roderick Romero for two days to help build the tree house, weaving woody material from Natural History, the Garden’s previous on-site sculpture by Patrick Dougherty, into its exterior cladding.

Throughout the year, the installation will inspire workshops and programs for children and adults; for more information, visit bbg.org/treehouse.

Sandy Remix is free to all visitors with Garden admission. All are encouraged to share stories and photos of their experiences on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook using the hashtag #brooklynbotanic.

Hanami, BBG’s Cherry Blossom Season, Begins

2013-04-02T13:00:53+00:00

Release Date: 04/02/2013

Brooklyn, NY— The Garden’s horticulture staff has observed the first flush of blossoms on the early-blooming Prunus sargentii ‘Fudan-zakura’—indicating Hanami has begun at Brooklyn Botanic Garden! Hanami, the Japanese cultural tradition of enjoying the cherry blossom season from first buds to lush flowers to multitudes of falling petals blanketing the ground, is one of the most extraordinary times of year at the Garden. More than 200 flowering cherry trees encompassing over twenty cultivars—the nation’s most diverse collection—provide a spectacular seasonal show that continuously unfolds over three to five weeks, depending on seasonal weather.

As Hanami progresses, the cherry display is tracked on BBG’s web-based CherryWatch feature, which maps the main part of the collection and provides a daily blooming status for each tree as well as photos of and detailed information about each cultivar. This year, the Garden encourages visitors to share their own cherry blossom images—amateur or professional—on social media including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook using the hashtag #bbgcherries. Photographers can also post images in BBG’s visitor photo pool on Flickr.

During Hanami, the Garden offers special programs including:
Free tours (April 3–24 on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 11 a.m.) focusing on BBG’s Japanese plant collections and specialty gardens, including cherry trees, the C.V. Starr Bonsai Museum, and the Tree Peony Collection.

Selection of special Japanese menu items at BBG’s Zagat-rated Terrace Café.

Handpicked items, inspired by the Garden’s blossoms and Japanese aesthetics, in BBG’s Garden Shop.

Hanami culminates in the Garden’s legendary weekend festival Sakura Matsuri—popularly considered New York’s rite of spring. A celebration of traditional and contemporary Japanese culture, Sakura Matsuri (April 27 and 28, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) features over 60 performances, demonstrations, and exhibits—many of which are specially commissioned for this dynamic festival—and attracts one of the largest, most colorful audiences for any cultural event in the city.

For more information about Hanami, Sakura Matsuri, and Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s cherry blossoms, please visit bbg.org/discover/cherries.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Annual Plant Sale Offers Over 20,000 Plants on May 1 and 2

2013-03-18T13:00:21+00:00

Northeast’s Largest Plant Sale in its 60th Year

Hours: Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. to noon
Members-Only Preview Sale: Tuesday, April 30, 4:30 to 8 p.m.

Release Date: 03/18/2013
Brooklyn, NY— Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s annual benefit Plant Sale returns for the 60th time this spring with the largest and best selection of affordable plants in the metropolitan area. The Plant Sale has only gotten better with age, offering the newest and best plants available as well as trusted favorites for gardeners with a single windowsill or an expansive backyard.

More than 20,000 plants will be for sale in an area the size of two football fields on BBG’s Cherry Esplanade. Over two days, thousands of plant lovers will take advantage of the sale’s incredible selection and gardening advice from the Garden’s expert staff, including director of Horticulture Mark Fisher (houseplants), rosarian Sarah Owens (roses), and team members from GreenBridge, BBG’s community horticulture program (window boxes, tree beds, and containers).

The two-day Plant Sale offers an expansive variety of plants, both for indoors and outdoors: annuals, perennials, small trees and shrubs, roses, herbs, vegetables, houseplants, orchids, hanging baskets—and more. Easy space-saving plants for apartment dwellers, like cherry tomatoes in hanging baskets, heavy-fruiting blueberries for containers, and a wide range of water-conserving succulents are offered alongside frost-resistant gardenias and dozens of roses and other garden favorites. This year’s sale will offer over 600 kinds of native plants—easily found by shoppers by virtue of special orange labels—in honor of the opening of BBG’s Native Flora Garden expansion in June.

Among the specimens on offer are rare and unusual plants, including native species and hard-to-find cultivars, all meticulously selected and reasonably priced by a team that has worked on the sale for over 40 years to grow it into the city’s premier resource for garden plants.

On Wednesday, May 1, the following talks and demonstrations are offered for gardeners of all experience levels:
Bonsai clinic and demonstration, led by BBG bonsai curator Julian Velasco. Bring your own pest-free bonsai for pruning, repotting, and advice. $25 for participants; spectators are welcome, free of charge (10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 3 p.m.).

The best houseplants for sun and shade with director of Horticulture Mark Fisher (2 p.m.)

Reviving and repotting orchids with David Horak, curator of BBG’s orchid collection (noon and 3 p.m.)

Tips on selecting unusual long-blooming, easy-care annuals with BBG gardener Jennifer WIlliams (10:30 a.m.)

Shrubs and perennials that offer the best bang for your buck with BBG gardener Michael Mauro (11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.)

An exploration of unusual herbs with BBG gardener Jennifer Williams (4 p.m.)

GreenBridge workshops: Get a head start on achieving high marks in the Greenest Block in Brooklyn contest with Planting a Window Box (5:30 p.m.), Colorful Containers (6 p.m.), and Tree Bed Gardening (6:30 p.m.).

With each paid Garden admission during the Plant Sale, visitors receive a free admission coupon to use on a return visit. A supply of red shopping wagons is provided, but buyers are encouraged to bring a cart if they can. All major credit cards, cash, and checks are accepted.

Visitors are encouraged to share stories and photos of the Plant Sale using the hashtag #brooklynbotanic

The Members-Only Preview Sale will be held on Tuesday, April 30, from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Admission is with a BBG membership card only; memberships may be purchased at Garden entrances.

BBG’s 2013 Plant Sale is presented by the BBG Auxiliary. Sponsorship support for the Plant Sale is provided by Monrovia Growers. All proceeds benefit Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

NOTE: On Tuesday, April 30, the Garden will close to the public at 4 p.m. for the Members’ Preview Sale. On May 1 and 2, the Garden will open at 9 a.m. instead of 8 a.m.

BBG’s Cherry Blossom Season, Hanami, to Begin with First Flush of Flowers

2013-03-13T21:33:10+00:00

Sakura Matsuri: April 27 and 28, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. | New Hashtag Announced: #bbgcherries

Release Date: 03/14/2013
Brooklyn, NY—Each year, Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) encourages visitors to experience Hanami, the Japanese cultural tradition of enjoying the cherry blossom season, from the first buds to the lush flowers to the multitudes of falling blossoms blanketing the ground. BBG’s Hanami display is the most extraordinary in the U.S., with more than 200 trees—the nation’s most diverse collection—providing a spectacular seasonal show. This year, Hanami begins when the Garden’s horticulture staff observes the first flush of blossoms, usually found in the weeping higan cherries in the iconic Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Hanami will be announced on the Garden’s website (bbg.org), Twitter, Facebook, and in a media advisory to national press.

The glorious trees inspire Garden classes, special tours, and festivals, including Sakura Matsuri, the country’s largest annual event in a public garden.

In Japan, centuries-old customs associated with Hanami include strolling among the trees and capturing falling cherry petals in open palms. During Hanami at BBG, visitors can enjoy several highlights inspired by its collection of over 200 flowering cherries:

Free Hanami tours (Saturdays and Sundays, 1 to 2 p.m.) focusing on BBG’s Japanese plant collections and specialty gardens, including the cherries, the C.V. Starr Bonsai Museum, and the Tree Peony Collection.

Selection of special Japanese menu items at BBG’s Zagat-rated Terrace Café.

The Hanami collection at BBG’s Garden Shop, featuring handpicked items inspired by the Garden’s blossoms and Japanese aesthetics.

The cherry display will be tracked in real time on BBG’s web-based CherryWatch feature, which maps the entire collection and provides daily blooming updates. The Garden also encourages all visitors to share their cherry blossom images—amateur or professional—using the hashtag #bbgcherries on Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, and Facebook.

Hanami culminates in the Garden’s legendary weekend festival Sakura Matsuri—popularly considered New York’s rite of spring. A celebration of traditional and contemporary Japanese culture, Sakura Matsuri (April 27 and 28, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) features over 60 performances, demonstrations, and exhibits—many of which are specially commissioned for this dynamic festival—and attracts one of the largest, most colorful audiences for any cultural event in the city. Sakura Matsuri 2013 will present some performers straight from Japan, including Zakuro Chindon, an all-female marching band, and The Asterplace, whose anime rock is celebrated in the cosplay (costume play) community. Other festival artists hail from the five boroughs, such as Taiko Masala, the beloved drumming group, and jazz pianist Kuni Mikami, who interprets Japanese folk songs to great acclaim.

Perennial Sakura Matsuri favorites include Dancejapan with Sachiyo Ito (classical and Okinawan dance); the Japanese Folk Dance Institute of NY; BBG’s Parasol Society (comprised of hundreds of Tokyo goth girls, Victorian maidens, and sweet shepherdesses); and the fabulous Cosplay Fashion Show, showcasing over 20 of the city’s most extravagant and talented cosplayers to a crowd of thousands. Manga comic master Misako Rocks and illustrator Jed Henry will be leading drawing workshops and demonstrations on both days.

Admission to Sakura Matsuri is $20 for adults, $10 for students (12 to 17), and seniors (65 and over).

A full event schedule is available at bbg.org/sakuramatsuri.

For more information about Hanami and Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s cherry blossoms, please visit bbg.org/discover/cherries

Saturday, March 9: Spring Kicks Off with the 32nd Annual Making Brooklyn Bloom

2013-02-28T15:45:34+00:00

Gardening for a Resilient City
Saturday, March 9, 2013 | 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Release Date: 02/28/2013
Brooklyn, New York— On March 9, Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s community environmental horticulture program, GreenBridge, welcomes hundreds of gardeners from across the borough to kick off spring at Making Brooklyn Bloom. The daylong conference will—for the 32nd year—gather horticultural professionals and home gardeners alike to meet each other, learn new gardening strategies and techniques, and discover local organizations that can help enliven the Brooklyn landscape—and the communities within it—through gardening.

As Brooklyn continues to recover and reassess after Hurricane Sandy, this year’s Making Brooklyn Bloom, Gardening for a Resilient City, focuses on the local, regenerative resources at Brooklynites’ disposal to rebuild a more verdant, sustainable borough. Ideas and practices for metropolitan gardeners to make their green spaces thrive despite urban challenges are addressed in workshops, films, and exhibits by community gardens and organizations from across the city. Dr. Vandana Shiva—global environmental activist, author, and founder of Navdanya—will deliver this year’s Wilbur A. Levin Keynote Address, “Cultivating Resilience: Diversity, Democracy, Community.” Dr. Shiva’s landmark work in teaching and promoting the biological and cultural benefits of seed saving has heavily influenced issues of global food sovereignty, seed biodiversity, and sustainable agriculture.

Eighteen workshops—covering topics as various as creating an edible garden in schools and revitalizing street tree beds—will be presented by community leaders in urban greening, members of BBG’s Horticulture staff, and experts from other organizations in New York City. For the first time, two workshops (“Refrescando la Taza de Árbol Esta Primavera” and “Cultivando Verduras Poderosas”) will be presented in Spanish.

Making Brooklyn Bloom also features exhibits, networking opportunities, and a program of short films that explore gardening and the natural world—with a special focus on seeds.

Preregistration is required for the keynote address and available online; additional seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for a live broadcast of the address. Workshop registration is open from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the event at BBG’s Palm House. For more details about the event, please call 718-623-7250 or visit the event website.

Visitors to Making Brooklyn Bloom will also have the opportunity to take a guided tour of the new Visitor Center and check out BBG’s Library for gardening texts, tips, and tricks. Plus, each participant who fills out an evaluation at the end of the day gets a spring gift bag to take home!

Making Brooklyn Bloom is sponsored by Con Edison. Brooklyn Botanic Garden gratefully acknowledges support for GreenBridge programs from Brooklyn Community Foundation, the Institute for Museum and Library Services, and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs.

MAKING BROOKLYN BLOOM 2013

Films

Designing in the Prairie Spirit: A Conversation with Darrel Morrison (12 minutes, 2012)

Sneak preview of SEED: the Untold Story (5 minutes, 2013)

Two Options (8 minutes, 2013)

Trailer for Open Sesame: The Story of Seeds (3 minutes, 2012)

Soil in Good Heart (13 minutes, 2012)

Dirt! The Movie (40 minutes, 2009)

Workshops (11 a.m.–Noon and 3–4 p.m.)
The schedule will be listed at registration. You may choose only two workshops, one from each time block, space permitting.

From School Garden to Lunch Plate: Connecting Kids to Good Food
Michele Israel, NYC School Garden Network; Maggie Cheney, EcoStation:NY; Adam Schwartz and Genesis Rodriguez, Bushwick Campus Farm; Bess Hauser, PS 32

Put More Carrot in Your Carrot: Soil Fertility and Nutrition
Alec Baxt, FarmingUp The Global Gardener: Growing Food from Around the World
Brian Lym, CUNY; David Vigil, East New York Farms!

Save Heirloom Seeds Like a Farmer
Eric Michael Rodriguez, Weeksville Heritage Center

Upcycled Treasure: Tree Guards to Greenhouses
Tom Mazzone, Nature’s Classroom

Fruitful Natives: Blueberries and Beyond
Claudia Joseph, NY Permaculture Exchange

Refrescando la Taza de Árbol Esta Primavera (en Español)
Roy Martin, MillionTreesNYC; David Torres, BBG BUG Volunteer

Using Stormwater in the Garden
Kate Zidar, Newtown Creek Alliance

Pedal Power: Bike Energy in the Garden
Lenny Librizzi, GrowNYC

Healthy Soils, Healthy Communities
Gretchen Ferenz and Hannah Shayler, Cornell University

Resourceful Rooftop Containers
Rebecca Bullene, Greenery NYC

Seed Starting Indoors and Out
Nick Gershberg, Arthur Ross Greenhouse at Barnard College

Revitalizing Garden Membership with Community Composting
Sheila McDevitt, 6/15 Green; Jon Pope, Prospect Heights Community Farm

Growing and Eating Powerful Food
Onika Abraham and Vere Gibbs, BBG BUG Volunteers

Cultivando Verduras Poderosas (en Español)
Gabriela Alvarez, El Puente

Refreshing Your Tree Bed This Spring
Roy Martin, MillionTreesNYC; David Torres, BBG BUG Volunteer

Open House: Brooklyn Urban Gardener Volunteer Program
Louise Bruce, Brittany Snellings, Jay Smith, and BBG BUG Volunteers

Making Seed Bombs
Cheryl Moch and Tim Hollinger, Brooklyn Urban Gardeners

Networking Brown Bag Lunches
Bring a bag lunch and take part in these conversations:

Community Composting

Street Tree Stewardship

Therapeutic Horticulture

School Gardening

About GreenBridge
GreenBridge, the community environmental horticulture program of Brooklyn Botanic Garden, shares BBG’s knowledge and resources with neighborhoods across the borough. Working with block associations, community gardens, community centers, and other groups, GreenBridge promotes conservation and community through gardening and environmental stewardship activities.

BBG to Present Tree House Installation for Visitors in Spring 2013

2013-02-27T14:50:49+00:00

Artist Roderick Romero Begins Construction March 4; Opens to the public April 6, 2013

Release Date: February 27, 2013
Brooklyn, NY—This spring, Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) presents a new site-specific installation by New York-based artist and tree house architect Roderick Romero. Romero will use the wood from BBG trees felled by Hurricane Sandy and salvaged from elsewhere in the Garden to create a whimsical inhabitable sculpture that is part open-air classroom, part viewing point, and part artwork. Created specifically for BBG, the intriguing work will invite visitors of all ages to experience the Garden in a new way.

At around 200 square feet and five feet from the ground, Romero’s naturalistic, site-specific design will visually link to the Garden’s wooded landscape while offering a brand-new way to experience the Garden. The tree house— next to a majestic caucasian wingnut tree — will be capable of holding up to 20 visitors at a time and overlook nearby Bluebell Wood. The tree house will be constructed almost entirely from oaks felled in the southern part of BBG by Sandy and from woody material repurposed from BBG’s previous on-site interactive sculpture, Natural History, by Patrick Dougherty.

Romero, who is based in the East Village, has built tree houses in the U.S., Central America, Africa and Europe for artistic luminaries like Sting, Laurie Anderson, and Darren Aronofsky. BBG’s tree house will be the first of Romero’s projects in a public garden, allowing unprecedented access for visitors of all ages to experience and appreciate both Romero’s work and the Garden from a new perspective. BBG’s Spring Break Discovery Week (March 26, 27, 28, 29, April 2; 11 a.m.–1 p.m.) will focus on the tree house as a site to learn and play, with free drop-in workshops for families, all free with Garden admission. Kids will be able to watch the artist at work, try their hand at weaving a nest, and learn about the different structures animals build.

For more information about Roderick Romero’s tree house at BBG, email communications@bbg.org or call 718-623-7241.

BBG Presents Spring 2013 Festivals and Programs

2013-02-26T15:54:36+00:00

Gardening Events, Plant Sale, Treehouse Installation, and Seasonal Celebrations

Release Date: February 26, 2013
Brooklyn, NY — As the weather begins to warm and the first daffodils, crocuses, and magnolias emerge, Brooklyn Botanic Garden revs up for a spring season full of events and programming for all ages. Familiar spring programs like Making Brooklyn Bloom, the borough’s gardening kickoff, and the annual benefit Plant Sale reinvent themselves with fresh offerings alongside a suite of new projects and — including Roderick Romero's site-specific treehouse installation, which will enchant visitors both young and old. Sakura Matsuri, BBG’s annual celebration of Japanese culture, returns on April 27 and 28. This NYC ‘rite of spring' brings the best in traditional and contemporary Japanese culture, in homage to the most diverse collection of flowering cherry trees in the country. Throughout the season, free tours introduce visitors to the gems of the burgeoning Garden, including the first full spring display of the Garden’s new Visitor Center (opened in May 2012), whose 10,000-square-foot green roof features captivating textures and colors throughout the warm months.

Spring 2013 at BBG culminates in the opening of a new garden space in mid-June: the Native Flora Garden expansion. This one-acre expansion of the century-old Native Flora Garden (built in 1911) creates a new immersive landscape for visitors and marks a major achievement in the conservation of rare and threatened native plant communities.

For more information or hi-res images for any program, email communications@bbg.org.

MAKING BROOKLYN BLOOM: Gardening for a Resilient City
March 9 | 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Making Brooklyn Bloom has become a BBG tradition as the annual kickoff event of the spring gardening season and offers a full day of activities and information on sustainable horticulture for the gardening public. The 32nd annual Making Brooklyn Bloom features a keynote address by global environmental activist Dr. Vandana Shiva, ‘Cultivating Resilience: Diversity, Democracy, Community’. The free event offers hands-on workshops taught by community gardeners, BBG staff, and greening experts. Exhibitors from regional greening organizations present innovative and sustainable gardening techniques for home and community gardeners. This year, workshops include Making Seed Bombs, Resourceful Rooftop Containers, and Pedal Power: Using Bike Energy in the Garden. For more information, visit Making Brooklyn Bloom on bbg.org.

ON-SITE INSTALLATION: Roderick Romero Tree House at BBG
Construction begins March 4 and opens to the public April 6
Artist and treehouse architect Roderick Romero will use the wood from BBG trees felled by Hurricane Sandy and materials salvaged from elsewhere in the Garden to construct a whimsical treehouse in the Garden. Part open-air classroom, part observation deck, and part artwork, this intriguing installation designed especially for BBG will invite visitors of all ages to experience the Garden in a new way. Romero has created works internationally for public and private patrons, including such artistic luminaries as Sting, Laurie Anderson, and Darren Aronofsky.

HANAMI: Spring 2013, pending budburst
Sakura Matsuri: Celebrating Japanese Culture at BBG April 27 and 28 | 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.
Hanami, the season of cherry-blossom viewing, is one of the most magical times of year at BBG, when the Garden's iconic collection of more than 200 Japanese flowering cherries buds, blossoms, and finally creates an exquisite petal carpet as the delicate flowers fall to the ground. Hanami leads in to the Garden's legendary weekend festival Sakura Matsuri—popularly referred to as New York’s rite of spring and the nation’s largest event in a public garden. Conceived as a thrilling tribute to the Garden's astonishing botanical display, Sakura Matsuri features over 60 performances, demonstrations, and exhibits that highlight the best of traditional and contemporary Japanese culture. Keep an eye on bbg.org for the announcement of the start of Hanami—when the first blossoms are spotted in the Garden.

PLANT SALE April 30 (Members' preview), May 1-2 (General sale)
Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s annual benefit plant sale returns for the 59th time this spring with the largest selection of affordable, high-quality plants in the metropolitan area, available with expert help from seasoned gardeners to assist shoppers with any gardening need. More than 20,000 plants—ranging from the tried-and-true to the unusual — will be for sale in a tented and open space the size of two football fields under the 76 flowering cherry trees on BBG's Cherry Esplanade. Over two days, thousands of plant lovers will take advantage of the sale’s incredible values and expert gardening advice from the Garden's Horticulture staff.

OPENING OF NATIVE FLORA GARDEN EXPANSION Mid-June 2013
BBG’s historic Native Flora Garden, which represents diverse plant communities native to the New York metropolitan region, will soon feature a new garden space that re-creates the pine barrens habitats of southern New Jersey and coastal meadows of Long Island. The one-acre expansion will include rare and threatened species that populate these unusual ecosystems, some thought to be in cultivation for the first time. Part of BBG’s continuing Campaign for the Next Century, the Native Flora Garden expansion represents a commitment to local biodiversity that is a benchmark for public gardens worldwide. Visit the Campaign for the Next Century site for updates and details about opening festivities.

BBG Presents Illuminated, a New Four-Day Winter Festival for All Ages

2013-01-16T20:57:52+00:00

Saturday, January 26; Sunday, January 27
Saturday, February 2; Sunday, February 3

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From left: BBG’s Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden in winter (photo by Mike Ratliff).

Release Date: January 15, 2013
Brooklyn, NY—To help brighten the dark months of the year, Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) presents Illuminated, a new festival inspired by Swedish seasonal traditions that offers indoor and outdoor activities against the dramatic backdrop of the garden in winter. Over four days—including one unique day created especially for tweens and teens—special activities including a moonlight lantern walk, vivid storytelling, acrobatic workshops, and nature crafts will be offered. Mellower choices involve fun with an old-fashioned Lite-Brite or a contribution to BBG’s visitor-made mandala created from natural materials and old cassette tapes. Or simply cozy up in the Mitten Lodge with a mug of mulled wine or Stockholm hot chocolate and a few pepparkakor cookies. The Garden’s own pirate station Northern Lights Radio will provide a soundtrack of songs about light and the winter season, plus other themed tunes to enhance the event.

Each day of Illuminated is distinctive, offering something for every visitor:

Saturday, January 26: Illumination Celebration (kickoff event)
Sunday, January 27: Do It Yourself (for 9- to 15-year-olds)
Saturday, February 2: Inner Child (for families)
Sunday, February 3: Birdies and Trolls (nature event)

Illuminated is part of Light in Winter , an event series presented through February and inspired by winter traditions from around the globe. Enlivening activities include bird walks, seasonal garden tours, winter yoga, children’s workshops, and culinary classes for adults—all fostering community and fellowship in a sometimes solitary season. Light in Winter events are offered on an ongoing basis, with special programming on the first Sunday of each month and variously thereafter through the end of February. More information is available at bbg.org/lightinwinter.

All Illuminated activities take place in (or depart from) the Lillian and Amy Goldman atrium at the Visitor Center and are free with Garden admission. For more information, visit bbg.org/illuminated or email communications@bbg.org.

DETAILED SCHEDULE: ILLUMINATED, JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2012

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26: ILLUMINATION CELEBRATION
The first day of Illuminated introduces visitors to some of the sights, sounds, and activities of the festival and offers an afternoon full of interactive activities, culminating in an enchanting moonlight lant ern walk with live music, stilt dancers, and giant puppets—followed by the Ljus och Musik (Lights and Music) after party for all ages! The Terrace Café will offer a special Swedish-inspired menu this evening, featuring ärtsoppa (Swedish pea soup); gravlax, pumpernickel, and pickled beets; and Kanelbulle (cinnamon buns).

Noon–1 p.m.: Upside Down: A Handstand Class for Adults (LAVA Studio)
Let Pippi Longstocking be your inspiration in a grown-up handstand tutorial led by Brooklyn’s best acrobats. Lack of coordination is a plus. Space is limited to 20 participants. Sign up in the Visitor Center from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.; first come, first served.
1–6 p.m.: Lite-Brite Lounge
Flop down on the rug and let your creativity shine with old-school Lite-Brites and other classic games.

1:15–3:15 p.m.: Recycled Treasure Mandala (Kimberly Carmody, Urban Mandala)
Grab a handful of pebbles, acorns, and old cassette tapes and contribute to this ever-changing, magical art installation.

3:30–5:30 p.m.: You Light Up My Life: Lantern Making for Families (Brooklyn Craft Workshop)
Create a unique glass luminary to light your path on the Moonlight Lantern Walk and on your way home.

6–8 p.m.: Moonlight Lantern Walk
Featuring the giant puppets and stilt dancers of Mortal Beasts & Deities
Music by Gamelan Son of Lion featuring Indonesian angklung rattles and gongs
Celebrate the full moon with an enchanting nighttime lantern walk around Cherry Esplanade.

8–9:30 p.m.: Ljus och Musik (Lights and Music) After Party
A party for all ages! Dance or kick back with your friends.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 27: DO IT YOURSELF, a pop-up clubhouse for 9- to 15-year-olds
Tweens and teens alike are invited to enjoy a day of special workshops, or to just nibble on Swedish Fish, play with a Lite-Brite, and chill in the Mitten Lodge.

Noon–1 p.m.: Lean on Me: Build a Human Pyramid (LAVA Studio)
Join Magma, LAVA’s junior company, in this “hands on” acrobatic workshop.

1–3 p.m.: Friendship-Bracelet-Making Party (Brooklyn Craft Workshop)
Bring a friend (and make some new ones) and get crafty.

1–5 p.m.: Lite-Brite Lounge
Flop down on the rug and let your creativity shine with old-school Lite-Brites and other classic games.

3–5 p.m.: Recycled Treasure Mandala (Kimberly Carmody, Urban Mandala)
Grab a handful of pebbles, acorns, and old cassette tapes and contribute to this ever-changing, magical art installation.

3:30–4:30 p.m.: Create a Human Mandala (LAVA Studio)
Wackier than Twister! Join this acrobatic workshop led by members of Magma, LAVA’s junior company.

4:30–5 p.m.: Spotlight on Nature: A Flashlight Tour
Grab a flashlight and explore BBG’s dark side.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2: INNER CHILD, a pop-up winter lodge for families
This afternoon features performances by the unforgettable storyteller and face painter Christopher Agostino, Swedish schoolyard games for children, and mulled wine and Scandinavian nibbles for adults.

Noon–12:30 p.m.: Swedish Schoolyard Games with Professor Magnus Ö. Lingonberry Put on your mittens and prepare to play outside as the professor leads visitors in rousing schoolyard games with a Swedish twist.

Noon–5 p.m.: Lite-Brite Lounge
Flop down on the rug and let your creativity shine with old-school Lite-Brites and other classic games.
12:30–1 p.m.: Stories and Face Paint: The Tiger That Went to the House of the Sun (Agostino Arts) Join Christopher Agostino as he brings stories to life on the faces of the audience.

1:15–1:45 p.m.: Swedish Schoolyard Games with Professor Magnus Ö. Lingonberry Put on your mittens and prepare to play outside as the professor leads visitors in rousing schoolyard games with a Swedish twist.

2–2:30 p.m.: Stories and Face Paint: The Tiger That Went to the House of the Sun
Join Christopher Agostino as he brings stories to life on the faces of the audience.

3–5 p.m.: Recycled Treasure Mandala
Grab a handful of pebbles, acorns, and old cassette tapes and contribute to this ever-changing, magical art installation.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3: BIRDIES AND TROLLS, featuring the nature around us
Stroll BBG's grounds in search of birds; hear Swedish stories set to music; and say farewell to the Illuminated mandala, built over all four days by the hands of hundreds of visitors.

Noon–1 p.m.: Winter Bird Stroll
Spot winter birds around BBG with naturalist Brad Klein.

Noon–6:30 p.m.: Lite-Brite Lounge
Flop down on the rug and let your creativity shine with old-school Lite-Brites and other classic games.

1–3 p.m.: Pine Pillows and Evergreens: Workshop for Families
Investigate winter evergreens and incredible pinecones and make a fragrant pine needle pillow to take home.

3–3:30 p.m.: The Troll’s Garden and other Swedish Tales (Storyteller Robin Bady with musical accompaniment by Skip La Plante)
Be enchanted as master storyteller Robin Bady performs traditional Swedish tales with live music on homemade instruments.

4–4:30 p.m.: Skalunda and the Giant and other Swedish Tales Storyteller Robin Bady with musical accompaniment by Skip La Plante

4:30–6:30 p.m.: Recycled Treasure Mandala Closing Ceremony Join artist Kimberly Carmody as she leads the closing ceremony for Illuminated's evolving art installation. Participants will take home a bag of beads, buttons, acorns, and other mandala treasures.

BBG: Press

Gotham Chamber Opera Presents La hija de Rappaccini at Brooklyn Botanic Garden

June 17 and 24, 2013, at 7 p.m.

Sakura Matsuri: A Celebration of Traditional and Contemporary Japanese Culture

April 27 and 28, 2013 | 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

BBG Opens Tree House Installation: Sandy Remix

Master Tree House Builder Roderick Romero’s First Work in a Public Garden Opens Tomorrow

Hanami, BBG’s Cherry Blossom Season, Begins

Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Annual Plant Sale Offers Over 20,000 Plants on May 1 and 2

Northeast’s Largest Plant Sale in its 60th Year

Hours: Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. to noon
Members-Only Preview Sale: Tuesday, April 30, 4:30 to 8 p.m.

BBG’s Cherry Blossom Season, Hanami, to Begin with First Flush of Flowers

Sakura Matsuri: April 27 and 28, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. | New Hashtag Announced: #bbgcherries

Saturday, March 9: Spring Kicks Off with the 32nd Annual Making Brooklyn Bloom

Gardening for a Resilient City
Saturday, March 9, 2013 | 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

BBG to Present Tree House Installation for Visitors in Spring 2013

Artist Roderick Romero Begins Construction March 4; Opens to the public April 6, 2013

BBG Presents Spring 2013 Festivals and Programs

Gardening Events, Plant Sale, Treehouse Installation, and Seasonal Celebrations

BBG Presents Illuminated, a New Four-Day Winter Festival for All Ages

Saturday, January 26; Sunday, January 27
Saturday, February 2; Sunday, February 3

BBG: Press

Gotham Chamber Opera Presents La hija de Rappaccini at Brooklyn Botanic Garden

June 17 and 24, 2013, at 7 p.m.

Sakura Matsuri: A Celebration of Traditional and Contemporary Japanese Culture

April 27 and 28, 2013 | 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

BBG Opens Tree House Installation: Sandy Remix

Master Tree House Builder Roderick Romero’s First Work in a Public Garden Opens Tomorrow

Hanami, BBG’s Cherry Blossom Season, Begins

Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Annual Plant Sale Offers Over 20,000 Plants on May 1 and 2

Northeast’s Largest Plant Sale in its 60th Year Hours: Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. to noon Members-Only Preview Sale: Tuesday, April 30, 4:30 to 8 p.m.

BBG’s Cherry Blossom Season, Hanami, to Begin with First Flush of Flowers

Sakura Matsuri: April 27 and 28, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. | New Hashtag Announced: #bbgcherries

Saturday, March 9: Spring Kicks Off with the 32nd Annual Making Brooklyn Bloom

Gardening for a Resilient City Saturday, March 9, 2013 | 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

BBG to Present Tree House Installation for Visitors in Spring 2013

Artist Roderick Romero Begins Construction March 4; Opens to the public April 6, 2013

BBG Presents Spring 2013 Festivals and Programs

Gardening Events, Plant Sale, Treehouse Installation, and Seasonal Celebrations

BBG Presents Illuminated, a New Four-Day Winter Festival for All Ages

Saturday, January 26; Sunday, January 27 Saturday, February 2; Sunday, February 3

Northeast’s Largest Plant Sale in its 60th Year

Hours: Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. to noon
Members-Only Preview Sale: Tuesday, April 30, 4:30 to 8 p.m.

Gardening for a Resilient City
Saturday, March 9, 2013 | 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Saturday, January 26; Sunday, January 27
Saturday, February 2; Sunday, February 3