Plants & Gardens Blog

These little nubs are an early sign of spring, but what is their botanical role? Read › What Are Pussy Willows, Anyway?

Biologist Sally Warring took samples from the pools on Lily Pool Terrace and Water Garden pond and filmed the fascinating microbial worlds that exist in them both. Read › Pondlife: What Lives in the Water Here?

Riparian plants don't float like water-lilies. They grow at the water's edge, where they help clean the water and prevent erosion. Read › What Kinds of Plants Grow in the Water Garden?

Brooklyn Botanic Garden's current artist in residence explains the inspiration behind his work, how he chooses materials, and how he goes about installing such large, complex pieces. Read › Talking with Artist Shayne Dark

The Garden's Annual Border includes a wide range of site conditions within a relatively small space. How did our curator choose plants to suit each spot? Read › Annual Border: The Right Plants for Your Microclimate

Cherry trees and blossoms have a special significance in Shinto and Buddhist traditions. They often symbolize the impermanence of life, but they can also represent violence or even death. Read › Cherry Trees in Japanese Folklore

This traditional handcrafted object is used in Shinto festivals in Japan. Learn more about its purpose. Read › Mikoshi: A Portable Shinto Shrine for BBG

The lovely, white-blossomed cultivar is growing along the Japanese garden’s path just north of the viewing pavilion. Read › Ambassadors Caroline Kennedy and Reiichiro Takahashi Plant a Cherry Tree at BBG

Apricots, peaches, magnolias, and other trees flower in the spring. Can you tell them apart from cherries? Read › These Flowering Trees Are Not Cherries

What did the blizzard do to plants that were starting to think it was spring? Read › A Blanket of Snow: Good or Bad for Plants?