Since 1891, the New York Botanical Garden has served as an oasis of greenery in the Bronx.
The 250 acre botanical garden houses over one million living plants, a huge greenhouse and a library containing one of the largest collection of botanical texts in the world.
Although the property is huge, it doesn’t take long for a leisurely stroll to take you from one end of the gardens to another, though there are regular tram services along the length of the park for those disinclined or unable to walk.
There are also two dining areas- I made a stop at the Pine Tree Cafe for a frankly disappointing mocha latte. The cafe was split into two lines- one that was for coffee and pastries, and another for sandwiches and pizzas and other light bites. The lines did move relatively quickly and there was a lot of seating in the area, plus several public bathrooms.
There’s plenty to do and explore while visiting the botanical gardens- guided tours are offered on specific days, and there were signs promoting the Garden’s mobile app throughout the park for a more independent experience.
The tulips were out in full force during, and I was blown away by all of the colors and varieties- these spiky ones were my favorites!
I also really enjoyed walking through the wooded Thain Forest on my way to go see the Garden’s collection of cherry trees- it felt so far away from the city.
The main draw during these past few weeks has been the Orchid Show that was being presented at the Haupt Conservatory. The sheer size of the greenhouse would have been impressive regardless (I’ve never seen a two-floor greenhouse before!), but the staff really pulled out stops for this fashion-oriented floral display!
Immediately upon entering, four flower-outfitted plastic models are displayed in a beautiful pond surrounded by some of the most vibrant and healthy orchids I’d ever seen.
It only got more impressive from there, with every new room showing off more orchid variants than I would ever have thought existed. I’d be curious to know if these orchids are permanently located in this greenhouse or if they were only placed there for the show. I’ll have to come back for another visit later this year to find out.
While most of the observatory had a humid and jungle atmosphere, I thought it was really neat that there were a few desert biomes included as well- its not every day that a greenhouse can support multiple climates.
There were definitely a lot of people exploring the Botanical Gardens during my visit- both because it was the weekend and because it was the last day of the Orchid Show. However, since the grounds are so spread out, I only really felt crowded at the cafe and at the beginning of my walk through the Haupt Conservatory. The Garden staff had guests wait on line to enter the conservatory to ensure that it didn’t get overcrowded and after an initial bottle neck in front of those first flower models, the crowds became more spread out.
I can imagine how popular the park must be during sunny Spring and Summer days!
Of course, the gift shop is also worth a stop. They had a really impressive collection spanning from orchid themed candles and dinnerware, to plant-based cocktail kits and real orchid plants to take home.
Although I find the $35 per adult entry fee to be a little steep, my local library was able to provide me with free tickets. For those without such luck, the grounds are free for non-resident visitors between 10am – 11am on Wednesdays, and all day Wednesday for NYC residents. There is paid parking available on site and a few parking garages nearby, but if you get really lucky you may find some free street parking during the weekends.
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