Public Gardens Listing: Brooklyn Botanic Garden (Brooklyn, NY)
While balcony container gardeners enjoy their small-space urban gardens, sometimes a few container plants on an apartment balcony above a busy street just isn’t peaceful enough. Balcony gardeners might not be able to have a peaceful, large garden, but there are public gardens and arboretums near every major city. Don’t just fawn over pictures of luxurious gardens, get out there and enjoy a day at a public garden! You may even bring some gardening inspiration home to your own balcony container garden.
If you live in or are visiting the New York City (Brooklyn) area, why not visit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden?
- The Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s history begins in 1897, when New York State reserved 39 acres for a botanic garden. It wasn’t until 1910 that the garden was founded.
- Each year this botanic garden has more than 900,000 visitors from around the world.
- The 52-acre Brooklyn Botanic Garden has many gardens, including the Children’s Garden, Discovery Garden, Fragrance Garden, Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, Lily Pool Terrace, Rock Garden, Rose Garden, Steinhardt Conservatory and more.
- The garden has more than 200 cherry trees that bloom every spring (see the time-lapse video below), when the cherry bloom festival called Hanami is held.
- The $25 million Steinhardt Conservatory was completed in 1988, and it includes one of the oldest Bonsai collections in the United States.
- Take a free 1-hour tour on Saturdays and Sundays. Tours include the “Seasonal Highlights Tour” and “Urban Garden Exhibit Tour.” The Urban Garden Exhibit Tour focuses on urban gardening, especially in city apartments.
- Check the website for special events and exhibits, including the exhibit titled Urban Garden, which focuses on container gardening, vertical gardening and other gardening options for gardeners who live in crowded urban areas. You can also check the calendar for new classes and courses that can help you improve your gardening.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden Quick Info
bbg.org
(718) 623-7200
1000 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, New York 11225
Admission $10 for adults and $5 for seniors and students. Children under 12 and members are free.
Open Tuesday to Friday from 8am-6pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10am-6pm.
Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day
VIDEO: Cherry blossom time-lapse at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.
