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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2008
CONTACT
Leeann Lavin: 718-623-7289, leeannlavin@bbg.org
Kate Blumm: 718-623-7241, kateblumm@bbg.org
Everything's Coming Up Roses at Brooklyn Botanic Garden!
Celebrate June Is Rose Month at BBG's Cranford Rose Garden and Jazz & Roses, Sunday, June 1, Noon–6:00 p.m.
June Is Rose Month at Brooklyn Botanic Garden's world-class Cranford Rose Garden. (Photo: Barbara Alper)
Brooklyn, NY—May 20, 2008—What could be more romantic than a single rose? How about tens of thousands of them? Delight the senses with a bounty of blooming roses during June Is Rose Month—a celebration honoring the enduring beauty of the rose at Brooklyn Botanic Garden's world-famous Cranford Rose Garden. Kick off the month-long homage to America's favorite flower—and New York state's official flower—with Jazz & Roses on Sunday, June 1, Noon–6 p.m.
Noted for displaying one of the most diverse rose collections in the country, the Cranford Rose Garden is sure to kindle a sense of awe at the heart-stopping beauty of its collection—along with thoughts of romance and love that the rose has come to symbolize! The Cranford Rose Garden is home to more than 5,000 rosebushes and nearly 1,200 different Rosa species, cultivars, and hybrids. The collection includes varieties chosen by All-America Rose Selections (AARS), wild species, old garden roses, hybrid teas, grandifloras, climbers, ramblers, and miniatures. In early summer, tens of thousands of roses cascade over arches, climb up lattices, clamber over the Eileen Duggan Pavilion, and pose in formal beds. Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Cranford Rose Garden preserves the rich and vast legacy of the rose, as modern hybrids thrive alongside old garden ancestors.
There is no better place to learn about roses and to be inspired by their exquisite beauty.
Jazz & Roses
Sunday, June 1, Noon–6 p.m.
(All events free with Garden admission)
BBG presents a full day of scheduled entertainment and tours to honor the rose. Don't miss the Garden's special outdoor jazz concert and an extraordinary Cranford Rose Garden tour with BBG rose expert Anne O'Neill (Noon); and tours led by BBG Garden Guides (1 p.m. and 3 p.m.).
- Noon | Cranford Rose Garden Tour with BBG rose expert Anne O'Neill
- Noon–1:30 p.m. | Concert: Hasidic New Wave with Yakar Rhythms
Combining ancient and avant-garde sounds, the premiere Jewish Jazz ensemble Hasidic New Wave, and the renowned nine-piece Senegalese Sabar drum ensemble, Yakar Rhythms, forge a new musical synthesis that is both electrifying to listen to and riveting to watch. - 1 and 3 p.m. | Cranford Rose Garden Tours with BBG Garden Guides
- 1:30–3 p.m. | Concert: Marilyn Lerner
Pianist Marilyn Lerner combines jazz, creative improvisation, klezmer, and 20th century classical music to entrance audiences. - 3:15–4:30 p.m. | Concert: The Gino Sitson 4
Vocalist Gino Sitson descends from a long line of Central African musicians known as Ntontas, or "players of horns," and his four-octave vocal range is legendary. The Gino Sitson 4 features the virtuosic vocal stylings and body percussion of the Cameroonian native along with piano, double bass, and drums. - 4:45–6 p.m. | Concert: Frank London's Klezmer Brass All-Stars with Maracatu New York
With a 2006 Grammy award under his belt, founding member of the Klezmatics and New York music icon Frank London brings his trumpet to center stage for a breathtaking set of klezmer-jazz, featuring the Brazilian drumming ensemble Maracatu New York.
The afternoon of world-class music sets just the right mood for family fun at the Garden. Jazz & Roses is a collaboration with Workmen's Circle. Sponsorship is provided by Forest City Ratner Companies, the City of New York Department of Cultural Affairs, and WNYC.
Visit bbg.org/rosemonth for more information on Jazz & Roses and June Is Rose Month.
June Is Rose Month
June 1 through June 29
All events free with Garden admission
- June Is Rose Month Guided Garden Tour
Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. in front of the Visitor Center, through June 30.
Take a guided tour of Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Cranford Rose Garden, a charming portrait of America's most popular flower—from old garden roses to modern hybrids. - Seasonal Highlights Guided Tour
Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m. in front of the Visitor Center, ongoing.
Indulge in the Garden's exuberant display of early-summer perennials and annuals, including violets and poppies, blooming rosebushes, and the fragrant Herb Garden. - Self-Guided Tours
The Cranford Rose Garden Self-Guided Tour
Pick up a brochure at the admission gates or Visitor Center and see why artists and poets have been immortalizing this enchanting flower for centuries. - Gardener's Resource Center
Rose enthusiasts can have their questions answered about roses. - Everything Roses
Visit the Everything Roses shop within the Gift Shop for a unique selection of rose items, or visit online at bbg.org/gardengiftshop. - Roses in Watercolor
Sunday, June 29 | 10:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Using beautiful bouquets of roses, learn to plan, compose, and simplify a watercolor painting. Learn to paint this unique flower on a variety of containers, with fruit and still-life objects. Other seasonal flowers will round out the work. Demonstrations with an emphasis on expressive brushstroke, bold application of paint, and creative visual interpretation will help develop your style. Call 718-623-7220 for information or to register.
bbg.org/rosemonth: Visit Brooklyn Botanic Garden's website to learn all about the Cranford Rose Garden and rose gardening.