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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 20, 2008
CONTACT
Leeann Lavin: 718-623-7289, leeannlavin@bbg.org
Kate Blumm: 718-623-7241, kateblumm@bbg.org
Brooklyn Botanic Garden Announces Summer Highlights:
Reflections: Water in the Garden
Brooklyn, New York—June 20, 2008—Find cool relief from the sizzling summer heat at Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) with its Reflections: Water in the Garden interpretive program highlights, from July 12 through September 7, 2008. In the glittering reflection of BBG's exquisite aquatic features, visitors can experience the many diverse displays of water throughout the "gardens within the Garden," learn more about water and conservation, and explore how plants use and live in and around water. Reflections: Water in the Garden is BBG's first-ever program focusing on its exhilarating water features and offers visitors an interactive self-guided tour of the aquatic elements of BBG, free guided strolls, special educational workshops for children and adults, and more.
The sound of a trickling brook calms the nerves, the glassy surface of a pond inspires contemplation, and the playful jets of fountains elicit joy. Water itself is an essential element, vital to all living things. Reflections: Water in the Garden invites visitors to revel in BBG's distinctive landscape—including fountains, water lily pools, a running brook, small waterfalls, and an interactive water table for kids. Interpretive panels at some of the most popular water features and colorful informative signs about flora living in or near them will introduce visitors to the myriad ways plants interact with water.
Visitors can pick up a special Reflections brochure and embark on a self-guided adventure or meet one of BBG's enthusiastic Garden Guides for a FREE Reflections tour and receive a narrated introduction to the featured water displays. On Tuesdays, FREE Reflections tours begin at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., as well as 3 p.m. on weekends. The Reflections tour will supplement the popular 1 p.m. free Seasonal Highlights tour.
Reflections: Water in the Garden will highlight ten areas within the Garden, each of which is anchored by water. An interpretive placard nearby also includes other interesting plants in the immediate area. Compelling, on-site interpretive text helps visitors learn about wetland plant species, submerged and emergent ecosystems, and other water-related topics. Highlighted water features in the Garden include the elegant Rose Arc Pool, where the Call of the Sea statue is enveloped by cattails (Typha species) and celebrates the freedom and vitality of open water. The Native Flora Garden's bog, pond, and ephemeral stream, which represent water habitats native to this region that play a vital role in sustaining plant and animal life in the Northeast.
Throughout the summer, visitors will experience the colorful Discovery Carts with hands-on water-related activities for the whole family. The Gardener's Resource Center will help visitors find answers to frequently asked water questions and inspire them with a collection of beautiful books on water gardening, rain gardens, and water features in breathtaking gardens around the world.
The Steinhardt Conservatory Gallery will present Reflections in Collage: Works by Diane Miller, an exhibit of striking collage work that echoes the movement and textures of BBG's water features. Miller's unique collages are inspired by the rocks, trees, mists, clouds, and rain of the North Temperate Zone, and offer a vision of unpolluted nature full of dramatic movement and the textures of the earth.
In the Wonderful Water Plants! Discovery Workshops (Sunday, July 13 and Sunday, August 10, 2–4 p.m.), children will experience the Garden's interactive water table and learn all about water plants. On Special Reflections Saturdays (Saturday, July 26 and Saturday, August 16, 2–4 p.m.), water-related mini-workshops will include potting up a water plant or making a pond postcard and can be enjoyed by visitors of all ages.
A container water garden display will be featured near the Terrace Café during the summer season, adding to the sensual pleasure of dining in the Garden. Home gardeners will be inspired to incorporate water into their own garden designs. And to help them get started, the Garden Shop and Gift Shop will offer a special collection of interesting plants, fountains, books, and other water-inspired gifts.
Romi Ige, manager of interpretation at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, says, "We are very excited to present Reflections: Water in the Garden and to offer our summer visitors an opportunity to cool off beside the myriad water features of Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Whether reveling in the lushness of the Native Flora Garden, relaxing in the shady calm of the brook and terminal pond, or gazing at the stunning composition of the lily pools, visitors of all ages will be able to learn about plants while experiencing the multisensory pleasures of water." Ige adds, "Water has a unique capability to alter or reflect a range of emotions given all of its many permutations, from shooting sprays to placid pools to gurgling brooks to splashing waterfalls—water ignites the senses."
In addition, there will be a special Reflections-themed display in exhibition cases in the Rotunda. It will feature herbarium specimens of aquatic plants and illustrations of water-lilies and lotuses from the Garden's rare-book and Florilegium Society collections. Patricia Jonas, director of Library Services, is also utilizing the Library's new tagging feature to identify and showcase nearly 100 books from the BBG Library that amplify the Summer Interpretative program. Going to the online catalog on the BBG Library pages and typing "Reflections" in the tag field will allow visitors to look at Jonas's recommendations or create their own personalized water-based book list to share with family and friends.
During the Reflections: Water in the Garden Opening Day Celebration, July 12 from noon to 4:30 p.m., the festivities will pay tribute to the wonderful water features of BBG. Visitors will have a special opportunity to meet one of BBG's curators who maintain and nurture the plants in our Living Collections. The knowledgeable Garden Guides will offer tours highlighting the water features through out the Garden. Robin Simmen, director of Brooklyn GreenBridge, will offer a free informative workshop, "Creating a Rain Garden."
Reflections: Water in the Garden Activities
Opening Day Celebration!
Saturday, July 12, 2008, noon to 4:30 P.M. (rain or shine)
(Unless otherwise noted, all activities take place at the Lily Pool Terrace)
Noon & 2 p.m.
Water Gardening in Containers with Dave Horak, Aquatic House Curator
Noon–4:30 p.m.
Water-themed Discovery Carts for the Whole Family
Noon–4:30 p.m.
Meet the "Aquatic" Scientist, Dr. Gerry Moore, Director of Science
1 p.m. & 3 p.m.
Free Seasonal Highlights Tour Featuring Water Features with Garden Guides
1:30–4:30 p.m.
Display of Water Plant and Water Garden Books at Gardener's Resource Center
2–4 p.m.
Discovery Workshop: Papyrus Planting and Pond Postcards
2:30–4:30 p.m.
Meet Artist Diane Miller and View "Reflections," Paper Collages in the Steinhardt Conservatory Gallery
3–4:30 p.m.
"Creating a Rain Garden" Workshop with Robin Simmen, Brooklyn GreenBridge Director
Tuesdays to Fridays
11 a.m.
Free Guided Tour
10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 1:30–4:30 p.m.
Gardener's Resource Center Display of Tree Books and Artifacts
1–3:30 p.m.
Water-Themed Discovery Carts on BBG Grounds
Saturdays (July 12 to September 7)
1:30–4:30 p.m.
Gardener's Resource Center Display of Water Plant and Water Garden Books
Every Saturday and Sunday (July 12 to September 7)
3 p.m.
Special Reflections: Water in the Garden Free Guided Tour
Special Saturdays (July 26, August 16)
1 p.m.
Seasonal Highlights Tour Featuring Reflections: Water in the Garden
2 p.m.
Reflections Mini-Workshop for All Ages
3 p.m.
Special Reflections: Water in the Garden Free Guided Tour
Special Sundays (July 13, August 10)
1 p.m.
Seasonal Highlights Tour Featuring Reflections: Water in the Garden
2 p.m.–4 p.m.
Drop-in Discovery Workshop: Wonderful Water Plants!
3 p.m.
Special Reflections: Water in the Garden Free Guided Tour