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Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Bloom - Reserve Advance Tickets for Fastest Entry

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Enjoy Free Admission Every Day

Audio Highlight (English & Español)

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A Virtual Visit

Take a lyrical walk through through the Japanese Garden at peak bloom (filmed April 2020). Enjoy at full screen!

Thank you for your interest in volunteering at Brooklyn Botanic Garden! Volunteer positions open periodically as needs arise.

Current volunteers: Sign up for shifts, check your schedule, and more at bbg.org/volunteer-site.

Now Recruiting

Horticulture

Assist the gardeners by pruning, planting, raking, mulching, watering, and weeding. Work with the gardeners to help maintain and further the Garden’s beauty.
(Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays only when openings available; 9 a.m.–12 p.m.)

Weekend Greeters & Special Event Support

Welcome visitors, answer questions, and staff information tables. During special events, assist in crowd movement, hand out programs and support materials, work behind the scenes with the performers, and fill in wherever needed.
(Saturdays or Sundays; 9 a.m.–6 p.m.)

Apply to Volunteer

Corporate Groups

Corporate groups have the opportunity to volunteer at the Garden through our Corporate Membership Program. Volunteering at BBG is a great team-building exercise for your employees and helps us keep the Garden beautiful. Not a Corporate Member? Visit Corporate Partnership.

If you have questions about the Volunteer program at the Garden, please contact Jeanine Poggioli, manager of Volunteers, at 718-623-7260 or [email protected]. For inquiries related to corporate volunteer groups, email [email protected].

Other Opportunities—No Current Openings

Children’s Garden Horticulture & Composting

Assist Education staff with garden tasks in the Children’s Garden once per week during the growing season. Volunteers can choose either horticulture or composting. Horticulture volunteers assist with weeding, pruning, watering, bed preparation, and other tasks. Compost volunteers assist with processing food scraps and other plant debris, sifting, and making compost for the Children’s Garden.
(Tuesday mornings, 9:30 a.m.–12 p.m., March–November)

Discovery Garden Docents

Discovery Docents lead activities for visitors in our Discovery Garden, a one-acre space for children to explore plants and ecosystems through hands-on play and scientific investigations. Commit to one three-hour shift each week for the duration of a season. This position requires a one-day training session.
(Tuesday–Sunday mornings, spring–fall)

Learn more about becoming a Discovery Docent

Garden Guides

Lead free public tours and registered adult tour groups Tuesdays–Sundays. This position requires extensive training and monthly continuing education sessions.

Visitor Center

Welcome our visitors to the Visitor Center and help by giving directions, answering questions about the Garden, selling Memberships, and stocking brochures and maps. This position requires one day of training.
(Tuesday–Sunday; 10 a.m.–5 p.m.)

Don’t miss the welcome return of daffodils, cherry blossoms, crabapples, bluebells, and more! Extended hours and new programs let visitors make the most of this special season. Advance tickets recommended. Free admission for members.

Get Tickets Become a Member

Seasonal Hours

April 1–May 11, 2025: Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Bloom

  • Open early! Friday–Sunday: 8 a.m.–6 p.m.
  • Open early & late! Tuesday–Thursday: 8 a.m.–8 p.m. (except April 22–25, closing at 4 p.m. for ticketed Hanami Nights programming)
  • Closed Mondays
Featured Bloom
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Plants in Bloom

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    Cherry Blossoms

    Cherry trees usually begin to flower in early April. An individual tree may only bloom for a week or two, depending on the weather. Of course, if they were in bloom all the time, they wouldn’t be so special.

    Track the Blossoms on CherryWatch

Special events & programs

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Guided Tours

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Family Activities

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Member Events

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Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Bloom - Reserve Advance Tickets for Fastest Entry

Adult Programs

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Sunrise

Welcome the longest day of the year with a transformative sunrise experience. Join composer/saxophonist Matthew Evan Taylor, accompanied by Metropolis Ensemble’s chamber orchestra, for a guided musical meditation. Inspired by Taylor’s AfroPneumatic series, Afropneuma* explores the profound connection between breath, sound, and Black identity. This new work invites participants to become part of a communal soundscape.

Sunset

Settle in to sunset with Matthew Evan Taylor’s Afropneuma, then let the energy build as Erik Hall’s visionary reimagining of Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians** takes you on a hypnotic journey—its rhythmic pulse transformed through electric guitars, basses, synths, and voices, with Metropolis, Erik Hall, and the electric guitar quartet Dither, all led by guest conductor and pianist Georgia Mills.

Tickets available in May.

* World premiere 2024/25 BBG and Metropolis Ensemble co-commission
** World premiere arrangement

About the Artists

Metropolis Ensemble

An orchestra plays in an empty auditorium.
Courtesy of Metropolis Ensemble.

The Grammy-nominated nonprofit Metropolis Ensemble is dedicated to commissioning and producing ambitious projects in contemporary music. Since its founding in 2006 by conductor Andrew Cyr, the NYC-based ensemble has brought together expert musicians for each project, expanding opportunities for emerging composers and performers while captivating audiences through bold collaborations and inventive instrumentations.

Metropolis has premiered hundreds of new works at venues such as the Hollywood Bowl, Kennedy Center, Met Museum, Lincoln Center, BAM, Celebrate Brooklyn(!), Brooklyn Steel, New Victory Theatre, and on The Tonight Show. The ensemble’s creative partnerships extend to leading cultural institutions, including Creative Time, COSM LA, Dacamera, Cambodian Living Arts, Dumbarton Oaks, and BBG.

Metropolis Ensemble’s studio recordings have earned national and international acclaim. Most recently, The Blind Banister (Timo Andres/Nonesuch) was nominated for the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album and featured in The New York Times, Gramophone, and on NPR as one of the Best Classical Albums of 2024. Other notable recordings include Telekinesis (Tyondai Braxton/Nonesuch), which earned two 2023 Opus Klassik nominations, and Homestretch (Timo Andres/Nonesuch), recorded at Tanglewood’s Ozawa Hall, for which producer David Frost won the 2014 Grammy for Classical Producer of the Year. The ensemble’s recording of Dreamscapes, featuring Vivian Fung’s Violin Concerto—commissioned and recorded by Metropolis—won Canada’s 2013 Juno Award for Best Classical Composition. Their debut album, Concertos (Avner Dorman/Naxos), featuring conductor Andrew Cyr and mandolinist Avi Avital, earned their first Grammy nominations in 2010.

Through groundbreaking collaborations and acclaimed performances, Metropolis Ensemble continues to redefine contemporary classical music and inspire audiences worldwide.

Matthew Evan Taylor

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Courtesy of Dr. Matthew Evan Taylor.

Composer and multi-instrumentalist Dr. Matthew Evan Taylor has been hailed as a “risk taker” (Neil De La Flor, Huffington Post), who has “…wrestled with the societal boundaries of Black artistry only to blast them apart…” (Dr. Kori Hill, I Care if You Listen) by making music that is “insistent and defiant…envelopingly hypnotic” (Alan Young, Lucid Culture).

His work includes concert music, such as okussa: for Damascus (2023, commissioned by the Next Festival for Emerging Artists) for string orchestra; chamber music like Get Up! (2022, commissioned by Timothy McAllister) for alto saxophone and piano; online streaming projects, most notably Postcards to the Met (2021–2022, commissioned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art), which has accrued over 500,000 views on Instagram; and free improvisations as in his acclaimed Unheard Mixtapes (2020–2021, commissioned by Metropolis Ensemble; New Amsterdam Records).

Dr. Taylor calls his recent work AfroPneumaism: a liberatory practice that centers the human breath as a primary organizational structure of music. These compositions subvert the accepted assumptions of virtuosity, precision, and the sublime while harnessing the breathing process as a means to celebrate the humanity of performers and their witnesses. In 2025, Dr. Taylor will release his first LP, Life Returns, which was recorded live at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2022.

Erik Hall

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Photo by Nolis Anderson.

Erik Hall is a musician, composer, and record producer in southwest Michigan.

He has recorded and performed solo, as In Tall Buildings, and with NOMO, Wild Belle, His Name Is Alive, and Lean Year, appearing at Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Coachella, Pitchfork Music Festival, SXSW, WOMEX, Montreal Jazz Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, and on Conan and The Tonight Show.

As a producer/engineer Erik has worked on records for Lean Year (Western Vinyl), Natalie Bergman (Third Man Records), Small Sur (Worried Songs), and Justin Walter (Kranky).

He composed the score for the feature film The Night Clerk and contributed music to The Mountain, which premiered worldwide at the Venice International Film Festival and in the U.S. at Sundance.

In 2020 Erik released his solo re-creation of Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians, which won the 2021 Libera Award for Best Classical Record. He followed in 2023 with a multitracked reinterpretation of Simeon ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato.

DITHER

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Photo by Shaya Bendix Lyon.

The electric guitar quartet Dither is dedicated to an eclectic mix of experimental repertoire that spans composed, improvised, and electronic music. Formed in 2007, the quartet has performed across the U.S. and abroad, presenting new commissions, original compositions, multimedia works, and large guitar ensemble pieces. Dither’s members are Taylor Levine, Joshua Lopes, James Moore, and Brendon Randall-Myers.

Dither has performed and collaborated with artists including Eve Beglarian, Nels Cline, Fred Frith, Mary Halvorson, David Lang, Ikue Mori, Phill Niblock, Lee Ranaldo, Laurie Spiegel, Lois V. Vierk, Yo La Tengo, and John Zorn. They have brought their live 13-guitar rendition of Steve Reich’s Electric Counterpoint to the Barbican Center, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, the Ellnora Guitar Festival and WNYC’s New Sounds Live. The quartet has also performed at the Guggenheim Museum, the Bang on a Can Marathon, the Performa Biennial, the Amsterdam Electric Guitar Heaven Festival, Hong Kong’s Fringe Theater, the Winter Jazz Festival, and the Borealis Festival.

Dither produces an annual Extravaganza, a raucous festival of creative music and art, which has been called an “official concert on the edge” by The New Yorker and “the here and now of New York’s postclassical music scene” by Time Out New York. They have released four full-length albums, including Dither plays Zorn on Tzadik, featuring the premiere recordings of several of John Zorn’s improvisational game pieces, which was named one of the year’s “best avant albums” by Rolling Stone.

Georgia Mills

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Courtesy of Georgia Mills.

Georgia Markakis Mills is an American conductor, pianist, and maker of classical and contemporary music.

Showcasing versatility across orchestral repertoire, opera, and new music, Georgia has conducted acclaimed ensembles and collaborated with such artists as Chris Thile, George Lewis, Nico Muhly, Augusta Read Thomas, Dylan Mattingly, Darian Donovan Thomas, Modney, Julia Wolfe, Louis Andriessen, Judd Greenstein, and Courtney Bryan.

In 2024, Georgia led the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra in a concert featuring Beethoven’s Eroica symphony and conducted the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra in a program of works by Stravinsky, Copland, Nardi, and Mozart. She led the award-winning new music group Alarm Will Sound as their first guest donductor in a program of premieres along with Steve Reich’s Radio Rewrite, and conducted the International Contemporary Ensemble in their program featuring works by Courtney Bryan for the Bang on a Can Long Play Festival. In recent months Georgia led the Berkshire Symphony Orchestra in a concert of Beethoven, Debussy, Mazzoli, and Stravinsky in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and led the New Conductors Orchestra in Ravel’s Ma mère l’Oye in New York.

Georgia completed her Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting at the Eastman School of Music in May 2024, when she was awarded the Walter Hagen Conducting Prize and was nominated for the Lecture Recital Prize in recognition of her research on micropolyphonic transformations in the music of György Ligeti. At Eastman, she served as assistant conductor of the Musica Nova Ensemble under the direction of conductor Brad Lubman. Georgia held graduate teaching awards in conducting and music theory at Eastman, and was an adjunct professor of orchestration at Roberts Wesleyan University.

Join us for a prix fixe brunch celebrating Mother’s Day in the elegant Yellow Magnolia Café.

$72 per adult/$23 per child (exclusive of tax and gratuity) includes three courses. Wines by the glass, specialty cocktails, and other beverages available à la carte. BBG members receive a 10% discount.

Reservations are required. Contact Yellow Magnolia Café with any questions at 929-651-0465 or [email protected].

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$72 per person, taxes and gratuity not included.


First Course (choice of one)

goat cheese bruschetta (v)
heirloom cherry tomato, fresh basil, aged balsamic
shaved broccoli and frisée salad (vg, ag)
dried cranberry, toasted almond, radish, sherry-shallot vinaigrette
stuffed mushrooms (v, ag)
roasted pepper, asparagus, black pepper, pecorino

Second Course (choice of one)

spiced spring lamb flatbread
shaved cucumber, garden pea hummus, red watercress, pickled red onion
wild mushroom & baby spinach risotto (vgo, ag)
crispy maitake, aged parmesan
braised pei mussels & frites (ag)
smoked tomato butter, charred lemon

Third Course (choice of one)

honey cake (v)
raspberry-rose yogurt
flourless chocolate cake (v, ag)
fresh raspberry, whipped cream
strawberry rhubarb sundae (vg, ag)
vegan vanilla gelato, granola crumble

v | vegetarian, vg | vegan, vgo | vegan option available
ag | ingredients and preparation avoid gluten, ago | ag option available

If you have a food allergy, please notify us.

20% gratuity will be automatically added for parties of 6 or more.

Children’s Menu

Sprout’s Prix Fixe

$23 per sprout (guests aged 12 and under), taxes and gratuity not included.


First Course (choice of one)

creamy white bean soup (vg, ag)
kid’s crudité (vgo, ag)
spring vegetables, hummus or ranch

Second Course (choice of one)

cavatappi pasta (vg, ago)
arugula pesto, slow roasted tomato
chicken tender (ago)
fries or salad, house bbq sauce

Third Course (choice of one)

warm chocolate chip cookies (v)
vegan vanilla gelato (vg, ag)

v | vegetarian, vg | vegan, vgo | vegan option available
ag | ingredients and preparation avoid gluten, ago | ag option available

If you have a food allergy, please notify us.

As the Spring Gala winds down, join us for the After Party—a high-energy celebration of spring, complete with great music and peak spring vibes. Dance the night away surrounded by blooms and fellow Garden lovers at Brooklyn’s most vibrant celebration of the season.

Tickets include a special access and two hours of open bar with signature cocktails, beer, wine, desserts, photo opportunities, activities, and more. Proceeds from the After Party provide essential support for the Garden’s programs and plant collections.

Advance ticket purchase required; space is limited.

Strictly 21+; valid ID required | Advance ticket purchase required
All tickets will be held at the door.

Dress to impress! Festive floral attire encouraged.

After Party Tickets

This program is designed for the d/Deaf community, without voice interpretation.

Join us for a beautiful spring evening in the Garden and a program led by NYC-based deaf urban gardener Virginia Shou.

A social hour with light bites and refreshments will be followed by a short tour of the Garden and its seasonal highlights. We’ll also get our hands dirty by making wildflower seedballs to take home, helping to support native pollinators and biodiversity in NYC.

This program is free but space is limited and preregistration is required. Please RSVP to [email protected] if you’d like to attend or have questions about accessibility accommodations. More information about general accessibility at the Garden can also be found at bbg.org/access.

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ASL Garden tour led by urban gardener Virginia Shou. Photo by Michael Stewart.

Join Onondaga farmer, seedkeeper, and educator Angela Ferguson as she plants Three Sisters seeds in the Discovery Garden’s courtyard. The Three Sisters (corn, squash, and beans) have been planted together by Indigenous people in the Americas for thousands of years, with the understanding that each of these plants supports and reinforces the growth of the others.

Schedule

  • 10 a.m. Thanksgiving address (delivered in Haudenosaunee and English)
  • 10:30 a.m. Learn about the partnership between BBG and Braiding the Sacred to create this Three Sisters Garden.
  • 11 a.m. Three Sisters seed planting (children welcome to participate!)
  • 11:30 a.m. Taste corn mush, a staple Haudenosaunee food.

This is a drop-in program for visitors of all ages, including children. Free with Garden admission.

Get Tickets Become a Member

All programs are outdoors and canceled in inclement weather. Check this webpage for updates.

Project Leader

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    Angela Ferguson, a member of the Onondaga Nation (Eel Clan), is supervisor of the Onondaga Nation Farm and a member of Braiding the Sacred, a grassroots network of Indigenous corn growers. She is known as a leader in the Indigenous food sovereignty movement. Read BBG’s interview with her in Garden Stories: Angela Ferguson of Onondaga Nation Farm on the Importance of Saving Seeds.

Support

Major Supporter, Discovery Programs

National Grid logo

Learn and play together in the Discovery Garden! Hands-on stations in the courtyard encourage families to explore nature alongside our volunteer Discovery Docents. Be sure to explore our meadow, woodland, and marsh habitats, too!

This is a drop-in program for families with children of all ages. Free with Garden admission.

All programs are outdoors and will be canceled in inclement weather. Check this page for updates.

Support

Major Supporter, Discovery Programs

National Grid logo

Enjoy garden-inspired stories alongside BBG volunteers at the Discovery Garden’s Woodland boardwalk. Drop in anytime to join—we welcome readers (and pre-readers) of all ages!

This drop-in story time is part of our Family Discovery Weekends program series, which is free with admission.

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Support

Major Supporter, Discovery Programs

National Grid logo

Recorrido por lo más sobresaliente de la estación

  • Sábado 26 de abril | 11 a.m.–12 p.m.
  • Sábado 17 de mayo | 11 a.m.–12 p.m.
  • Domingo 18 de mayo | 3–4 p.m.
  • Domingo 1 de junio | 1–2 p.m.

Descubra las plantas y los jardines del Jardín Botánico de Brooklyn que están en pico de floración, así como otros puntos sobresalientes de la temporada, en esta caminata gratuita dirigida por guías capacitados del jardín.

Los recorridos no tienen costo con su boleto de entrada al jardín.

Los recorridos podrían cancelarse, de haber mal tiempo. Revise esta página para conocer las actualizaciones.

Conseguir Entradas

Members of the Garden Circle are invited to join us for a Blooming Trees Tour. Explore BBG’s beautiful spring-flowering trees from cherry blossoms to magnolias in this special walk led by trained Garden Guides. There are two opportunities to join the hour-long tour: one at 9:30 and another at 10 a.m.

This invitation is for two and is nontransferable. Space is limited for this outdoor tour. Be sure to RSVP below to save your spot. Contact [email protected] with any questions.

Reserve Tickets

Please note: This event is for members at the Contributor level and above; Individual, Dual, and Friends & Family members are not eligible to attend.


Interested in joining the Garden Circle? Become a member at the Contributor level or higher to attend this and other exclusive events throughout the year!

Join

Celebrate cherry blossom season and all the spring blooms at Brooklyn Botanic Garden with casual, pop-up music and dance performances, morning programming for kids and families in the Discovery Garden, and Garden tours.

All programs free with Garden admission.

Get Tickets Become a Member

Events may be canceled in inclement weather. Check back for any updates.

Support

Major Supporter, Discovery Programs
National Grid logo


Join us in celebration of spring’s bounty as we highlight collections in bloom beneath the canopy of BBG’s blossoming trees. Enjoy a delightful evening with refreshing cocktails, light bites, and a live jazz band, all set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Garden in full flower.

Event RSVP

Tickets are limited and first come, first served.

This invitation is for two and is nontransferable. Enter the email address for your President’s Circle membership to register.

President’s Circle members provide essential financial support to the Garden and enjoy a deepened connection through special behind-the-scenes tours, private previews, and exclusive receptions. Learn more

After-School Professional Development Program “P” In‑Service Course/NYC Public Schools

What Did a Plant Ever Do for You?

3 “P” Credit Course*

Are you interested in learning about the fascinating world of plants? Explore the beautiful gardens and collections at Brooklyn Botanic Garden and gain an understanding of the value of plants in natural and human history. Through an inquiry-based approach, we will discover how plants are built, how they work, and how they interact with the living and nonliving components of the diverse environments they inhabit. Emphasis is placed on experiential, authentic learning that participants can readily bring back to their classrooms.

In-person classes run 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday. An additional 15 hours of asynchronous work will be assigned, beginning on August 11. Fee includes curriculum materials and resources, plants and potting-up supplies, and access to the Garden.

Pre-K–12 Teachers

Fee: $250; there is a 4.5% registration fee for all courses.

Date: Hybrid course begins online on August 11, 2025. Five in-person sessions: August 18–22, at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Registration opens June 1, 2025.

Register

For questions, please contact us at [email protected].

*3 “P” credits available for an additional $125 fee through the After School Professional Development Program. You must register both for the class through BBG and for the credit through ASPDP.

Register with ASPDP to receive “P” credits

Seasonal Scholarships Available—The City Gardens Club of New York City

Customized Professional Learning Workshops

Are you interested in developing a program tailored to support your staff’s professional goals or helping educators learn how to integrate plants and the beautiful collections of the Garden to support student learning?

Contact the Garden to explore the suggested workshop topics below or collaborate to create your own unique experience!

  • Kitchen Botany: Plants We Eat
  • Trees and Plants of Little Caribbean
  • Nature for Early Learners
  • Exploring Plant Adaptations
  • Sensory Learning in the Garden
  • Exploring Native Plant Communities
  • Food and Social Justice
  • Agriculture and our Food System
  • Urban Environmental Sustainability

To arrange a customized workshop, please complete the Professional Development Workshop Request Form and we will contact you within 3–5 business days.

Request a Professional Development Workshop


For more information, contact us at [email protected].

Learning Standards

What Did a Plant Ever Do for You? Grades Pre-K–12

This course will address Danielson Criteria (2a, 3b, 3c), the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education framework, and the following aspects of the Next Generation Science and ELA Standards:

Next Generation Science Standards

Disciplinary Core Ideas:

LS1A Structure and Function
LS2A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
LS4C: Adaptation

Cross-Cutting Concepts:

Patterns
Cause and Effect
Structure and Function
Stability and Change

Science and Engineering Practices:

Asking Questions and Defining Problems
Developing and Using Models
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

New York State Next Generation ELA Anchor Standards

W4: Develop personal, cultural, textual, and thematic connections within and across genres through written responses to texts and personal experiences.

W5: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

R7: Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats.

SL1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners; express ideas clearly and persuasively and build on those of others.

Paint the gardens at BBG in soft pastels, an opaque medium with the saturated color of oil paint. This class is taught studio style, with one-on-one instruction, and ending in a group critique to discuss each individual’s particular goals in light of a range of ideas and approaches. On rainy days we will work from still life set ups with subjects from the Education Greenhouses and other elements. Some class pastels will be provided to bolster each student’s palette. Some experience recommended.

I have always found it magical, the way that certain plants have managed to charm and embed their way into cultures around the world. I’ve wondered how knowledge of their care has been shared, imagining the conversations and oral traditions that passed their stories from one generation to the next.

As a gardener and botanical jewelry artist, I am a participant in this tradition. I have been charmed by a widely cultivated plant known as coix lacryma-jobi. Beads from this plant are popular in adornments around the world because they can be strung right after removing from the mother plant. Each coix seed is unique in size and shape; they are similar but different, like siblings.

Read on to learn how to cultivate and make jewelry with this beloved and culturally important plant.

The Story of Coix

Coix lacryma-jobi—also called Job’s tears for the shiny, tear-shaped “seeds” it produces—is an edible and medicinal plant in the grass family (Poaceae). The part generally referred to as a seed is an involucre, a tough hard shell that holds the seed grain inside. When you remove it from the mother plant you will see a hole in the center, perfectly made for stringing: a botanical jewelry-maker’s dream.

Job’s tears growing in the Herb Garden at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Photo by Michael Stewart.

Coix lacryma-jobi has been cultivated for food and medicine for thousands of years. Native to Southeast Asia, it was eventually brought to Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Today it can be found all over the world, and the story of coix is entwined with religion, symbolism, folklore, cultural rituals, and culinary and medicinal traditions wherever it grows.

For example, coix lacryma-jobi is used in Ayurveda and in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat a variety of ailments. In Laos, where the plant is called deuay, grains of the edible variety (Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma yuen) are boiled and sold at roadside stalls as a snack. In Japan, coix seeds are called juzudama, a reference to their use as Buddhist prayer beads. 

Coix seeds are also used as Catholic rosary beads, and play a special role in Louisiana Cajun culture. In West Africa, the seeds are woven into macramé and wrapped around dried gourds to craft a shekere, a musical instrument that makes sounds similar to a maraca. Members of the Cherokee Nation use coix seeds, known as corn beads, to make jewelry and textiles; these cherished plants are said to have sprouted where tears of Cherokee people fell along the Trail of Tears. Coix seeds have also been used to make jewelry throughout Latin America, where the plants are known as Lágrimas de San Pedro.

How to Grow and Harvest

Here in Brooklyn, in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7B, coix lacryma-jobi is considered an annual plant. Its seeds can survive under the protection of mulch and sprout the following spring. It is not particular about soil, but requires full to partial sun.

You can purchase coix lacryma-jobi seeds from online vendors like Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. (You may want to avoid growing this plant, or grow it in a container, if you live in a region where it is considered invasive, such as Hawai’i, Puerto Rico, or Mexico.)

You can start seeds indoors in winter, six weeks before the last frost date, or direct sow outdoors in early spring. To start indoors, soak seeds overnight in tepid water before planting in a tray. When nighttime temperatures stay above 50 degrees, you can transplant them.

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The seeds are ready to harvest when they turn black, tan, or gray in late summer through mid-fall. Photo via Flickr / Forest and Kim Starr.

To direct sow in spring, place seeds in the soil about 1/2-inch deep and 10–12 inches apart. Keep moist until they start to sprout 7–21 days after planting. Coix doesn’t need a lot of water, but it likes moist soil, so water more frequently during hot summer days.

It will start to produce seeds in July through November. Leave green seeds alone. Once they turn black, tan, or gray, they are ready to harvest. Simply pull each seed from the stem. Your beads are ready for stringing!

Tip: White seeds with no luster are past harvest and too brittle for jewelry making.

DIY Hoop Earrings

Below is a simple earring design that requires only a few tools and materials. This design gives you the flexibility to combine any number of coix seeds with any small beads you prefer for endless unique combinations. 

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Note that the term “seed bead” refers to generic small beads used to make jewelry—not to be confused with your coix beads!

(Photography by Jeremy Weine.) 

Tools and Materials:

  • Coix lacryma-jobi seeds
  • Big eye needle or sewing needle
  • Thread (nylon, upholstery, silk; color of choice)
  • 11 seed beads, size 6 or 8 (or any size bead you want)
  • Scissors
  • 2 ear wires
  • Tweezers
  • Glue (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Cut a 24-inch or longer piece of thread with scissors. String thread through your big eye needle.
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  2. Add a seed bead. Leave a long tail of thread and go back through this bead twice. (This is a stopper bead; it will prevent your beaded pattern from sliding off the thread while you work on your design.)
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  3. Slide a coix lacryma-jobi bead and one seed bead on to needle and thread. Repeat pattern seven times.
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  4. When you complete the pattern, add five seed beads. (This will be the dangly part of your earring.)
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  5. Pick up an ear wire and pass your needle through the ring at the base. Repeat, making two loops. Tie knot.
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  6. Continue threading your needle through the five seed beads and then thread needle back to the first coix seed you strung; this forms the hoop. Make a knot.
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  7. Continue going back through the beads, tying a few knots in between beads, as you thread back to the 5 seed beads.
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  8. Make a knot. Go back up through the ring at the base of your ear wire and one final time back down through the 5 seed beads. Tie a knot here. This reinforces your work and prevents thread from getting loose.
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  9. Take scissors and cut the end of your thread. Place a tiny dab of glue here.
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  10. Remove stopper bead and cut thread. You have completed your earrings!
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Tip: Use tweezers to remove any fibers that prevent your needle from piercing through coix seeds.

How to care for your earrings

  • Avoid contact with water. You don’t want your beads to suddenly sprout!
  • Avoid spraying perfume while wearing.
  • Avoid extended sun exposure. Colors may fade and pieces can dry and crack in high temperatures.
  • Clean every so often with a soft dry cloth.
  • Store in a dry, cool place.

Check out Tips for Peak-Season Visitors to speed admission and plan your visit. Book advance tickets and avoid driving. 🌸


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Note: Last entry is at 3 p.m. The Garden closes at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 22–Friday, April 25.

Get Tickets Become a Member

Full Admission Information

Seasonal Hours

April 1–May 11: Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Bloom

  • Open early & late! Tuesday–Thursday: 8 a.m.–8 p.m. (except 4 p.m. close April 22–25)
  • Open early! Friday–Sunday: 8 a.m.–6 p.m.
  • Closed Mondays
  • Note: The Garden closes at 4 p.m. April 22–25 for ticketed Hanami Nights programming. Last entry at 3 p.m. on these days.

May 12–July 31

  • Open late! Tuesday & Thursday: 10 a.m.–8:30 p.m. (except June 3, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.)
  • Wednesday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. (except May 14 & 21, 10 a.m.–8:30 p.m.)
    Members’ Summer Evenings: Wednesdays, May 28–September 3
  • Friday–Sunday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
  • Closed Mondays (except open Memorial Day, May 26, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.)

Admission

All visitors must present ticket for entrance. Members and affiliates with free tickets must also show proof of eligibility.

  • Advance tickets are recommended. Tickets are available 30 days in advance of visit dates. Same-day tickets may be obtained at Garden admission booths.
  • Children under 12 are free. Children under 14 must be supervised by an adult 18 or over.
  • Tickets are nonrefundable, but may be exchanged in advance of visit for another date.

Ticket Prices

Tickets purchased online subject to service fee of $2.22/adult ticket or $1.52/senior or student ticket.

Members
Free
Adults
$22
Seniors (65+)
$16
Students 12+ with ID
$16
Children under 12
Free
Community tickets
A portion of each day’s tickets are available free of charge to those who need them.
Museum & Garden Combo
See below.
Winter Weekdays (December–February)
Pay what you wish.

Get Tickets Become a Member

Members receive free general admission every day.

Museum & Garden Ticket

Enhance your day in Brooklyn by visiting our neighbor, the Brooklyn Museum! Purchase a Museum & Garden ticket here at Brooklyn Botanic Garden and present your receipt for same-day admission to the Brooklyn Museum. Museum and Garden tickets purchased online subject to service fee of $2.61/adult ticket or $2.28/senior or student ticket.

Adult
$34
Seniors
$24
Students (12+)
$24

Book Museum & Garden Tickets

Restrictions

  • Museum & Garden visits must be made on the same date. The Museum is closed on Tuesdays.
  • Offer is not valid for special events.
  • The Brooklyn Museum’s admission is suggested. Tickets are not refundable.
  • There is no combination ticket for children under 12 years of age. Children under 12 enter for free.

Your Support Makes Great Things Possible!

Admissions and membership revenue helps Brooklyn Botanic Garden care for its 52 acres of grounds and conservatories and provide the environmental education programs, breathtaking botanical displays, exciting public events, and community greening efforts that have made the Garden a world-class living museum for all to enjoy. Thank you for supporting this with your visit!

Free Admission Opportunities

Admission is free:

  • BBG members receive free general admission year-round.
  • Children under 12 are always free.
  • Community Tickets: A portion of each day’s tickets are available free of charge to those who need them.
  • Pay-What-You-Wish Winter Weekdays: Tuesday–Friday, December–February

Free admission during public hours is also offered to the individuals and groups listed below. Check full details at the link below before planning your visit.

Academic members and participants in the following programs, with valid ID:

  • Students, employees of Medgar Evers
  • Students, employees, alum of Pratt
  • Brooklyn Academy of Science and the Environment students and families, employees
  • Cool Culture cardholders and their families
  • Garden Apprentice Program teens and families
  • Project Green Reach classrooms, students and families (with pass)
  • Urban Advantage teachers, classrooms, students and families (with voucher)

Visitors with the following affiliations, with valid ID:

  • Individual members of the following museum and garden associations: AHS, APGA, Museums Council of New York City
  • Members of gardens that participate in the AHS Reciprocal Admissions Program
  • Employees of current corporate members
  • Brooklyn Botanic Garden volunteers

With preregistration:

  • Public library patrons with a Culture Pass reservation (with pass)
  • Registered, self-guided school and camp groups
  • Registered, self-guided groups from nonprofit senior centers, shelters, rehabilitation centers, and other 501(c)(3) organizations serving people with disabilities
  • Participants in accessibility programs, including monthly Memory Tours
  • Community Greening & NYC Compost Project workshop participants
  • Members of the press on assignment

See Complimentary Admission Programs details

Learn and play together in the Discovery Garden! Hands-on stations in the courtyard encourage families to explore nature alongside our teen garden apprentices and volunteer Discovery Docents. Be sure to explore our meadow, woodland, and marsh habitats, too!

This is a drop-in program for families with children of all ages. Free with Garden admission.

All programs are outdoors and will be canceled in inclement weather. Check this page for updates.

Support

Major Supporter, Discovery Programs

National Grid logo

Signature Plants are a benefit of membership at the Contributor level and above. Plants are hand-selected by BBG’s Horticulture staff for their beauty and ability to thrive in a wide range of hardiness zones and light, soil, and moisture conditions, so you’re sure to find something perfect for your garden or home.

2025 Signature Plant Pickup Events

To show our appreciation of your generous support of the Garden, you are invited to select your 2025 Signature Plant at one of two exclusive pickup events. See Plant Choices

Take a stroll and enjoy the grounds during peak blooming season before you stop by the Signature Plant pickup table located at the nursery in the south end of the Garden.

Sunday, May 4, 2025 | 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Savor a spring day in the Garden with coffee and morning treats.

Tuesday, May 6, 2025 | 6–8:30 p.m.
Enjoy wine and light snacks during a spring evening.

Reserve Tickets

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2025 Signature Plants

Photos depict mature plants. You will receive a juvenile plant to grow and care for.

  • {embed="includes/_inline_image" file="/img/uploads/lightbox/_list_thumbnail_retina/signature-plant-schlumbergera.jpg" no_lightbox="remove"}
    Houseplant

    Schlumbergera truncata (Christmas/Holiday Cactus)

    Indirect sun/partial shade, moist soil, grow in pot

    6–10 inches tall

    USDA Zones 10–12

    Family Cactaceae

    Description Schlumbergera is a small genus of cacti found in humid and somewhat shady areas of southeastern Brazil. They are known for their leaf-like pads, or stem segments, that connect from one to the other and trail.

    Culture Keep away from direct sunlight; extended periods of lower light in the early fall will help to encourage winter blooms. Water every 1–2 weeks, allowing the potting soil to dry out at least halfway down between waterings. They can benefit from higher humidity when in bloom. Buds may drop due to sudden changes in temperature or light or from lack of water.

    Pests, Pets, and Diseases Potential pest problems include mealybugs, scale, spider mites, and aphids. Overwatering may cause root rot. It is nontoxic to pets.

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    Houseplant

    Scutellaria javanica (Javan Skullcap)

    Full sun/partial shade, average soil, grow in pot

    18–24 inches tall

    USDA Zones 8–11

    Family Lamiaceae

    Description Scutellaria javanica is a perennial herb or subshrub with bright green leaves and two-toned blue and indigo flowers. The skullcap moniker derives from its seeds, which are shaped like a skull’s base. Scutellaria javanica grows in wet tropical biomes; it is native to Southeast Asia and New Guinea.

    Culture Scutellaria javanica does not tolerate low light and is sensitive to wet soil. Place it less than 1 foot from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth. To replenish nutrients, repot your plant after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. The leaves emit a subtle aromatic fragrance, especially when crushed.

    Pests, Pets, and Diseases Javan skullcap can be susceptible to certain pests like aphids and spider mites. Overwatering may cause root rot. Leaf spot diseases may also occasionally affect it, particularly in overly humid conditions. It is nontoxic to pets.

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    Houseplant

    Nephrolepis cordifolia ‘Duffii’ (Lemon Button Fern)

    Partial sun/shade, moist soil, grow in pot

    Approximately 12 inches tall

    USDA Zones 9–11

    Family Nephrolepidaceae

    Description This compact, clump-forming, evergreen fern has masses of dark green, dense, sword-shaped, tripinnate fronds that are ruffled around the edges. The fronds have a mild lemony fragrance during the growing season. Lemon button fern is ideal for terrariums and bottle gardens.

    Culture Bright but indirect light is the gold standard, but it can tolerate a range of conditions. Aim for 60% humidity (50% at minimum). Lemon button ferns are notoriously slow-growing, and it may take a while before growth is noticeable.

    Pests, Pets, and Diseases ‘Duffii’ is generally disease-free and pest-free. However, it can be susceptible to pests like aphids and spider mites if the air becomes too dry or if necessary conditions are not met. It is nontoxic to dogs and cats.

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    Herbaceous perennial

    Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders)

    Full sun/partial sun, moist soil

    1–3 ft tall

    USDA Zones 4–9

    Family Apiaceae

    Description Golden Alexanders is a short-lived perennial with branching, erect, reddish stems; it belongs to the carrot family. It is a carefree plant that occurs naturally in small colonies on wet soils but is also tolerant of dry summer conditions. Native to the United States and Canada, Golden Alexanders grows from Nova Scotia to Manitoba, south to Florida and Texas, and west to Montana.

    Culture In late summer, Golden Alexanders forms oblong-shaped green fruit capsules that gradually turn purple as autumn approaches, as do the stems and leaves. Plants tend to bolt.

    Pests, Pets, and Diseases Few pest and disease problems. Mild GI discomfort in cats and dogs is possible if ingested.

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    Herbaceous perennial

    Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft)

    Full sun, well-drained soil

    6–12 inches tall

    USDA Zones 3–9

    Family Brassicaceae

    Description Candytuft is a low-growing, spreading, evergreen groundcover that may be classified as herbaceous perennial or sub-shrub. It has a woody interior and is evergreen in warmer climates and semi-evergreen in colder climates. Small, white, four-petaled flowers emerge in dense clusters in spring. The leaves are narrow, dark green, and leathery. Candytuft is a native of southern Europe from the Iberian Peninsula of Spain and Portugal to Turkey, and northwest Africa.

    Culture Candytuft prefers full sun locations; part shade is tolerated but it will flower less. Good drainage is essential. This plant is drought-tolerant once established but intolerant of wet and poorly draining soils.

    Pests, Pets, and Diseases Candytuft’s biggest problem is usually root rot, which occurs when there is too much moisture in the soil. Fungal diseases can arise when it’s too humid or there is not enough air circulation. Candytuft is mildly poisonous to dogs, causing nausea and vomiting, but nontoxic to cats.

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    Shrub

    Philadelphus ‘Natchez’ (Mock Orange)

    Full sun/partial shade, well-drained soil

    8–10 feet tall

    USDA Zones 5–8

    Family Hydrangeaceae

    Description Philadelphus ‘Natchez’ is blanketed in stunning clusters of fragrant white flowers with yellow eyes at the ends of the branches in late spring. This hybrid plant originated from two other hybrids.

    Culture This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions and should not be allowed to dry out. It is not particular about soil type or pH and is highly tolerant of urban pollution.

    Pests, Pets, and Diseases ‘Natchez’ is not known to cause harm to pets. It may be susceptible to aphids, honey fungus (rarely), and powdery mildews.

Frequently Asked Questions

I’m a member. Why can’t I get a plant?

Signature Plants is a benefit for Garden Circle (Contributor, Supporter, and Patron) and President’s Circle members.

Can I upgrade/join today and get a plant?

Unfortunately, we have a limited number of plants and the number of plants we have prepared has already been decided based on how many Garden Circle and President’s Circle members we have prior to the announcement of this event. But if you upgrade or join now you will be invited to pick up your Signature Plant next year!

How many plants can I pick up?

Contributor level members may pick up one plant, and members at the Supporter level and above may pick up two. Plants are offered per membership, not per person.

Can I pick up my plant(s) on a different day/time?

Unfortunately, no; plant pickup is available only on designated dates and times.

Can my plant(s) be shipped?

No; plants can only be picked up in person and we don’t currently have plans to bring back the option to ship plants. Friends are allowed to come and pick up plants in your stead.

My plant(s) died—can I get a replacement?

No; a limited quantity of plants are cultivated for this event and are only available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Connor Bush is a gardener at Brooklyn Bridge Park where he takes care of the plantings on Pier 6. He received his horticultural training at Stonecrop Gardens and has been at Brooklyn Bridge Park ever since. He has particular interests in taxonomy and the propagation of lesser-grown native species.

Stephanie Pace is a gardener at Brooklyn Bridge Park where she maintains the plantings on Pier 3. She has a BS in biology from St. Edward's University and earned her certificate in horticulture at BBG, where she was a horticulture intern. Before gardening professionally, Stephanie taught children's gardening and science programs for the Brooklyn Children's Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and the New York Restoration Project.

Connor Bush is a gardener at Brooklyn Bridge Park where he takes care of the plantings on Pier 6. He received his horticultural training at Stonecrop Gardens and has been at Brooklyn Bridge Park ever since. He has particular interests in taxonomy and the propagation of lesser-grown native species.

Shauna C. Moore is the director of Horticulture for Brooklyn Botanic Garden, overseeing the daily operations of the Horticulture department where she ensures the excellent care of the Garden’s living collections, both indoors and outdoors. Shauna has a lifelong love for horticulture, an eye for natural beauty, a career long dedication to public gardens, an enthusiasm for community involvement, and for working with people of all backgrounds and age groups. Shauna teaches as a part-time faculty member at the New York Botanical Garden. She has worked for the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, and most recently as the manager of Horticulture for Leonard J. Buck Garden and Colonial Park Gardens at the Somerset County Park Commission. In her time at Somerset County, she was honored to receive—as the Rosarian— the World Federation of Rose Garden Societies 2015 Garden of Excellence Award, on behalf of the Rudolf W. Van der Goot Rose Garden. She remains deeply entrenched in the rose world, and has judged for Parc de Bagatelle, Paris, International Rose Trials, and Biltmore International Rose Trials, and serves annually as a Horticultural judge for the Philadelphia Flower Show.

Hannah Kirshenbaum is an avid birder and lifelong lover of the natural world. In 2020 they founded NYC Queer Birders as a way to cultivate community and explore the natural world of New York City with LGBTQIA+ bird-lovers. Through all the seasons, Hannah leads educational birding events in all five boroughs and beyond. They love to welcome all bird enthusiasts, regardless of experience. Hannah’s favorite bird is a ruby-crowned kinglet because they are so adorable and you’re lucky if you get to see their ruby crown because it’s only visible on occasion.

Ashleigh Hillen (she/they) is an entomologist and visual artist originally from North Carolina currently living in New York with their partner and two cats. Ashleigh has a bachelor’s in science from the University of North Carolina at Asheville in Environmental Management and Policy, and a Master of Life Science in Entomology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Ashleigh is a published scientific author and experienced outdoor educator with an emphasis on southern Appalachian forest ecosystems. As a visual artist, Ashleigh believes that creativity has a role in scientific research and encourages students to nurture their unique point of view.

Levi O’Brien has an extensive knowledge of trees, plants and insects, and is happiest when sharing my knowledge and passion with others. Levi is currently a graduate teaching assistant at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, where he is pursuing a Master’s in Forest Pathology. He has been on faculty at the New York Botanical Garden since 2021, leads talks and classes about trees at various arboretums and botanical gardens, and teaches all things trees @leviobrien_trees on Instagram, TikTok, and other social media channels as well as offering tree, garden and property consultations for private clients. In his spare time, he studies greenwood craft and wood science.

If you’re new to tree identification or need a refresher, this class is for you. You’ll learn the fundamental concepts used in dendrology while being introduced to the Garden’s most common trees. The instructor will share some relevant botanical terminology, but will largely apply a jargon-free approach. Participants will leave class feeling more confident in their ability to identify regional trees, and with recommendations for resources and strategies to improve their own independent self-study. Awareness of trees is one of the best portals into creating a closer relationship with land and nature!

Lydia Paradiso is currently a doctoral student in a joint program between the CUNY Graduate Center and the New York Botanical Garden, where she studies conifer systematics and the spontaneous flora of New York City. She previously received a MSc in Plant Biodiversity from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh. Lydia has taught at Lehman College and for NYBG's School of Professional Horticulture, and was project comanager of the NYC EcoFlora project, NYBG's community science program. She is also the current president of the Torrey Botanical Society, the oldest botanical society in the Americas.

Fabio Andrés Ávila Castillo (Andrés)

is a Colombian forest engineer and second-year PhD student in the Biology–Plant Sciences program at CUNY. His research interests are in systematics and biogeography of neotropical vascular plants, especially in the northern South American Compositae (daisy family), and Proteales (Sabiaceae and Proteaceae [macadamia nut family]). He has worked in several botanic gardens: Bogotá, Cartagena, Medellín (Colombia), and Kew (UK), in conservation, living collections, editorial work, and taxonomy.

Show locations on Garden map

Visitors to the Garden can enjoy a range of meal choices from vegetable-centric small plates to heartier main dishes and plant-inspired desserts at Yellow Magnolia Café; pizza, salads, sandwiches, snacks, and beverages at the outdoor Yellow Magnolia Canteen; and hot and cold drinks plus sweet treats and savory lunch items at the Coffee Bar in the Steinberg Visitor Center.

Please join us for a special three-course Mother’s Day Weekend Prix Fixe Brunch at Yellow Magnolia Café on Saturday, May 10 and Sunday, May 11.

Check out the menu and reserve your table now ›

Yellow Magnolia Café

Show on Garden map

Yellow Magnolia Café’s menu offers a range of meal choices from vegetable-centric small plates to heartier main dishes and plant-inspired desserts.

Hours

Tuesday–Thursday: 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Friday–Sunday: 11 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Reserve a Table

Café Menu

(v) | vegetarian, (vg) | vegan, (ag) | ingredients and preparation avoid gluten, (ago) | ag option available.
If you have a food allergy, please notify us.

To Begin & Share

chips & dip (v, ag)
house potato chips, smoked onion & artichoke dip  12.
spring onion & new potato soup (vg, ag)
wild ramp pesto  14.
farmers’ market salad (v, ag)
sunflower seed, spring blossom, radish, spring onion, honey-lemon vinaigrette  14.
add grilled chicken  +8.
add seared salmon  +12.
caesar salad (ago)
romaine & kale, shaved parmesan, white anchovy, crouton  16.
add grilled chicken  +8.
add seared salmon  +12.
local burrata (v)
arugula pesto, confit cherry tomato, toasted ciabatta  17.
mezze plate (v)
pepper muhammara, burnt eggplant, feta cheese, olives, warm pita  20.
add falafel  +6.
grilled flatbread (v)
charred asparagus, english pea, cherry tomato, ricotta, gruyère  22.
add speck ham  +3.

Entrées

shawarma spiced cauliflower (vg, ag)
spring pea hummus, basmati rice, grilled ramps, crispy shallots  23.
ancient grain bowl (vg, ago)
quinoa, barley & amaranth, braised baby artichoke, sugar snap pea, pickled beech mushroom, wild ramp pesto  26.
choice of grilled tofu (vg) or grilled chicken
fried chicken sandwich (ago)
herb coleslaw, hot honey, crispy onions  26.
with fries or market greens
sub grilled chicken & gluten-free bun  +3.
yellow magnolia café burger (ago)
gruyère, yellow tomato, caramelized onion aioli  26.
with fries or market greens
sub gluten-free bun  +3.
grilled salmon (ag)
spring vegetable, spaghetti squash, chive aioli  29.

Brunch

avocado toast (vg)
cucumbers, radishes, fennel pollen, chili crisp, country bread  16.50.
smoked salmon tartine
cream cheese, fresh herbs, pickled onion, fried capers, country bread  14.
challah french toast (v)
macerated blueberry, strawberry, mascarpone cream  22.

Kids’ Menu

chicken fingers
choice of french fries or fruit cup  15.
macaroni & cheese
elbow noodles, side of broccoli  15.
salmon
broccoli, rice, lemon  16.

Dessert

cherry blosson panna cotta (v, ag)  14.5
flourless chocolate cake (v, ag)  14.5
strawberry sunday (vg, ag) 
vegan vanilla gelato, strawberry-rhubarb, granola crumble  14.5.

Menu subject to change.

Wine, Beer, Cocktails & Mocktails

Sparkling Wine

conquilla, cava brut, Catalonia, Spain
glass 14.  bottle 42.
nicchia, Cantina F.lli Carafoli, Lambrusco, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
glass 15.  bottle 45.
bird in hand, Pinot Noir Rosé, 2023, Adelaide Hills, Australia
glass 16.  bottle 48.

White Wine

incline, Riesling, 2023, J & H Selbach, Mosel, Germany
glass 14.  bottle 42.
amphora, Sauvignon Blanc, 2023, Gabrielskloof, Western Cape, South Africa
glass 17.  bottle 51.
yellow crown, Chardonnay, 2023, Onabay, Long Island, New York
glass 16.  bottle 48.

Rosé Wine

apollo’s praise, Cabernet Franc, 2023, Seneca Finger Lake, New York
glass 15.  bottle 45.

Red Wine

strub, Pinot Noir Trocken, 2023, Rheinhessen, Germany
glass 17.  bottle 51.
syrocco, Syrah, 2022, Alain Graillot, Zenata, Morocco
glass 16.  bottle 48.

Beer

Brooklyn Lager, 12 oz
9.25
Coney Island IPA, 12 oz
9.25

Brunch Specials

garden mimosa
sparkling wine, elderflower liqueur  12.
butterscotch cold brew
great jones bourbon, butterscotch liqueur, kahlua, cold brew coffee  12.

Cocktails

golden hour rum punch
dark rum, passionfruit liqueur, triple sec, pineapple juice, lime & aromatic bitters  16.
pear breeze
seneca drum gin, st george spiced pear liqueur, elderflower liqueur, agave, lime  17.
blue garden margarita
tequila, blue curaçao, lavender, lime juice  16.
butterscotch cold brew
great jones bourbon, butterscotch liqueur, kahlua, cold brew coffee  12.

Mocktails

flower spritz
hibiscus, rose, elderflower, tonic  11.
sunset spritz
orange, cranberry, warm spices, ginger beer  11.
vanilla berry spritz
strawberry, vanilla, coconut, soda  11.

Coffee & Tea

stumptown coffee
4.75
iced tea
4.50
hot tea
4.00
english breakfast, earl grey, sencha green, mint, chamomile

Soft Drinks & Juice

juice
apple, orange, or grapefruit  5.25
soda
coke, diet coke, or ginger ale  5.25
lemonade
regular or elderflower  6.50

Menu subject to change.

Yellow Magnolia Canteen

Show on Garden map

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Yellow Magnolia Canteen, on the terrace by the entrance to the Steinhardt Conservatory, serves a variety of pizzas, sandwiches, empanadas, salads, snacks, and beverages.

Hours

Tuesday–Sunday: 11 a.m. until 30 minutes before the Garden closes

Canteen Menu

(v) vegetarian (vg) vegan (gf) gluten free (gfo) gluten-free option

Beverages are 12 oz. unless otherwise noted. Oat milk, half & half, whole milk, and decaf options available.

If you have a food allergy, please notify us.

Bowls

kale caesar salad
shredded kale and romaine, parmesan, croutons   14.
add chicken  +3.
grain bowl (vg, gf)
grilled pineapple, garbanzo, cherry tomato, peppadew, quinoa, vegan green goddess  16.75
add chicken  +3.

Sandwiches

cheese panini
cheddar, provolone, caramelized onion, dijon, country bread  15.50
beef pastrami on rye
swiss, sauerkraut, whole grain mustard, marble rye  17.50
vegan wrap (vg, gfo)
baby spinach, sundried tomato, roasted zucchini, pepperoncini, white bean hummus  15.
with gluten-free wrap  16.50
turkey sandwich
provolone, pickles, kaiser roll, mustard & mayo on the side  15.5

DiFara’s Pizza

cheese pizza  7.25
pepperoni pizza  8.25

Snacks

  • fruit cup (vg, gf)  8.25
  • seasonal yogurt & granola parfait (vg, gf)  6.75
  • pretzel (vg)  7.25
  • chicken fingers  12.50
  • beef hot dog  8.25
  • chocolate chip cookie (v)  2.
    pack of 3 cookies  5.5
  • hal’s new york chips (v, gf)  3.50
  • hal’s new york popcorn (v, gf)  3.50

Ice Cream

  • ice cream bar (v) 7.25
  • la newyorkina ice pops (vg, gf) 8.25
  • Beverages

    • open source water 4.5
    • coffee 4.75
    • hot tea 4
    • iced coffee 4.75
    • iced tea 4.5
    • lemonade 6.5
    • specialty soda 5.25
    • hal's new york seltzer 4.
    • slushy 7.5
    • beer 9.25
    • wine 12.5
    • frosé 12.25
    • cocktail 15.5

Menu subject to change.

Coffee Bar

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Enjoy a variety of espresso drinks and iced beverages along with a curated selection of fresh pastries, sandwiches, salads, soups, and snacks in the Coffee Bar in the Visitor Center.

Hours

Tuesday–Sunday: 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

*Please note the Coffee Bar and Atrium seating may close early for private events.

Hot & Cold Beverages

Beverages are 12 oz. unless otherwise noted. Oat milk, half & half, whole milk, and decaf options available.

Beverages

  • coffee 4.75.
  • tea 4
  • espresso 5.
  • cappuccino 6.
  • latte 6.
  • mocha 6.5
  • matcha latte 6.5
  • macchiato 5.5
  • americano 5.
  • café au lait 4.75
  • chai 6.
  • hot chocolate 6.
  • open source water 4.5.
  • iced coffee 4.75.
  • iced tea 4.5
  • lemonade 6.5
  • specialty soda 5.25
  • hal's new york seltzer 4.
  • beer 9.25
  • wine 12.5
  • cocktail 15.5.

Food

(v) vegetarian (vg) vegan (gf) gluten-free

Baked Goods & Lunches

  • turkey sandwich 15.5
  • vegan wrap (vg) 15.
  • kale caesar (v) 14.
    add chicken  +3.
  • muffin 4.5.
  • croissant 5.5
  • savory croissant 6.
  • pain au chocolat 6.
  • cinnamon bun 6.
  • scone 6.
  • danish 6.

Menu subject to change.

All nights of this event are sold out. There are no walk-up tickets.

Enjoy magical access to the Garden’s famous Kanzan trees!

Find a spot on Cherry Esplanade to enjoy the cherry blossoms, lit up for maximum effect, and savor the spring vibe with family and friends. Stroll in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden and along Cherry Walk, try your hand at origami, and view a curated display of bonsai in the Lillian and Amy Goldman Atrium.

Advance tickets required. Special discounts for Garden members.

Get Tickets

ACTIVITIES

Origami with Sato Yamamoto

Guided by instructors, visitors of every skill level can learn the Japanese art of folding paper. Atrium

Bonsai Display

View a selection of bonsai specimens from the Garden’s famous collection. Atrium

Japanese Food & Drinks

Purchase sushi, bento boxes, and other Japanese favorites from a special menu presented in collaboration with Sunrise Mart, Saiko Sushi, and Joto Sake and picnic under the cherry blossoms. Outside food and beverage not permitted.

Starters and snacks

Edamame | $3.50 (VG, AG)
Osumashi Soup | $10 (AG)
dashi, nori, mushroom, scallion
Japanese Snacks | $3 to $5

Sushi by Saiko Sushi

Spicy Tuna Roll | $11 (AG)
Cucumber Avocado Roll | $11 (VG, AG)

Bento sets by Sunrise Mart

Karaage-Onigiri Set | $18.50
picnic-temperature fried chicken, salmon and nori rice balls, pickled vegetables
Vegan Set | $21 (VG, AG***)
picnic-temperature cherry-blossom rice, tofu, pickled vegetables

Beverages

Oyuwari | $12
hot water, barley shochu, lemon wheel, 6 oz.
Joto Sake | $12
‘Graffiti’ One-Cup, 6 oz.
Junmai, 4 oz.
Nigori, 4 oz.
Red or White Wine | $12
Beer | $9.50
Canned Cocktails | $15
Hot Green Tea | $4.25
Water | $4.50
Coke, Diet Coke, Ginger Ale | $5

VG | VEGAN, V | VEGETARIAN, AG | AVOIDS GLUTEN
VGO | CAN BE MADE VEGAN, VO | CAN BE MADE VEGETARIAN, AGO | CAN BE MADE TO AVOID GLUTEN

Hanami Nights Map

Click or tap below for full-size map.

Show larger map A simplified map of BBG that shows Cherry Esplanade and surrounding areas

PERFORMANCES

Tuesday, April 22

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    Masayo Ishigure and Miyabi Koto Ensemble
    5:15, 6:15, 7:15 p.m. | Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden Viewing Pavilion

    Listen to a traditional-style koto performance by Masayo Ishigure and Miyabi Koto Ensemble.

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    The Miki Yamanaka Trio
    5:30–6:30 p.m. | Cherry Esplanade

    The Miki Yamanaka Trio plays jazz standards and original compositions from her acclaimed release Chance.

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    Japanese Folk Dance and Song by 10tecomai-Kogyoku featuring Rino Aise
    7:15–8 p.m. | Cherry Esplanade

    The energetic Japanese dance style yosakoi is performed by two New York–based teams of Yosakoi Dance Project—10tecomai and Kogyoku Yosakoi, accompanied by traditional Japanese folk songs by singer Rino Aise.


Wednesday, April 23

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    Shamisen Variation
    5:15, 6:15, 7:15 p.m. | Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden Viewing Pavilion

    Listen to the traditional Japanese instrument variation performed by Masayo Ishigure & Ken Hutchinson (Jiuta shamisen), Kristen Carey (Tsugaru shamisen), and Rino Aise (Okinawa sanshin) as you stroll the Japanese Garden.

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    Tsutomu Nakai Quartet
    5:30–6:30 p.m. | Cherry Esplanade

    The Tsutomu Nakai Quartet performs improvisational jazz, emphasizing unique guitar work and melody.

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    Awa Odori New York Ren
    7:15–8 p.m. | Cherry Esplanade

    Awa Odori New York Ren performs a traditional dance from Tokushima known for its lively movements and rhythmic music. Dancing along is encouraged!


Thursday, April 24

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    Hudson Valley Shakuhachi Choir
    5:15, 6:15, 7:15 p.m. | Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden

    The Hudson Valley Shakuhachi Choir explores the resonant overtones and rich timber of the Japanese bamboo flute. The repertoire includes traditional shakuhachi pieces, folk music, and contemporary works.

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    Miki Hayama Trio
    5:30–6:30 p.m. | Cherry Esplanade

    Grammy-nominated keyboardist Miki Hayama presents original compositions, jazz standards, and Japanese folk songs with her electronic trio.

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    Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York
    7:15–8 p.m. | Cherry Esplanade

    Enjoy an evening of traditional dance spanning over 1,000 years, and then join in and dance the night away in the bon odori!


Friday, April 25

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    Tenri Gagaku Music Society of New York
    5:15, 6:15, 7:15 p.m. | Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden

    Enjoy an engrossing performance of traditional Japanese court music Gagaku.

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    Monday Michiru
    5:30–6:30 p.m. | Cherry Esplanade

    Monday Michiru performs music inspired by jazz, soul, Brazilian, folk, and other urban and world flavors.

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    Samurai Sword Soul
    7:15–8 p.m. | Cherry Esplanade

    Don’t miss Samurai Sword Soul’s thrilling performance, followed by an interactive Samurai Bootcamp—a fun and immersive experience for all!


Cherry Esplanade emcee

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    Saori Goda

    Cherry Esplanade emcee Saori Goda is a performer and actress who has appeared in “Love Your Selfie,” My Daughter Yoshiko, and on The Tonight Show.

Partners

Sake Partner, Hanami Nights

Logo: JTO

For 8- through 13-year-olds. City Farmers work together to care for their garden plots! City Farmers practice seasonal horticulture skills such as planting, trellis building, weed identification, organic pest control, seed saving, and more. Participants harvest, taste, and cook with fresh vegetables and herbs, create nature art, and go on nature explorations alongside a garden instructor and teen apprentices.

This is a drop-off program.

Cost

For 4 and 5-year-olds. Seeds work together to care for their garden plots! Seeds practice real gardening skills such as planting, watering, weeding, spreading compost, and more. Participants harvest and taste fresh vegetables and herbs, create nature art, listen to garden stories, and go on nature explorations alongside a garden instructor and teen apprentices.

This is a drop-off program.

Cost

Participation Requirements

For 2- and 3-year-olds with an adult. Learn about the wonders of gardening with your 2- or 3-year-old during this active hands-on program offered during spring and fall. Our youngest gardeners work with their adult partner to tend to their garden plots, sing songs, taste new foods, and create nature crafts.

This is not a drop-off program. Consistent weekly attendance of one adult per child is required. No additional children including infants or older siblings, please.

Cost

Participation Requirements

For children 4 through 13. During this 6-session program, groups work together to care for their garden plots! Participants practice horticulture skills such as planting, watering, weeding, compost exploration, and more. Groups harvest, taste, and cook with fresh vegetables and herbs, create nature art, and go on nature explorations alongside a garden instructor and teen apprentices.

This is a drop-off program.

Age Groups

Cost

Julian Velasco of Bonsai NYC is the former caretaker of BBG’s world-renowned Bonsai Collection. With over 25 years of expertise, Bonsai NYC is the city’s premier bonsai authority and educator. The full-service bonsai enterprise is committed to sharing the timeless art of bonsai with all, offering beautifully crafted and high-quality bonsai to anyone willing to embrace these little giants of nature. Their unique bonsai creations, through their hora, inspire relaxation, bring us joy, and open our hearts to improve our lives one bonsai at a time.

Medicinal plants have been used for aperitifs and digestifs for centuries. Learning how to infuse the different botanical flavors, including aromatics and bitters, into our nonalcoholic drinks can add new tastes, complexity, and health benefits that may be as unfamiliar as some of the plants themselves. This class will introduce you to the wonders of using leaves, flowers, barks, seeds, and berries in a range of alcohol-free beverages. Recipes, tastings, and two mocktail elixirs will be made in class for you to use at home. 

Wildflowers embody summertime! Whimsical, vibrant, and playful, wildflowers evoke feelings of freedom and lightheartedness. These textural beauties are at the same time unruly and refined, elegant and free-spirited. Using a variety of blooms and textural elements, you’ll create a stunning flower arrangement fit for the season. The instructor will offer step-by-step instruction—from palette selection and flower care to professional techniques for crafting a lush and unique floral arrangement.

Enjoy a tropical getaway at home with an audacious array of exotic and colorful flowers. Using a variety of tropical flowers and fauna, you will create a contemporary floral centerpiece that will feed your creativity and wanderlust. The instructor will offer step-by-step instruction—from palette selection and flower care to professional techniques for crafting a lush and unique floral arrangement.

Peony season is a time for celebration! With luscious petals, vibrant color and sweet scents, these unique blooms elevate floral design. Using a variety of peonies, spring blooms, and textural elements, you’ll create a stunning arrangement fit for the season. The instructor will offer step-by-step instruction—from palette selection and flower care to professional techniques for crafting a lush and unique floral arrangement. Materials fee: $110.

Bring your mom to this workshop as a Mother’s Day gift, or surprise her with a beautiful homemade arrangement of spring blooms.

Learn the basic principles of floral design so you can start a practice that gives you pleasure and brings joy to your friends and family. We will also cover simple techniques that will extend the life of your arrangements.

This three-part series provides all the concepts and tools for amateur floral designers (and those considering a career in flowers) to make beautiful arrangements for home and special events. Based on Eastern and Western floral design techniques, this class gives students the opportunity to experiment with making more complex arrangements. While working with a range of materials, flowers, and containers, you will learn how to evaluate your own designs and work efficiently.

Shakespeare was a great lover of flowers and plants and often included them in his verse. Take a walk in the Shakespeare Garden to learn about the plants that were a huge part of Elizabethan life, and the scents people used to perfume their bodies and home. Students will receive a sampling of scented millinery flowers to create their own nosegay and create a quarter-ounce vial of perfume to take home.

Roses are one of the most beautiful and praised flowers. They’ve been valued for centuries in many cultures and have been cultivated and hybridized worldwide. Learn about the beauty, history, and legacy of the adored and exalted rose. Each variety has a unique scent; we’ll discuss the different notes found in them and learn to pick out the subtle differences. A walk in the Cranford Rose Garden will provide myriad examples as we compare them side by side. After our walk, you will have an opportunity to create a rose perfume at our very own Perfume Bar. Each attendee will leave with a quarter-ounce vial of perfume and a fragrant bouquet of paper roses.

Brooklyn has many diverse habitats, which makes it a great borough for birding! Visit Brooklyn parks while learning about the birds that inhabit them in the summer. Classes will meet at a different Brooklyn park each week. Beginners welcome.

There is all kinds of information whizzing around the Garden that humans miss! Insects use complex cues to make decisions about where to lay their eggs or how to find prey. This class will dive into the fascinating world of insect and plant interactions. Students will spend time observing and discussing plant-insect relationships before making their own watercolor field guides. Beginner artists welcome!

In this class, students will work in small groups to set up moth tents in the Garden, then take a walk around the grounds to find nighttime pollinators in action, and finally return to the tents to identify the insect visitors our tents attracted (insects will not be harmed or stuck in the tents). This class is open to students 12+ if they are accompanied by an adult. Materials fee: $6. 

Mushrooms are everywhere, even in New York City, but often misunderstood. This class will explore the roles of the kingdom Fungi, crucial to every habitat on Earth. We will cover the ecology, evolution, and cultural history of mushrooms. Learn basic taxonomy and identification of our local edible and poisonous fungi. Each class will include a foray on BBG grounds to meet your fungal neighbors in person.

Learn how to find and identify birds at the height of spring migration! Each class will consist of 30 minutes of classroom instruction followed by 90 minutes of instruction and field birding on the Garden grounds.

Take in the beauty of the life that surrounds us in the Garden—awakening the senses and restoring our spirit to support equanimity and peace for ourselves and each other. We will walk in open spaces and paths, residing in our moment-to-moment experience. No experience necessary with meditation. Bring a little notepad and pencil.

Tai chi and qigong exercises improve balance, increase blood circulation, relax your mind and body, and increase your internal energy. The instructor will demonstrate movements. Please come prepared in clothing that allows for movement.

Tai chi and qigong exercises improve balance, increase blood circulation, relax your mind and body, and increase your internal energy. The instructor will demonstrate movements. Please come prepared in clothing that allows for movement.

Learn about the history of a wide variety of rose types and classifications and how to select the best roses for your garden. In the second session the class will tour the Cranford Rose Garden and learn practical tips on how to successfully grow and care for roses.

Make garden magic by adding a vegetable and herb container garden to your outdoor space. Learn how to choose the right plants based on your specific needs and incorporate flowering plants to attract pollinators and brighten up your garden with a hint of color.

Small spaces can get greened-up, too. This class will help you transform your stoop, balcony, or patio into a one-of-a-kind personal garden. Learn small-garden design—whether annual, perennial, or evergreen—and proper plant choices, placement, and maintenance.

An archival skill developed by ancient Egyptians is still used today to preserve the earth’s botanical world. Creating herbariums is a traditional practice of preserving the world’s pressed plants. In this workshop New York Botanical Garden educator and herbalist Arvolyn Hill shows how to press flowers for museum quality specimens or create for art. During this two-part workshop, Arvolyn will teach proper ways to press plants and the art of plant preservation.

Dive into bonsai design with this interactive class. You’ll explore the creative process of designing and shaping your own bonsai, working with unstyled bonsai material specially grown for BBG. Learn the thought process behind effective bonsai design and the hands-on techniques needed to bring your vision to life and gain essential skills for its long-term care, maintenance, and cultivation, ensuring your creation thrives for years to come. All supplies provided. Each participant will leave class with their very own unique bonsai tree.

Immerse yourself in a full day of native gardening instruction in this indoor/outdoor class at BBG. Learn the principles and best practices to create a robust native garden filled with life. We will also explore native plants at BBG that you might use in your own garden, and discuss the conditions that they thrive in.

Explore the varied techniques of painting with the unique, beautiful medium of watercolor. Experiment with color mixing, washes, and glazing, creating stunning portraits of flowers and plants.

Learn how to make a beautiful accordion sketchbook and fill it with nature drawings and notes. Add color and decorative details to complete your delightful garden sketchbook.

Paper will be provided, as well as basic art supplies. You can bring you own favorite art supplies, too.

Learn how to paint botanical subjects with a variety of detailed approaches, but also looser, more impressionistic techniques, focusing on composition, textual changes, and color combinations. Beginners and intermediate artists are welcome. Your instructor will offer demonstrations and teach technique. She will provide some flowers, but students are also encouraged to bring in reference inspiration if there is something specific they’d like to work from (still life or photos). All levels are welcome!

If you “can’t draw a straight line”... for this class that’s good! Various drawing media and core drawing concepts such as composition and scale in three-dimensional space will be introduced, using a still-life set-up aimed at a specific weekly lesson. Each class will include a critique for group discussion and questions.

In this workshop, students will create handmade botanical cyanotype prints using the grounds of BBG as our studio. Students will learn the basics of cyanotype printing. We will cover chemistry mixing, canvas preparation, and plein air printing. We will also include printing techniques such as double exposures and high contrast. Students will leave with one-of-a-kind prints.

Learn to paint in the Chinese style using a bamboo brush, ink, and rice paper. Get step-by-step instruction in this ancient art form, and develop your own style. Look to the lovely environment of the Garden for creative inspiration.

Join us for a meditative stroll through the Garden. Enjoy a hot drink and snack before embarking on a walk with birder, poet, and educator Indigo Goodson-Fields. Listen for the calls of migratory and resident birds and see if you can spot them among the trees!

Event RSVP

This invitation is for four and is nontransferable. Enter the email address for your President's Circle membership to register.

President’s Circle members provide essential financial support to the Garden and enjoy a deepened connection through special behind-the-scenes tours, private previews, and exclusive receptions. Learn more

Woody plants—including shade trees, ornamental trees, and evergreen and deciduous shrubs—form the backbone of a well-planned landscape design. This course will help you master the identification and uses of many woody plants found in urban landscapes.

Sections A and B meet weekly at the Garden.

Section C meets on Zoom; students are also expected to visit BBG independently to complete weekly tree tours.

This class offers an in-depth examination of cultural management practices to support plant health and biodiversity in urban gardens. Students will learn how to identify major insect orders and plant pathogens. Through scouting walks on BBG grounds, students will have the opportunity to practice identifying signs and symptoms of plant pests and diseases. Students will also learn how to apply Integrated Pest Management strategies to effectively address pest and disease problems.

Healthy soil is the foundation for a healthy garden ecosystem and abundant crops. In this course, learn about soil’s contents and physical and chemical properties, soil fertility management, and soil cultivation techniques. Gain an understanding of soil improvement practices—including composting, cover cropping, soil testing, and mulching. The instructor will share videos and activities for hands-on learning and facilitate group discussion to share experiences and grow our knowledge and understanding of soil.

A strong foundation in botany is essential to understanding how to maintain a healthy landscape. This course includes discussions on plant anatomy, plant life cycles and reproduction, taxonomy, and plant physiology. This course requires no previous knowledge of botany and is recommended as a first course in the Certificate in Horticulture program.

Better understand the practical tools and techniques for plant care, pruning, transplanting, and other essential tasks. Learn about the maintenance of annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, container plantings, and turfgrass. Become a more well-versed horticulturist through problem-solving, hands-on activities, and garden explorations. Each class session focuses on a different maintenance topic.

Herbaceous plants accentuate other features in the landscape, and when used effectively, they can provide almost year-round interest. Learn identification methods and landscape uses of perennials and annuals commonly used in the urban landscape, including native plants. The class will identify and view plant characteristics during sessions on BBG grounds.

An in-class exam will be administered during the last session. Attendance is mandatory.

As you learn to grow and care for landscape plants, it’s essential to know how to increase your stock. In this class, you are introduced to a variety of plant propagation techniques using both seed and vegetative material. After a lecture and demonstration, each method is practiced in a hands-on lab session in our Education Greenhouse.

Greenest Block In Brooklyn

It’s more fun together!

“The contest has caused a resurgence of pride, friendship, and cooperation among the residents.” —2017 Participant

#GreenestBlockInBrooklyn

Enter Now

About the Greenest Block in Brooklyn

Gather your neighbors and enter your block in Brooklyn’s friendliest competition.

The Greenest Block in Brooklyn contest is free and open to all residential blocks, commercial blocks, and community gardens in Brooklyn.

Participants can attend a free workshop, How to Green Your Block, at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and host a free interactive, walk-and-talk block visit, led by BBG staff, to learn about their block’s greening opportunities. Contest winners are revealed in August, and dozens of prizes are awarded for greening efforts.

Garden together to make your block more beautiful, friendly, and green!

For inspiration, see the 2024 winners

Application

There are lots of ways to win Brooklyn’s friendliest contest! Enter today.

Award Categories and Prizes

Award Categories

  • Best Overall Residential Block
  • Best Overall Commercial Block
  • Greenest Storefront
  • Best Window Box
  • Best Street Tree Beds
  • Best Community Garden Streetscape
  • Rookie of the Year
  • Special Commendations
  • Sustainable Practices Award
    This annual award goes to a block or community garden engaged in a highly visible ecological practice such as use of subirrigated planters, rainwater capture, found materials “upcycling,” companion planting, drip irrigation, community composting, and gardening for pollinators and other wildlife.

Prizes

First prize is a $300 check for each top residential and commercial block winner. All other winners will receive cash prizes ranging from $100 to $200, and each will be awarded a recognition certificate.

Winners will be announced in August at a press conference held on the winning residential block.

Contest participants who attend the fall recognition ceremony will also receive a gift bag of fall bulbs and a certificate of recognition for their participation.

Rules, Prizes & Judging Criteria

Rules for Residential Blocks

The purpose of the contest is to promote streetscape gardening in the borough of Brooklyn through block associations and other community groups. For more information, email [email protected] or call 718-623-7250.

  • Entrants must represent more than one person, i.e., block association, civic group, or neighborhood organization. Ad-hoc groups are welcome!
  • Entrants enter each block both sides of the street, corner to corner. If you represent more than one block, enter each block separately.
  • Entered blocks are judged solely by what can be seen from the street.
  • There is a separate category for commercial/business blocks. However, storefronts on residential blocks are eligible for the Greenest Storefront award.
  • The first-prize residential winner from last year may not enter the contest this year.
  • Monetary awards (in the form of a check) are given in all contest categories to block organizations that win or place. Awards are also given to individuals for best window box and greenest storefront.
  • Prizes for best window box are awarded to individuals on entering blocks. Any window box–sized container is eligible, whether placed in a window or not.

Rules for Commercial Blocks

  • Entrants must be a merchant association, development corporation, business improvement district, or other nonprofit business association. Ad-hoc groups are welcome!
  • Each commercial entry represents one side of the street only, corner to corner. If you represent more than one side of any block, enter each side separately.
  • Entered blocks are judged solely by what can be seen from the street.
  • The first-prize commercial winner from the last year may not enter the contest this year.
  • Monetary awards (in the form of a check) are given in all contest categories to block organizations that win or place. Awards are also given to individuals for best window box and greenest storefront.
  • Prizes for best window box are awarded to individuals on entering blocks. Window boxes must be positioned at a window to be considered for this award.

Contest Judging Criteria (Residential and Commercial)

  • Citizen Participation
    What efforts indicate community involvement, such as street tree maintenance, signage, community gardens, or shared gardening areas? Are most buildings visibly participating in greening and gardening? Are children taking part in greening efforts?
  • Street Tree Stewardship
    Has soil or mulch been piled inappropriately at the tree’s base? Are trees receiving enough water? Are there tree guards, and are they well designed? Are there appropriate plantings or mulch in the beds? Do tree limbs need inspection or pruning by the Parks Department?
  • Plant Suitability and Variety
    Are the “right plants in the right place,” i.e., sun loving in the sun, shade loving in the shade? Are there diverse kinds of plants, trees, shrubs, and flowers? Are native plants being used?
  • Horticultural Practices and Maintenance
    Are plants receiving adequate water? Too much? Are weeds under control or outcompeting other plants? Are shrubs pruned appropriately? Is there a lot of litter on the block? (Blocks won’t be penalized if the judging visit is the same day as sanitation pickup and garbage cans are on sidewalks.)
  • Soil Stewardship and Mulching
    Is mulch being used appropriately around plantings? Is it the right depth and distance from plant stems/trunks? Are groundcovers being used? Is the soil exposed and/or compacted? Does it appear that compost is being used?
  • Creativity and Total Visual Effect
    What creative efforts to green up and beautify the block are noticeable? What is the visual effect when you view the whole block? Does the block use color effectively? (Remember, green is a color with many shades!)

Questions? Contact [email protected] or 718-623-7250.

Tips for Getting Started on Your Block

Neighbors who are just beginning to garden together are welcome in the contest! Want to spark and sustain more interest in gardening? Here are some tips from Brooklyn’s Greenest Blocks:

Enter your block in the contest and hang your We’ve Entered! signs.
Get the word out. Share your contact info and dates for upcoming block meetings, events, and judging.

Hold a block association meeting.
Invite your neighbors to share ideas, and serve refreshments if you can! To get started, check out the tip sheet from the Citizens Committee for New York City “How to Start a Block Association.” Remember, gardening opens the door for citizen action; make room for other interests and causes.

Collect contact information at every meeting.
Get your neighbors’ addresses, emails, and phone numbers. Make note of special skills or interests in gardening, working with youth, or helping elders. Create an email list or Google group to make information sharing easier.

Create a gardening committee.
Form a core group of neighbors in the block association—even two people—dedicated to sharing information and leading activities specific to greening and gardening, such as assessing block street trees and submitting a Forestry Service Request from the Parks Department.

Schedule a clean-and-green day.
Hold a springtime block-wide event to encourage neighbors to sweep, clean, and swap or share plants. New York City’s Department of Sanitation (DSNY) will support your efforts with tools and trash bags! Check out its Volunteer Clean-up Program tip sheet online for more information.

Knock on doors.
Take a neighbor with you to visit folks face to face. Encourage participation in block activities and meetings. Ask for suggestions… and do more listening than talking.

Make learning a part of your mission.
Neighbors make the best teachers! Hold a window-box planting demonstration. Share sustainable-gardening tip sheets provided by BBG. Invite your neighbors to a Greenest Block in Brooklyn workshop at BBG or request a walk-and-talk visit on your block with BBG staff. In the meantime, let us know your gardening questions!

Don’t go it alone.
Feeling overwhelmed? Tell an interested neighbor that you’d really appreciate some support. You’ll never know who might pitch in—or lead—unless you ask.

Have fun!
Start small, remembering that urban gardeners work under the harshest of conditions. Consider various jumping-off points like composting, street tree bed care, a mural, hand-painted signage, or a youth club. Celebrate your achievements together, no matter how small.

Walk-and-talk block visits are offered for entering blocks on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit Walk-and-Talks or call 718-623-7250 to apply.

Questions? Need assistance entering the contest? Email [email protected] or call 718-623-7250.

2025 Participants

View all the blocks that entered the 2025 Greenest Block in Brooklyn contest. Click the map points to see the names of the registered block associations.

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Join us for a guided tour in Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Steinhardt Conservatory, followed by a hands-on activity, designed for individuals with memory loss and their caregivers. The pace is leisurely, with opportunities to stop along the way; wheelchair accessible.

  • Explore lush plants from around the world in our indoor conservatories.
  • Warm up and move around in guided chair yoga and movement activities.
  • Get your hands dirty and pot up some plants to take home.
  • Enjoy conversation and refreshments with old friends and new.

The program is free, but space is limited, so registration is required. For more information and to register, contact us at [email protected].

2025 Memory Programs

In warmer weather, Memory Programs are held outdoors in the Garden.

  • Saturday, April 12 | 1:30–3:30 p.m.
  • Friday, April 25 | 1:30–3:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday, May 13 | 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday, September 9 | 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, October 16 | 12–2 p.m.
  • Thursday, November 6 | 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
  • Friday, December 12 | 12–2 p.m.

With Kira Louzoun-Heisler, Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Whether it’s a cuppa to warm the soul, a gargle, a steam, a bath, a dye, a hair rinse, or the start to a syrup, the applications of herbal teas are almost infinite. We’ll explore the differences between cold infusions, hot infusions, and decoctions. Discuss how much herb is “enough” and taste some samples. Bring your questions! Leave with a personalized tea blend made from a selection of herbs.

ASL interpreter available upon request; contact [email protected] at least 2 weeks prior to the class date.

For more information about BBG’s Community Greening programs, visit bbg.org/community

In recent years, as winter transitions into early spring, curious New Yorkers have started to inquire: Is [X] plant at BBG blooming early?

Sometimes, the answer is no. Visitors are often surprised to learn that some plants typically flower in winter, like snowdrops, hellebores, winter aconites, witch-hazel, and camellias. It’s also worth noting that there’s no such thing as “exactly on time” in horticulture. Plants have been resisting gardeners’ schedules since there were gardeners (and schedules).

Hellebores, also known as the Christmas rose, typically bloom in winter through early spring. Photo by Michael Stewart.

Spring leaf-out and bloom times vary year-to-year, but as a general trend, spring is coming earlier to the Northeast as a result of fossil fuel-driven climate change. Most plants in New York City are leafing out and blooming earlier than they did in the 19th century, a shift that correlates with warmer temperatures between January and April. (In concrete-filled cities like New York, the urban heat island effect also raises temperatures.)

Plants are triggered to bloom by a mix of factors including temperature, day length, sunlight, and humidity. The timing of a flower’s bloom can have significant ecological ripple effects. For example, if a flower blooms before its specialist pollinator emerges, that may affect the plant’s reproduction or the pollinator’s food supply. An early bloom is also more vulnerable to getting knocked out by a late frost.

It’s the weather during the shoulder seasons—spring and fall—that seems to be changing the most at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, says vice president of Horticulture Rowan Blaik. In the last few years, major spring collections have bloomed all at once, scrambling the Garden’s typical schedule.

“We've seen lilacs, cherry blossoms, and early roses all blooming at the same time, when they used to be enjoyed as sequential collections,” says Blaik.

Lilacs and cherries blooming on April 18, 2023. Photo by Michael Stewart.

Gardeners are also seeing more abnormal flowering—such as azaleas and lilacs putting out flowers in fall—following late-season heat and drought stress. And the Garden’s operations have had to shift to accommodate an extended growing season and unpredictable weather events, from mowing in February to managing “ferocious” rains that leave blooms in tatters.

The discipline of phenology comes up a lot around questions about bloom times, because phenology is the study of the timing of cyclical biological events—like when plants are leafing out and blooming, or when animals are migrating, mating, or hibernating—and how they are influenced by weather and climate.

The USA National Phenology Network produces First Leaf and First Bloom Indices each year that track the progression of spring across the country. You can check the page as spring approaches in New York to get a sense of how this season’s blooms and leaf-outs compare to other years.

You can also use the iNaturalist app to enter your own phenological observations—like leaf color, buds, or fruits and seeds—at Brooklyn Botanic Garden or other green spaces. These observations will be used in phenological and climate research, so the more participants, the better!

Below are a few popular spring blooms at BBG and when(ish) to expect them.

Crocuses and early-spring bulbs

Crocuses typically bloom in early spring. In Brooklyn, that usually means March, though in the past several years they’ve peaked as early as mid-February. They’re joined around the same time by other early-spring bulbs, like scilla and eastern cyclamen.

Magnolias

Magnolia Plaza at BBG is usually in bloom between mid-March and mid-April. Magnolia blooms are delicate and easily knocked out by late frosts, so BBG staffers cross their fingers each year hoping for a beautiful display.

Cherries

The weeping higan cherries in BBG’s collection typically begin blooming at the end of March, and different flowering cherry varieties bloom progressively through April into early May. At BBG, a stretch of warm weather above 60 degrees or so will often trigger the buds of early-blooming cultivars to appear. Cherry blossoms have been peaking earlier around the world in a shift associated with climate change.

Lilacs

Lilacs typically bloom between mid-April and May. They are traditionally in peak bloom around Mother’s Day in May, though lately they’ve been appearing earlier.

Roses

At BBG, roses typically start blooming in May. The Cranford Rose Garden is usually at its most lush around the last week of May, with a second flush of blooms in early fall.

Umakanth Thumrugoti is an artist, writer, and filmmaker who started his career at Walt Disney Feature Animation, working on films such as Lion King, Pocahontas, Fantasia 2000, Treasure Planet, Chicken Little, and Bolt, among others. While at Disney, he worked in various capacities including technical director, lighting supervisor, sequence supervisor, visual development artist, and finally co-art director. His books include Figure It Out: A Thin Book on Figure Drawing and Broken Parts – Pies R Squared, a graphic novel. His film 7 Days In Slow-Motion was called “a bright and cheerful comedy” by Roger Ebert and won many awards.

As part of the North American Japanese Garden Association’s annual Gardens for Peace project, which brings communities together in Japanese gardens to promote peace, BBG is presenting free public programming in and around the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden.

Free with Garden admission. Check back this summer for more information.

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Guided, Hands-On Workshops

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Explore the Garden in these hands-on, guided programs for students in pre-K through 8th grade.

Learn More

Self-Guided School & Camp Group Visits

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Preregistered school and camp groups may visit Brooklyn Botanic Garden for free.

Register for a Visit

Seasonal Discovery Garden Field Trips

As part of our reprise of the site-specific sound installation loved., the 42-piece ensemble Mantra Percussion performs a live rendition on Cherry Esplanade every hour on the hour.

loved. was created by composer Michael Gordon in 2021 to honor those we have lost to the Covid-19 crisis.

About the performers

Mantra Percussion is an ensemble committed to bringing to life new percussive works by living composers. The group has been hailed by The New York Times as “finely polished... a fresh source of energy” and lauded by both The New Yorker and TimeOut New York for presenting some of the city’s most noteworthy classical performances.

To mark the fifth anniversary of the Covid-19 crisis, Brooklyn Botanic Garden reprises loved., a site-specific sound installation created by NYC-based composer Michael Gordon to honor those we have lost and reflect on the impact of the pandemic on New York City. The meditative composition for seven vibraphones plays every hour on the hour on Cherry Esplanade and runs 5 minutes, 31 seconds.

“In this city so filled with many different people, the common thread of those lost to Covid was that they were loved. As a way to reach out to those impacted by loss, to those seeking a few moments to sit and think and remember, I sought to create a space where the memory of those loved ones could be honored.” —⁠Michael Gordon

loved.
Composer, Michael Gordon
Percussionist, David Cossin
February 2021
Running time 5:31

About the Artists

Michael Gordon is a prolific contemporary composer whose work melds classical, new music, electronica, punk rock, and many other forms. He is influenced by Downtown artists including Philip Glass, Steve Reich, and Meredith Monk. A cofounder of the influential New York collective Bang on a Can, Gordon’s work has been commissioned by Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, BAM, and New World Symphony, among many others nationally and internationally. Gordon’s recent work Natural History was premiered on the rim of Crater Lake, Oregon, and is the subject of the PBS documentary Symphony for Nature. Explore more music by Michael Gordon on Bandcamp.

Percussionist David Cossin has recorded and performed internationally with composers and ensembles including the New York Philharmonic, Bang on a Can All-Stars, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Sting, and Yo-Yo Ma. Theater projects include collaborations with Blue Man Group, Mabou Mines, and director Peter Sellars. A curator, composer, and instrument inventor, Cossin’s sonic installations have been presented in New York, Italy, and Germany.

Mantra Percussion is an ensemble committed to bringing to life new percussive works by living composers. The group has been hailed by The New York Times as “finely polished... a fresh source of energy” and lauded by both The New Yorker and TimeOut New York for presenting some of the city’s most noteworthy classical performances.

Get Tickets Become a Member Complete Hours & Admission › Entrances: 150 Eastern Parkway 455 Flatbush Avenue 990 Washington Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11225 Directions & Parking › Visitor FAQ Answers to Top Questions › Accessibility ›…

  • Visit

    Bluebell Wood Audio Highlight (English & Español)

    English In Bluebell Wood, thousands of Spanish bluebells are nestled under the dappled shade of beech, elm, and birch trees. Listen along as Fernanda Incera, Interpretation assistant at BBG, shares her favorite stories about this special area of the Garden. Your browser does not support the audio element. Read transcript…

  • Photo Sets

    Bluebell Wood Highlights

    Bluebell Wood Highlights

  • People

    Claire Ratinon

    Claire Ratinon is an organic food grower and writer based in East Sussex, UK. She is the author of How to Grow Your Dinner Without Leaving the House and Unearthed: On Race and Roots, and How the Soil Taught Me I Belong.

  • Visit

    Tours & Suggested Itineraries

    Guided Tours See All Upcoming Tours › Group Tours Enhance your visit to Brooklyn Botanic Garden with a private tour! Contact [email protected] or call 718-623-7220 for information. $300 for up to 10 people; $30…

  • Articles

    Cherry Trees Are Often Grafted. What Does that Mean?

    Cherry Trees Are Often Grafted. What Does that Mean?

  • Calendar: Events

    Rose Tour

    Rose Tour

  • Visit

    Cherry Blossoms Audio Highlight (English & Español)

    English Are you here to see the flowering cherry trees bloom? They’re some of our favorite trees, too. Listen along as Fernanda Incera, Interpretation assistant at BBG, shares some fascinating facts about cherries at the Garden. Your browser does not support the audio element. Read transcript Are you here to…

  • Visit

    Terrain at Brooklyn Botanic Garden

    Located at the Steinberg Visitor Center entrance (990 Washington Avenue), Terrain offers a variety of unique plants, artisan gifts, and decor with the urban dweller and passionate plant person in mind. Garden members receive a 10% discount in the store. Hours: Tuesday–Thursday: 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Friday–Sunday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Note:…

  • Calendar: Events

    After Party 2024

    After Party 2024

  • Articles

    Waking Up Your Garden for Spring

    Waking Up Your Garden for Spring

  • Articles

    Summer Destination: A Pollinator Lounge

    Summer Destination: A Pollinator Lounge

  • Support

    Digital Membership Card FAQ

    Digital cards and guest passes are available to members.

  • Articles

    Ask a Gardener: Is It a Weed or a Seedling?

    Ask a Gardener: Is It a Weed or a Seedling?

  • Calendar: Events

    Discover Movement with Sarah Pope

    Discover Movement with Sarah Pope

  • Gardening Resources

    Ask a Gardener

    In this seasonal advice column, BBG gardener Laura Powell addresses your gardening conundrums.

  • Calendar: Events

    President’s Circle Spring Blossoms Celebration: Bluegrass in the Blooms

    President’s Circle Spring Blossoms Celebration: Bluegrass in the Blooms

  • Articles

    Weed of the Month: Garlic Mustard

    Weed of the Month: Garlic Mustard

  • Articles

    How to Garden on a Budget in NYC

    How to Garden on a Budget in NYC

  • Gardening Resources

    BBG’s Guide to Composting

    Left on its own, all organic matter will eventually break down through the action of hungry bacteria and fungi as well as larger creatures such as worms, sow bugs, and centipedes. These decomposers consume decaying plant material and convert it into humus. Composting speeds up this natural process. In just…

  • Education and Activities

    Continuing Education Classes

    Learn to plant a roof garden, arrange flowers, make your own perfume, paint in watercolor, and much more.

  • Classes

    Designing with Summertime Blooms

    Designing with Summertime Blooms

  • Classes

    Wood, Wire, and Other Ways

    Wood, Wire, and Other Ways

  • People

    Dawn Petter

  • Classes

    DIY Herbal Oxymels

    DIY Herbal Oxymels

  • People

    Heather Wolf

  • People

    Julianne Zaleta

  • Classes

    Starting a Vegetable Garden

    Starting a Vegetable Garden

  • Classes

    DIY Soils and Fertilizers

    DIY Soils and Fertilizers

  • Classes

    Native Gardening Intensive

    Native Gardening Intensive

  • Classes

    Pollination Ecology & Principles of Pollinator Landscape Design (online)

    Pollination Ecology & Principles of Pollinator Landscape Design (online)

  • Classes

    How to Repot and Root Prune Root-Bound Plants

    How to Repot and Root Prune Root-Bound Plants

  • Classes

    How to Choose the Right Plant for Your Home or Office

    How to Choose the Right Plant for Your Home or Office

  • People

    Seda Anac

  • Articles

    “We Are Still Here”: Courtney Streett on Native Plants & Indigenous Knowledge

    “We Are Still Here”: Courtney Streett on Native Plants & Indigenous Knowledge

  • Classes

    Beginner Botanical Drawing with Watercolor Pencils

    Beginner Botanical Drawing with Watercolor Pencils

  • People

    Landon Newton

  • Classes

    Cyanotype Printmaking

    Cyanotype Printmaking

  • Classes

    Speed Painting Fruit & Vegetables: The Art Strategic Bold Watercolor

    Speed Painting Fruit & Vegetables: The Art Strategic Bold Watercolor

  • Classes

    Cross-Stitch Still Life

    Cross-Stitch Still Life

  • People

    Fabrice Rochelemagne

    Fabrice Rochelemagne is an arborist who previously worked at Central Park Conservancy and the New York Botanical Garden.

  • People

    Colin Kirk

  • People

    Sam Anderson

    Sam Anderson is an Urban Agriculture Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension. He works with urban farmers throughout New York City, providing technical assistance and resources with an emphasis on soil management and integrated pest management.

  • People

    George Lozefski

    George Lozefski is the laboratory manager and field & education/outreach coordinator at the NYC Urban Soils Institute. As a dedicated and passionate scientist and educator, he conducts environmental research at Columbia University’s Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory and teaches geoscience courses at Brooklyn College. Lozefski conducts soil science and soil testing…

  • People

    Monique Bosch

    Monique has built over 40 edible school and community gardens and farms, including a two-acre urban farm in Bridgeport Connecticut.

  • People

    Fabio Andrés Ávila Castillo

    Fabio Andrés Ávila Castillo (Andrés) is a Colombian forest engineer and second-year PhD student in the Biology–Plant Sciences program at CUNY. His research interests are in systematics and biogeography of neotropical vascular plants, especially in the northern South American Compositae (daisy family), and Proteales (Sabiaceae and Proteaceae [macadamia nut family]).…

  • People

    Andrew Sliwa

    With a degree in plant science from Cornell University and 15 years of experience working for a landscape contractor in New York City, Sliwa is extremely passionate about green spaces in NYC.

  • People

    Stephanie Pace

    Stephanie Pace is a gardener at Brooklyn Bridge Park where she maintains the plantings on Pier 3.

  • Calendar: Events

    Solar Eclipse Community Event [Sold Out]

    Solar Eclipse Community Event [Sold Out]

  • People

    Elena Day

    Elena Day is a horticulture supervisor at the Trust for Governor’s Island, where she oversees the native plant restoration and ornamental plantings in the north half of the island park. Her passion is ecological horticulture, developing native ecosystems that support birds, insects, and other wildlife. She is a graduate of…

  • Community Greening

    Brooklyn Urban Gardener Certificate Program

    BBG’s Real-Life Training Program for Community Volunteers Learn + Grow + Connect + Serve The Brooklyn Urban Gardener (BUG) certificate program is an annual multiple-session course that covers the basics in urban gardening and community greening. It connects the educational resources of Brooklyn Botanic Garden to the greening efforts of…

  • People

    Stephanie Foo

    Stephanie Foo is a journalist and the NYT bestselling author of What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma.

  • Articles

    So, You Want to Join a Community Garden?

    So, You Want to Join a Community Garden?

  • Articles

    The Rich History of Black Flower Vendors in New York City

    The Rich History of Black Flower Vendors in New York City

  • People

    Nsombi Woodson

    Nsombi Woodson is the founder of The Woodson Bloomery, an interactive floral art studio which teaches the artistic expression of floral design. Nsombi Woodson’s love of flowers began in childhood among the beautiful roses her grandmother grew in her Bronx backyard. Nsombi explains her artistic philosophy as “Trying very hard…

  • People

    Erin Eck

    Erin Eck is the director of Continuing Education at BBG and has been teaching at the Garden since 2018. Erin has a background in public horticulture and was a gardener at the High Line for nearly six years. She began her career in urban gardening as a research assistant studying…

  • People

    Lydia Paradiso

    Lydia Paradiso is currently a doctoral student in a joint program between the CUNY Graduate Center and the New York Botanical Garden, where she studies conifer systematics and the spontaneous flora of New York City. She previously received a MSc in Plant Biodiversity from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh. Lydia…

  • People

    Shanti Nagel

    Shanti Nagel is the founder of Design Wild, a landscape design firm that strongly believes the relationship between humans and the natural world is essential for individual health, the strength of communities, and the life of ecosystems. She works at the intersection of landscape design, humans, and community well-being. At…

  • People

    Mary Christiansen

    Artist Mary Christiansen taught art at the Brearley School for 29 years and has also been an instructor in botanical art at the New York Botanical Garden, where she received a certificate in botanical art. She has exhibited her work in many juried group shows, including the American Society of…

  • People

    Evelyn Manlove

    Evelyn Manlove is passionate about exploring the intersection between the human environment and functional ecology. Building upon years of experience caring for and creating native plant focused residential gardens in the Philadelphia area, she found a niche for this pursuit among the horticulture staff at Brooklyn Bridge Park. As a…

  • People

    Kimberly Tryba

    As managing principal of a New York–based landscape practice, Kimberly Tryba manages the strategic planning and global business development efforts for this global firm. Her approach ensures urban development is in harmony with nature, supports biodiversity, and promotes resilience to climate change. Kimberly’s experience includes major urban projects that span…

  • People

    Damon Arrington

    Damon Arrington is a Landscape Designer whose work bridges science and architecture with art and community. Damon obtained a Master’s in Landscape Architecture from the City College of New York where he was a scholar for the J. Max Center for Inclusion and Equity. His notable architecture projects include The…

  • People

    Rhiannon Platt

    Rhiannon Platt is at least third-generation fiber artist. Raised by seamstresses, crocheters, and fiber artists of all kinds, she picked up her first needle almost two decades ago. Since helping her mom sew holiday decorations, Rhiannon has gone on to fabricate for Lion Brand Yarn, Shakespeare in the Park, and…

  • People

    Michael Troy Brown

    Michael Troy Brown is an honors graduate from the University of Florida with a bachelors in horticulture. He has accumulated extensive knowledge in the field of entomology, landscape design, tropical ornamentals, Mediterranean-climate plants, cactus, annuals, and perennials in his 20-plus years of work in the trade. Brown had the opportunity…

  • Classes

    How to Join a Community Garden

    How to Join a Community Garden

  • People

    Valerie Striar

    Valerie Striar has led walking meditation at the Garden since 2014 with the intention of supporting our interconnection and reverence for the earth. Valerie has cultivated a longtime practice of mindfulness meditation and is certified with the Inner Strength Foundation and Inward Bound Mindfulness Education for Teens, iBme. She has…

  • People

    Carey Russell

    Carey Russell is a naturalist, educator, filmmaker and photographer based in New York City. He holds a master’s degree in forestry with an emphasis in landscape ecology, and is a certified interpretive guide, and a licensed guide and master naturalist in New York State. He has worked for the U.S.…

  • People

    Allison Maletz

    Allison Maletz is a contemporary watercolor and mixed media artist, with degrees from the Rhode Island School of Design and the Slade School of Fine Art, London. She has exhibited her work widely in Europe and the U.S. She has also taught people of all ages and currently leads classes…

  • People

    Elise Bernhardt

    Elise Bernhardt led nonprofit cultural organizations for over 30 years before she “reinvented” to follow her passion for flowers and start Fleur Elise Bkln. She brings her background as a dancer/choreographer and her studies of Ikebana (Japanese floral design) to her own designs. In her teaching, Bernhardt combines her experience…

  • Support

    Corporate Membership

    BBG’s Corporate Membership Program provides vital support to the Garden and its programs while offering a variety of benefits to your company and employees.

  • Photo Sets

    Filling in the Lines: Botanical Sketches and Stories

    Filling in the Lines: Botanical Sketches and Stories

  • Calendar: Events

    Members’ Summer Evenings

    Members’ Summer Evenings

  • Calendar: Events

    Spring First Discoveries

    Spring First Discoveries

  • Visit

    Shop

    The Garden Shop is closed for renovations, and will reopen this spring. We apologize for any inconvenience.

  • Support

    Membership FAQs

    Answers to frequently asked questions about membership at Brooklyn Botanic Garden: digital member cards, tickets, member summer evenings, and more

  • Calendar: Events

    Discovery Garden Early Opening for Children and Families of All Abilities

    Discovery Garden Early Opening for Children and Families of All Abilities

  • Articles

    How to Grow Your Own Winecap Mushrooms

    How to Grow Your Own Winecap Mushrooms