For New Yorkers and visitors alike, the grandeur of the fall season is just 20 minutes from midtown Manhattan and The New York Botanical Garden. NYBG is the perfect place to experience the splendor of fall with the Great Pumpkin Path, scarecrow decorations, and awe-inspiring Japanese chrysanthemums in breath-taking shapes and styles in and around the Conservatory. Explore the seasonal bounty of the Edible Academy, which is also reopening just in time for fall, and traverse the winding trails of the 50-acre, old-growth Thain Family Forest to view the changing colors and textures of autumn in the weeks ahead.
Hordes of gourds await discovery along the twists and turns of NYBG’s Great Pumpkin Path all month long. In particular, on October 24th, giant pumpkins that are some of the largest in the world arrive and will be on view through the first of November. These humongous pumpkins, some weighing more than 2,000 pounds, have been nurtured from seed by doting growers and brought to the Garden in collaboration with the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth.
Another highlight at NYBG are the displays spotlighting kiku in and around the Conservatory and Visitor Center. Highly skilled NYBG horticulturists spent 11 months growing and caring for these chrysanthemums (kiku in Japanese) that were cultivated from single cuttings, pinched back, and tied to frames. Flower buds develop as nights grow longer, and in fall, the plants burst into bloom in modern and ancient styles such as ogiku (single stem), kengai (cascade), and ozukuri (thousand bloom). For guests who can’t make it to the gardens in person, New York Botanical Gardens offers a virtual look into the changing hues with the NYBG Fall Color Cam.
New York Botanical Gardens offer perfectly festive and COVID-friendly activities and protocols. The new, limited timed-entry ticketing system staggers visitors’ arrivals, promotes social distancing, and mitigates the risk of crowding in high-traffic areas. In addition, advance purchase of timed tickets is required to ensure the safety of guests. On top of these changes, new measures include requiring staff and visitors to wear masks, increasing sanitization of public and staff areas, and daily health screenings for on-site staff.
Enjoy the beauties that fall has to offer while staying safe and healthy with NYBG today! Check out their available tickets here and prepare a lovely and colorful trip to the beautiful gardens.
