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New York Botanical Garden
Rating Details »
Categories: Parks, Botanical Gardens [Edit]
2694 Southern Blvd200th St & Kazimiroff Blvd
Bronx, NY 10458
(718) 817-8700
- Hours:
Tue-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
41 reviews for New York Botanical Garden
The NY Botanical Garden is one of my favorite places in NY...plus special exhibit "HOLIDAY TRAIN SHOW"
I decided to take my parents + grandparents to the exhibit since they enjoy nature & don't get much of it in brooklyn. Thank god for corporate discounts because I didn't have to pay for anyone...hoooray! (except for parking $12 for some reason they took my company of the list..damn economic crisis!) The train show plus reg admission is $18 at the garden but if your ordering online its $3 extra for EMAIL DELIVERY...outrageous!
The garden itself is just a beautiful walk...the benches are decorated for the season & the center of the garden is filled with christmas trees! There is not much that blooms in December..but still worth it for the exhibit. Holiday Train Show was really cute! Some of the major NY sites are made out of trees (leafs, bark, pines etc) on a smaller scale of coarse..but so cute! plus trains all over..brooklyn bridge, washington, manhattan & so on. All in all it was a Sunday well spent.
PS bring your kinds theres a special garden "Gingerbread Adventures" for the little ones & a Puppet Show! =)
The New York Botanical Gardens is BEAUTIFUL!
I'm glad we took the time to visit the BF's friend who works here. Although it was a Monday and the Conservatory was closed, we were able to walk the grounds and see what Autumn should look like. The trees were all shades of green, red, and gold. It was a cool, brisk day and walking around made me appreciate what a true changing of the seasons was like.
I hope that the next time we are in NY, we'll get to check out the Gardens when the Conservatory is open. I'd like to see the exhibits. Too bad it's not in February though, I hear they have an awesome ORCHID exhibit!
Wednesdays = FREE admission, just to the Grounds though
This was on my list the last time I was in NY and glad that this was what I did on my first day in the Bronx. The place is absolutely beautiful and well kept. It was like walking through a real life zen garden. It was so peaceful that after I had checked out the Greenmarket (think small scale Farmer's Market), I found a bench and read there for about an hour or so. It was so relaxing, except for the gnats that kept landing on me, to sit in the shade and x-out the sounds of the city. It's great that there were trash and recycle bins everywhere to prevent people from littering.
I didn't check out any of the gardens or the other places since I didn't feel like paying, but if just the grounds are this lovely, I expect to come back and take a look at everything I missed!
A dream:::
my Favorite place in the world
This is a great place in the city to get away from the city. You can easily spend a whole day here walking among the gardens, relaxing...and totally refresh! I luv spending my spare time!!
Unfortunately, the last time i visited the garden was last fall with my Microbiology class and it was the coldest day of the season! Everything was dead and crispy! We really could not enjoy ourselves. Fortunately I have visited the garden during the warmer seasons and it really is beautiful to see everything in full bloom! The gift store they have there is very pricey for the random stuff they have in there. They pretty much just sell books and artwork of their featured artists and planting seeds and different plants that you could find wayyy cheaper at Home Depot or anywhere else.
After being chased by a random skunk through 3 different gardens (only after I tried to take a really close up pic of him!!!!) I did get to have lunch there and it was great! For less than $8 I got a pecan encrusted fillet of Tilapia with green beans and a tri-colored roasted potato salad (Yukon gold, sweet potato, red skinned). It was surprisingly delicious! You normally get boring friend food that is over priced, but at this little cafeteria everything was moderately priced and really yummy!
I would love to go back to the Garden when everything is in full bloom!
If I had my choice between the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and the Bronx, I would definitely pick Brooklyn. It's easier to get to, has more flower displays and is overall, a bit nicer.
The Bronx Botanical Gardens were just okay. Long stretches of lawn and trees, but unless I'm missing something or we visited at the wrong time of the year, we saw very little flowers. The river area was nice. The air was refreshing and it was a nice adventure from the city.
Probably won't be returning since I have now compared the two. Will definitely be going back to Brooklyn's Gardens.
Wednesday's are free to enter the grounds, you must pay for the Conservatory, but they do have a pretty decent student rate. It's fun just to wander around the grounds taking in the nicely manicured lawns, finely sculpted gardens, and to listen to the pretty neat waterfall that flows from the Bronx River. Its peaceful and relaxing, and oh so beautiful.
Hurray for Horticulture!
Haven't been to this place since my class trips in middle school but I used to love going here. Definitely the nicest botanical garden I've ever been to...There's one in Charlotte, NC, that's my second-favorite.
Prepare to be stepped on during the summertime...Crowded just like the zoo is!
This is such a beautiful place! I've always been a fan of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden (having grown up in Brooklyn and rarely venturing upstate), but this place is amazing and worth the trip!
We went to the train show last year, which was unbelievable and incredibly impressive. The flowers in the spring are also beautiful. Don't forget to charge your camera battery!
This place has lots of...flowers!
I went to Fordham, which is right across the street, but I sadly never took advantage of the Bronx Botanical Garden as an undergrad. Such a shame, because I believe if you have a student ID, you can run there for free, and it's a perfect place for that. Lots of space (really, it's huge)! And whether you like running / walking on concrete, trails, flat surfaces or hills, it's all here. You'll also find lots of plants and trees (in case the whole "garden" thing didn't clue you in), waterfalls, a mill, picnic spots and even some odd-looking modern art structures, courtesy of the Met.
We came during our week off on a Wednesday which means it's FREE -- woo-hoo! That said, it was also pretty packed with children on field trips who were obviously ready for summer vk. Between the kids running in every which way and the car horns blaring in at times from nearby Fordham Rd., we were still able to enjoy our otherwise serene surroundings and get in a nice walk.
I just wasn't blown away. Nothing wrong with the place per se, but perhaps I don't have an overdeveloped appreciation for horticulture. It was still definitely a fun and FREE way to spend a Wednesday morning. It's probably better to come with a gal pal as opposed to your guy (mine has that "seen one flower, seen 'em all" mentality ;-)
Anyway, I plan to return this winter to take in the train, lights and CHOCOLATE show during the holidays. Mmm...chocolate!!!
Autumn has always been my favorite season - the leaves, my birthday, Halloween themed parties...love it all. Then came summer. In fact, I picked a career based on ample summer vacation time. Winter came next because I'm not going to lie, I love baking Christmas cookies. But spring I always thought was overhyped; such a quick and forgettable season that always came last in my rankings. Partly because everyone loved spring and to me it simply represented a month or two of confusing wardrobe questions. Do I bring the coat or leave it at home?
But that was all before I visited the Bronx Botanical Garden this past April. Now I know what everyone was talking about and I'm so glad I took time to smell the tulips (the rose garden wasn't in bloom). We spent forever under a cherry blossom tree letting the pink flowers fall around us. We napped on a stretch of green, had lunch on the grass, and then got lost trying to make sure we saw every single garden on the map. Because we're anal like that. But I think getting lost was the most fun part, actually. That made it all seem that much more surreal. As if we were in this safe and enormous fantasy nature land (when really it was just the Bronx, people) and we were hiking uncharted territory. I just think everything is more fun when you throw away the map. This is a good place to try that.
So go exploring at the Botanical Garden on a nice spring day, when it's not too hot and not too cold and all the flowers are in full bloom. I really don't think I've ever seen spring beauty like I saw it there. I have some amazing pictures and a new found appreciation for the season... oh and the Bronx. Nice work.
Just got back from an awesome trip to NYC, and one of the highlights was 'Moore in America' at the NYBG. I go to New York about four times a year, but had never gotten out to the gardens. Turns out that it's not hard to get to - it's just a long ride, so bring a book.
I flashed my Atlanta Botanical Garden membership and got in for free. Even if I had paid for admission, though, it would have been absolutely worth it.
The garden is huge - it made Central Park look like a putting green. I spent all day wandering through conifer gardens, rock gardens, and rose gardens, and when I needed a break, I just lay in the grass. And I haven't even mentioned Henry Moore's sculptures yet. I love his work, and there were over 20 sculptures scattered throughout the grounds. Words aren't going to do justice to the combination of the sculptures and the plants - as dorky as this sounds, it was the definition of zen. I'll upload some pictures soon!
In reality, I went to NYC to see some friends and do a little shopping, so leaving the city may seem a bit counterproductive. But my time at the NYBG may have been the most memorable experience of the trip - i left feeling like I'd discovered something totally unique.
I love this place, even though I have been here so many times that I have practically memorized the paths and the sights. However, I think that its time for a major overhaul at the Botanical Garden. They need to make the place a little more interesting by incorporating perhaps more unique events to enjoy while visiting, and offer more attraction than the actual garden. I don't see why they cant add some spice to the experience, at least to satisfy those who are willing to return.
Very peaceful place. Loads of kids though. You need to find a day that you can go for free to make it truly worth while.
Funny how when I searched under New York, this didn't pop up. Is the Bronx not a huge part of New York City? I know we all like to think of our own boroughs as their own cities but it doesn't hurt to venture out now and then.
Places like the botanical garden, make this city livable. When you think that you will be overtaken by the stench of old trash and unidentified fluids that fill the streets, take an afternoon to escape to a little bit of paradise. The garden is 250 acres large with trees, forests and flowers that help you forget you are in "the city".
The conservatory offers exhibitions year round, so when spring seems far away, the flowers are still blooming. The orchid exhibition is always breathtaking.
The gift shop offers books for lovers of botany, plant inspired jewelry, toys for the kids, and live plants for your window box.
If it seems like a long subway ride, you will not be disappointed. The garden can give you back your sanity and offers color and beauty to a place that sometimes seems overly fond of shades of grey.
There weren't as many flowers as I expected . A lot more trees and shrubs - even a rock garden. However, I didn't really have enough time to explore the whole garden.
Make sure to leave enough time to get up to the garden, make sure to get off at the correct bus stop (they won't stop if you don't push the button), and make sure to leave enough time to explore this enormous place! I didn't do any of these, unfortunately.
The place is really magnificent and is a great escape from New York. It doesn't compare to Lednice, Czech Republic, but for New York City it is very impressive.
Definitely come here.
The last time I was here, my age was in the single digits but I've always appreciated how beautiful it was to me. I've never really seen real flowers until I came here. I've been here about 3 times and it never got boring. All the colors. All the pure beauty. Every once in while, it's nice not seeing concrete everywhere you go.
It's always nice to get away from the city without actually going away. Granted, coming up to the NY Botanical Garden from the southernmost tip of Manhattan does prove to be quite a trek (it took me 1.5 hours using the train and bus), but that just adds to the feeling of being on a real journey.
Once I entered the gated grounds of the gardens, I immediately felt at peace. Even though the Mosholu Parkway is right on the other side of the gates, the sound of the lush trees rustling with the strong wind easily drowned out any traffic noise. I could take a deep breath and just taste fresh (chilly) air in my lungs.
The Japanese chrysanthemum exhibit Kiku is what brought me to the Botanical Garden last week. I realized that the one and only time I had ever been there was for a lavish bar mitzvah 14 years ago. It was due time that I took this visit, especially since I had been feeling dragged down with city life lately.
Kiku turned out to be a very pretty and informative showcasing of the different styles of Japanese chrysanthemum cultivation and training (yes, training!). I have the complete opposite of a green thumb (mine's red), so I was in awe of all the time and meticulous skill it took to create the lovely flower displays. I kicked myself for not bringing my camera but made due with my little cameraphone.
A standout display was actually not of chrysanthemums but of bamboo. A large bamboo sculpture greeted you right when you came out of the Haupt Conservatory into the chrysanthemum exhibit. It was easily over 10 feet high and looked a bit like a willow tree: there was a large bark, which consisted of intricately woven bamboo, and slits of bamboo that hung down and swayed ominously in the wind. (To admit pure geekiness, it reminded me of the Whomping Willow in the Harry Potter books.)
The Haupt Conservatory surrounding the exhibit provided a welcome respite from the windy and chilly air of that day since it displayed rainforest plant life. I walked through the entire labyrinthine conservatory as if I were exploring the jungles of the South American rainforests, albeit on concrete paths, and really enjoyed the solitude and calmness of the experience. The path led me to the desert, which was surprisingly cooler than the rainforest, and (not surprisingly) displayed a whole other variety of plant life.
After my long lunch in the dining cafe (where the prices were actually reasonable), I took a long walk along the wide paths of the grounds. Since it was already starting to get dark and near closing time, I didn't get to explore the grounds as extensively as I would have liked. The rock garden was also unfortunately closed by the time I found it.
The NY Botanical Garden doesn't necessarily seem like the type of place where you can really get the feeling of being lost in the woods, but it does provide a good amount of serenity and peacefulness in an overtly chaotic city. I look forward to a return visit in the spring when the trees and grass will be that much more lush and verdant.
I really love this place for glorifying natural beauty. Each time I come, I find a different showcase of flowers. My favorite so far has been their orchid exhibit, held inside their conservatory. They give free workshops for those with green thumbs (or wannabe green thumbers, like myself). I also love it that they offer educational workshops/ exhibits for children. They have a separate play area for the kids. You can get a full tour of the area with their tram rides when your feet get tired. I've been here for a wedding, which was also great. A "must come" place when you're seeking some peace and quiet.
http://www.museumregis...
http://nybg.org/chil_e...
I'd visited the Botanical Garden for a family event years ago and clearly missed out on all of its splendor because I don't remember it being so amazing. To be able to wander such vast, beautiful gardens in the city just seems surreal. I think you'd need a weekend to really take the whole place in.
I went here specifically to see the Chihuly exhibit, which is running through the end of October. You have to see this if you're anywhere near the area in the next two months.
A quick clip from the garden's Web site: "Renowned artist Dale Chihuly brings his spectacular glass sculpture to The New York Botanical Garden this summer in a stunning exhibition designed specifically for the Garden's collections and vistas."
To see Chihuly's glasswork strategically placed throughout the gardens is breathtaking. I have 150 pictures to show for it!
I've only been here once for the annual Orchid Show (a year ago), but even when it's cold out, this place is pretty amazing, so I can only imagine what it's like when everything is blooming and colorful. If you live in the city, it's a nice place to go for a slow, solitary walk and breathe some (relatively) clean air. The only reason you wouldn't like this place is if you have allergies. In which case you should pop a couple Claritin's and tough it out, because it's that worth it.
I am a bit biased, because I used to work here in education, as well as public programs, but then again, how many employees can give 5 out of 5 stars to their former workplace? Not many, I'm guessing! No matter how bad my kids were on their school field trip, it doesn't get much better than being surrounded by plants, the smells of flowers, taking forest walks (largest natural forest in NYC!), and knowing that this is your job.
NYBG can be expensive, especially if you take the Metro-North to get there. (I recommend it, however. It drops you off right across the street, rather than many blocks away like the subway does!) But! It is totally worth it to feel utterly transported out of the city, and yet, still be IN the city! And in the Bronx, nonetheless. I suggest bringing your own grub, as the cafes are overpriced and not spectacular in their offerings. Spring is breathtaking here, especially when the trees are flowering, but there is always something to see all year round.
Beautiful place with treees, grass, flowers and plants, as well as exhibits, a trolley to take you around, walking trails, and picnic area. Accessible by subway/bus and by Metro North.
WELL worth a visit!
Absolutely beautiful. I went there last year for the Orchid Show, and it was amazing. There were so many different displays there, I wish I could've spent more time there. I am not a flower nut, however walking the grounds was a fantastic time, it was amazing that this place is located just a few miles outside from the city!
this is one beautiful place to find your self in, in any season. needless to say, i have been very delighted by the various garden set-ups found everywhere in this location. you don't really need to spend the whole day here, 2 hours at the most would suffice, as it can be overwhelming to some. still, this is a horticultural paradise!
Just visited to see the Orchid exhib. Wow what a splash of color in grey March. It was a reasonable day and so we walked around outside: really nice. Cafe does good food; sarnies, soup and clean. took 4/5 there and Metro North to G/Central back. both were ok.
Seriously, If you don't like this place- go home and take a good look at yourself in the mirror or get a reality check..
Their holiday train show in the winter is gorgeous, and their orchid show in the spring is beautiful.
again, if you're a member, you get to bypass the line of people waiting to get in..
go check it out and then yelp about it, I guarantee you're gonna give it 5 stars.
No way of getting around that $20 full access entrance unless you are a member, student or senior. Read more here:
http://www.nybg.org/vi...
This reminds me of a WAY bigger version of Wave Hill. It is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. If you want to get away from it all go here.
Have to:
Haupt Conservatory (unnnnnnbelievable)
Rock Garden
Everett Children's Adventure Garden
I suggest you look at those above first and then take the trolley around the rest of it. It's 250 acres. I wish it was my backyard!
when i travel i always like to visit the botanical gardens of that town. i have yet to find one the is as good as the new york botanical garden.
most people think of visiting the gardens for spring or summer. for me this is an all year round experience. the library is magnificent. so many collections. and if you have some weird looking insect or plant or mushroom you can bring it to the botanist and they will tell you what it is. they love that kinda stuff. i went mushroom picking and found on several occasions unknown mushrooms and when they were identified as edible they became yummy meals.
take a walk through the woodlands and even walk down to the bronx river its a really nice city trek. the roses are amazing. the orchids are amazing. absolutely love the water lilies and lotus flowers. they smell divine. kids really love those ponds too especially when the school of koi swim toward you looking for fish flakes or bread crumbs.
the conservatory is a winter haven. its absolutely freezing cold outside but in here you are in a rain forest filled with beautiful tropical flowers and when you are done there you walk over to the dessert blooms and it feels like you are in arizona or new mexico. gotta love the cactus blooms the colors are truly out of this world.
The Bronx botanic gardens are really impressive--a massive stretch of gardens and forests in the middle of the Bronx, adjoining the Bronx Zoo.
Wandering through the grounds is a great way to spend an afternoon--it's easy to forget where you are as you walk between ancient trees or meander through the rock garden.
The only drawback is that it can be a bit hard to get to. But the grounds and gardens are fabulous, and the exhibits (the annual orchid exhibit, the recent chihuly) are wonderful. And the conservatory is insane. (I so want one--not that even a miniature one would fit in a nyc apt!).
A great day-trip, and you can get discount combo tickets for the Gardens and the Metro-North train via the MTA site (even cheaper if you book online).
Plus admission is free Wednesdays and from 10am-12pm on Saturdays.
Another one of my favorite spots in The Bronx, especially during the spring. I also love their annual orchid show. The only negative about this place is that I always leave feeling guilty that I do not have a green thumb.
I've been a member here for years and really like the place.
The Conservatory houses a nice collection of a wide variety of plants. It's hard for them to get too specialized, but they have a nice assortment of most types of plants you'd want to see. My favorites are the cacti and succulents and carnivorous plants. And the small display of orchids ain't bad either. They have yearly shows that are big crowd pleasers - 1 is the train show, the other is the orchid show. both are worth seeing.
The grounds are beautiful - it's a really nice place for a long walk - you'd swear you weren't in the Bronx. You can see some interesting birds, frogs, lizards (non-native), huge snapping turtles, muskrat and I heard even a beaver's been spotted.
There are a few outdoor garden areas as well. The Rock Garden's particularly nice and quite a relaxing place to unwind.
Most of you will never have reason to check these out (if they're even open to the public) but the NYBG's got an excellent library and herbarium as well.
Overall, I'm going to give it 5 stars. However, Wave Hill in Riverdale has a much nicer plant collection. Of course it's also much smaller, so it's probably nicer because they can spend more time on each of the plants. Wave Hill on the other hand doesn't offer all the NYBG offers.
If you're near the NYBG, you should also check out the Bronx Zoo (though thats more of a full day thing) and grab some Italian food in Little Italy.
There are three reasons to visit the Bronx - the zoo, Yankee Stadium, and this lush 250-acre park comprised of forty-eight gardens nestled among rock outcroppings, wetlands, ponds, and a cascading waterfall, and fifty acres of untouched forest. Scattered throughout the grounds you'll find the Haupt Conservatory (the country's largest Victorian greenhouse), a hands-on science center, a botanical research library, and a visitor center with a cafe and retail shops selling both souvenirs and plants. Spring and autumn are probably the best times to explore what has been designated a National Historic Landmark, although it's truly a winter wonderland when covered with a blanket of newly-fallen snow.
Went for the chihuly exhibit and had an amazing time. Highly recommend it for a nice day, picnic, trip with the family, bring your kids if you have them or even just a simple chance to see greenery outside the city and central park/prospect park.
My wife and I have been going here so often in the last two years we decided to become members. Went there for the opening of the Kiku exhibit which wasn't bad. There's nothing like walking through a garden and forgetting that your in NYC.
You can spend all day here. It's VERY tiring, but VERY nice, and there are lots of place to sit, so you can rest before you keep walking, which means you actually CAN spend all day.
The gardens seem to go on forever. There are flowers you've never seen before, a beautiful forest, hummingbirds, chipmunks frolicking. In the Bronx. If you haven't, you must spend a day here. It changes you.
Had my wedding at NYBG's Garden Terrace Room in April 2005, and it was the best wedding I've ever attended, if I may say so myself! I didn't do anything to make it as magical as it was . . . you can't go wrong with this garden's wide, spawling lawns, cherry blossoms, and tulips in the Spring. Abigail Kisrch catering was unadulterated perfection.
This is a great place in the city to get away from the city. You can easily spend a whole day here walking among the gardens, the conservatory, and shops. And the great thing about the Garden is that it is a constantly changing display of flowers - so you probably will never see the same thing twice. Bring your camera - it's a great place to get some nature shots. The special events, such as the Orchid or Train Show, are worth the money.
Another great site in the Bronx. Very peaceful place, great for walks in the spring or summer. Great views, a fun way to get out of the city in some sense.
