Fall/Winter 2017

Places to Visit:

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBC), opened in 1913, is a 52-acre botanic garden located in the Prospect Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Originally a marshy wasteland, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden has been transformed into one of New York City’s most beautiful parks. The Wisconsin Iceberg that shaped Long Island, Manhattan, and the Bronx millions of years ago gave this land its unique knob-and-kettle terrain of small ponds and hills by carving depressions in the soil.

The BBC was designed by brothers Frederick Jr. and John Charles Olmsted (sons of Prospect and Central Park designer Frederick Law Olmsted) but the present garden is largely the product of Harold Caparn, a landscape architect. He let the Garden organically grow over the course of decades, adding sections as he could and refurbishing others when needed. It now includes over 13 separate themed gardens including: Cherry Esplanade, The Children’s Garden, The Cranford Rose Garden, The Discovery Garden, The Fragrance Garden, The Herb Garden, The Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, Lily Pool Terrace, The Native Flora Garden, The Osborne Garden, The Rock Garden, The Shakespeare Garden, and The Shelby White and Leon Levy Water garden.

Events for this fall and winter season include kids’ activity stations, workshops on composting, edible & medicinal roots, food fermentation, natural perfume blending, floral arranging, and more. Visiting the entire garden could take a full day, but the garden offers guided tours, and even has suggested itineraries on its website.

The BBC has three entrances: 150 Eastern Parkway, 455 Flatbush, and 990 Washington Avenue. Parking is available and it is accessible by bus and subway. Visit www.bbg.org.

We encourage you and your families to take part and enjoy these wonderful parks and local treasures when considering activities.