April 26, 2012
Spring Sprang Early: Should We Worry?

Should we be battening down the hatches and sounding DEFCON 3 over this warmer-than-seems-sane spring? Not quite. So says Robert Naczi, curator of North American Botany here at the NYBG.

Rather than catastrophic evidence of radical climate change, Naczi says that this seemingly drastic shift to warmer weather is well within the range of experience for plants native to our area. Is there a warming trend? Yes, but this year’s bizarro weather is likely less attributed to overall climate change than it is a climate pattern known as the North Atlantic Oscillation.

Confused? It’s okay. Click through for a video interview with the brainiacs behind the science. —MN

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(Notes: 11)
  
Filed under: spring weather climate botany 
April 20, 2012
Much has been made of this spring’s warm weather. Many have predicted that it is the new normal, others have called for caution, and many have started pointing to Henry David Thoreau. Why Thoreau? Many reasons. Thoreau’s “Walden,” had been for many an introduction to environmental movement, and a rallying cry for ecological protection. But another reason is that Thoreau was an early phenologist. Over the course of many years he recorded the earliest bloom times or migratory arrivals of over 300 species in a series of notebooks and charts. These notes now allow scientists like Richard B. Primack, a biology professor at Boston University, Abraham J. Miller-Rushing, of Acadia National Park, and the illustrator Becca Stadtlander to draw some slightly worrying conclusions in the New York Times. What do you think? Do you think the environment has irrevocably changed? Do you think non-existent winters and hot, dry springs are the new normal? ~AR

Much has been made of this spring’s warm weather. Many have predicted that it is the new normal, others have called for caution, and many have started pointing to Henry David Thoreau.

Why Thoreau? Many reasons. Thoreau’s “Walden,” had been for many an introduction to environmental movement, and a rallying cry for ecological protection. But another reason is that Thoreau was an early phenologist. Over the course of many years he recorded the earliest bloom times or migratory arrivals of over 300 species in a series of notebooks and charts. These notes now allow scientists like Richard B. Primack, a biology professor at Boston University, Abraham J. Miller-Rushing, of Acadia National Park, and the illustrator Becca Stadtlander to draw some slightly worrying conclusions in the New York Times.


What do you think? Do you think the environment has irrevocably changed? Do you think non-existent winters and hot, dry springs are the new normal? ~AR

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(Notes: 20)
  
Filed under: Henry David Thoreau Global Warming Weather Ecology Phenology Science Nature 
March 26, 2012
Handling Tonight’s Hard Freeze Some of us may have let our optimism over the early spring warmth get away from us. Weather reports for the NYC area suggest we’re looking at a hard freeze overnight, meaning question marks for the many flowering plants that woke up a bit too early. Thankfully, not all is doom and gloom, as our acting Director of Outdoor Gardens will tell you. We asked Kristin Schleiter to give us the good with the bad. And if you have concerns about how your colorful spring inflorescence will manage this evening, you may want to give it a glance. —MN

Handling Tonight’s Hard Freeze

Some of us may have let our optimism over the early spring warmth get away from us. Weather reports for the NYC area suggest we’re looking at a hard freeze overnight, meaning question marks for the many flowering plants that woke up a bit too early.

Thankfully, not all is doom and gloom, as our acting Director of Outdoor Gardens will tell you. We asked Kristin Schleiter to give us the good with the bad. And if you have concerns about how your colorful spring inflorescence will manage this evening, you may want to give it a glance. —MN

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(Notes: 60)
  
Filed under: weather gardening freeze 
March 25, 2012
Mild Winter = Hot Summer? Not Exactly Take this for what it’s worth—to quote the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) deputy director, they “don’t give guarantees in the climate business.” (Not that any of you are citing the morning weather report as gospel.) But fears of an easy winter leading to a scorching summer are likely exaggerated. Instead, we’re probably in for a slightly-warmer-than-average summer, and very little flooding (the other concern preoccupying the meteorologically fretful). This is pure relief for New Yorkers if it plays out. But in places like Texas, where an ongoing drought is the biggest issue on everyone’s mind, the thought of a summer with little rain is devastating. —MN

Mild Winter = Hot Summer? Not Exactly

Take this for what it’s worth—to quote the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) deputy director, they “don’t give guarantees in the climate business.” (Not that any of you are citing the morning weather report as gospel.) But fears of an easy winter leading to a scorching summer are likely exaggerated.

Instead, we’re probably in for a slightly-warmer-than-average summer, and very little flooding (the other concern preoccupying the meteorologically fretful). This is pure relief for New Yorkers if it plays out. But in places like Texas, where an ongoing drought is the biggest issue on everyone’s mind, the thought of a summer with little rain is devastating. —MN

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(Notes: 28)
  
Filed under: weather spring summer drought 
March 12, 2012
Plants Boldly Go Where They've Never Gone Before

The PBS NewsHour blog takes a look at what may (or may not) be the effects of a changing climate on gardens across the United States, including at NYBG’s own Ladies’ Border. Why the hedged language? Because some of the changes outlined in the USDA’s new plant hardiness zone map have been brought about by better technology.

But, anecdotally, it really does feel like weather patterns are changing, from the southwest to the northeast. What do you think? Have you noticed any changes in the plants you can grow in your garden? ~AR

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(Notes: 5)
  
Filed under: USDA Plant Hardiness Climate Change Weather Plants Gardening Ladies' Border The New York Botanical Garden 
February 22, 2012
Warm Winter Leads to Early Blooms in Northeast Notice anything particularly odd about your northeastern garden this year? We have, as you’ll gather if you so much as glance at any of the NYBG’s social media feeds: there’s regular talk of this bizarrely warm winter and the early blooms it brings along. And if you were to visit the NYBG right now for a look at flowering plants that in years past would still be waiting for the alarm clock of spring, you’d be surprised at what you found. “We’re having earlier springs,” says professor David Wolfe, part of Cornell’s Department of Horticulture. In conjunction with Kristin Schleiter, the NYBG’s acting Director of Outdoor Collections, NPR’s brief foray into this awkward season leaves us wondering if the warmth will be a trending topic in coming years, or only a fluke visitor for the 2011/2012 winter. Either way, an early spring means early flowers, and that makes the Garden even more of a destination. Get here now!

Warm Winter Leads to Early Blooms in Northeast

Notice anything particularly odd about your northeastern garden this year? We have, as you’ll gather if you so much as glance at any of the NYBG’s social media feeds: there’s regular talk of this bizarrely warm winter and the early blooms it brings along. And if you were to visit the NYBG right now for a look at flowering plants that in years past would still be waiting for the alarm clock of spring, you’d be surprised at what you found.

“We’re having earlier springs,” says professor David Wolfe, part of Cornell’s Department of Horticulture. In conjunction with Kristin Schleiter, the NYBG’s acting Director of Outdoor Collections, NPR’s brief foray into this awkward season leaves us wondering if the warmth will be a trending topic in coming years, or only a fluke visitor for the 2011/2012 winter.

Either way, an early spring means early flowers, and that makes the Garden even more of a destination. Get here now!

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(Notes: 8)
  
Filed under: weather gardening northeast NYBG 
February 5, 2012
Like a warm, fuzzy memory … that dusting of snow a few weekends ago. Winter 2012, you have been so weird. Thank you Cindy for this beautiful reminder!~AR

Like a warm, fuzzy memory … that dusting of snow a few weekends ago. Winter 2012, you have been so weird. Thank you Cindy for this beautiful reminder!~AR

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(Notes: 20)
  
Filed under: Snow Winter Bronx River The New York Botanical Garden Visitor-Generated Content New York City Weather 
February 2, 2012
Meet Charles G Hogg

timeoutnewyork:

guardian:

If he sees his shadow and scurries back inside in fright, this means six more weeks of winter; if he doesn’t, we can expect an early spring.

In a bid to elevate Chuck to his rightful place in the pantheon of great weather rodents, the Guardian travelled to the zoo on Wednesday for a rare and exclusive interview.

This blog is Team Chuck.

Charles G. Hogg gets our vote, too!

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(Notes: 5)
  
Filed under: Staten Island Chuck Weather Spring Winter 
February 1, 2012

This glorious weather has the flowers on the Ladies’ Border blooming extra early. If you visit this week you can expect to see (pictured above, top to bottom, left to right):

Adonis amurensis (a cheery yellow and rare perennial flower)

Viburnum (they smell divine!)

Galanthus (snowdrops)

Jasminum nudiflorum (yellow winter jasmine sans aroma)

Hellebore (also known as Lenten Rose)

Prunus mume (a beautiful Japanese apricot)

and the positively intoxicating smelling Mahonia bealai.

~AR

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(Notes: 26)
  
Filed under: Flowers Winter Weather Nature The New York Botanical Garden Ladies' Border Weird Weather New York CIty 
January 27, 2012

Pictures from (what turned out to be) a beautiful late-January day.

Says Sarah Paulson, Coordinator of Teen Programs in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, “Hellebores are opening and daffodils are coming up in Plant Part Paradise! Bulbs are also popping up between bald Cyprus knees on Adventure Trail!”

Oh, and there’s ducks, even more ducks than yesterday!

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(Notes: 17)
  
Filed under: January Winter Weather New York City Plants Flowers Nature Bulbs Ducks The New York Botanical Garden Everett Children's Adventure Garden 
January 7, 2012
Here’s something I never knew: When it’s going to be icy cold in Florida, fruit growers spay their plants with water to encase them in ice in order to protect them. The ice insulates the fruits and flowers and keeps them from being damaged. It’s a fascinating world out there! ~AR

Here’s something I never knew: When it’s going to be icy cold in Florida, fruit growers spay their plants with water to encase them in ice in order to protect them. The ice insulates the fruits and flowers and keeps them from being damaged. It’s a fascinating world out there! ~AR

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(Notes: 74)
  
Filed under: Farming Florida Citrus Weather 
January 6, 2012
It’s going to be really nice out again this weekend. Come take a walk in the Forest, and meet our trees, some of whom are older than the United States!

It’s going to be really nice out again this weekend. Come take a walk in the Forest, and meet our trees, some of whom are older than the United States!

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(Notes: 26)
  
Filed under: New York City weather things to do The New York Botanical Garden Walking Nature Forest Trees Things That Are Older Than the U.S. 
January 3, 2012
Out of Season

Friend of the Garden, Karen, the writer behind the wonderful Brooklyn-based gardening blog Outside Now has a magnolia branch blooming in her apartment. She also reports that, just like NYBG blogger Sonia, she has seen Kousa Dogwoods in bloom at odd times in the past. I’m going to look into whether or not Kousas are especially sensitive to warmsnaps and I’ll report back if I find anything interesting. Thanks for the info Karen! ~ AR

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(Notes: 3)
  
Filed under: Kousa Dogwoods Climate Change Weather Gardening The New York Botanical Gardne 
January 2, 2012
We’re not alone in trying to puzzle out the weird weather of 2011. In England apple trees are still bearing fruit, and many plants are sporting a second round of blossoms and fruit.

We’re not alone in trying to puzzle out the weird weather of 2011. In England apple trees are still bearing fruit, and many plants are sporting a second round of blossoms and fruit.

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(Notes: 44)
  
Filed under: Weather Plants Nature New York City United Kingdom 
December 5, 2011
Ugh. Our thoughts go out to our colleagues on the West Coast—including at the Los Angeles Arboretum and at the Huntington—as they assess the damage done by last week’s intense wind storms. We feel your pain. Best of luck!

Ugh. Our thoughts go out to our colleagues on the West Coast—including at the Los Angeles Arboretum and at the Huntington—as they assess the damage done by last week’s intense wind storms. We feel your pain. Best of luck!

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(Notes: 14)
  
Filed under: Storm Damage Weather Santa Ana Winds Los Angeles Trees 
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