91-916: The LuEsther T. Mertz Library is located at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) in the Bronx , New York City. Founded in 1899 and renamed in the 1990s for LuEsther Mertz , it is the United States' largest botanical research library , and the first library whose collection focused exclusively on botany . The library contains large collections of books relating to botany and horticulture , and are used for studies in fields such as history, anthropology, landscape and building design, architectural history, ethnobotany , economic botany, urban social history, and environmental policy. Its holdings include current scholarly books and serials, as well as many rare and historically important works. Robert W. Gibson designed
182-532: A greenhouse containing several habitats; and the LuEsther T. Mertz Library , which contains one of the world's largest collections of botany-related texts. As of 2016 , over a million people visit the New York Botanical Garden annually. NYBG is also a major educational institution, teaching visitors about plant science, ecology, and healthful eating through NYBG's interactive programming. Nearly 90,000 of
273-432: A mansard roof with dormer windows corresponding to the vertical architectural bays below them. Those bays are separated by projecting pilasters topped with Corinthian -style pediments . A cornice runs the length of the second story. A glass dome is located over the third-story rotunda, rising 36 feet (11 m) above the third floor. On the front facade facing west, the central pavilion has rusticated stone and
364-528: A pediment supported by four Corinthian columns, which divide the central pavilion into three bays. At the first floor level, there are three sets of doors, one in each bay. The end sections also have pilasters in the Corinthian style. Above the central bay is an entablature containing the seal of New York City , while smaller entablatures with the seals of New York state and the United States are located on
455-433: A "laying of the first stone" event. When used as an adjective, the term groundbreaking may mean being or making something that has never been done, seen, or made before; "stylistically innovative works". Groundbreaking ceremonies have been celebrated for centuries in an attempt to begin the construction of a property, thanking those who made it possible. Though adapted to modern times, these ceremonies are still important to
546-431: A "wall raising" in 1997 to draw attention to the start of their building project. Another developer from Santa Monica hosted a "bottoming out" party to mark the completion of their parking garage's lowest level. A Hollywood developer, TrizecHahn , practiced another unconventional ceremony. The company hosted a costly groundbreaking event for its $ 350-million Hollywood & Highland entertainment-retail project. The event
637-440: A botanical garden and museum and arboretum therein, for the collection of and culture of plants, flowers, shrubs and trees, the advancement of botanical science and knowledge, and the prosecution of original researches therein and in kindred subjects, for affording instruction in the same, for the prosecution and exhibition of ornamental and decorative horticulture and gardening, and for the entertainment, recreation and instruction of
728-432: A boy attempting to control the other horse while holding a fish; and another boy sitting on a dolphin's back. Within the basin of the fountain is a bronze merman on a crab, and a bronze mermaid , both with startled expressions. At the time of Fountain of Life's commission, there were very few statues of horses with webbed forefeet. One observer wrote that "It was conceived in the spirit of Italian baroque fountains, with
819-426: A bronze book was placed within the basin. At that time, the fountain was named for Lillian Goldman , a prominent donor. In 1901, a contract was given to Wilson & Baillie Manufacturing Company for the paving and grading of a road and tree-lined avenue leading to the museum building. This was completed in 1902. The contract also called for a seating area and a drinking fountain 16 feet (4.9 m) tall, located at
910-434: A business activity for building interest in a new project/building. The ceremony generates positive press and regards those who are significant to the development and its overall scope. Usually, the project developer organizes groundbreaking ceremonies to attract clients and reflect positive impacts on the community, customers/clients, and employees. Often such ceremonies also incorporate speeches by people of influence, like
1001-504: A committee, which would review submissions for a second fountain-designing competition. Of the 15 proposals submitted in early 1903, Tefft's design was deemed the best, and he was selected for the commission. Thereafter, Roman Bronze Works of Greenpoint, Brooklyn , was selected to cast the sculpture in December 1904. The statue was completed in May 1905 and installed that July. The Fountain of Life
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#17328581441381092-621: A fund-raising campaign led by the Torrey Botanical Society and Columbia University botanist Nathaniel Lord Britton and his wife Elizabeth Gertrude Britton , who were inspired to emulate the Royal Botanic Gardens in London . In 1889, the Torrey Botanical Society's members decided to build the botanical garden at Bronx Park in the center of the Bronx , New York City's northernmost borough. The Lorillard family owned most of
1183-715: A hiatus during and after the Second World War, the School has trained students since then. Now called the School of Professional Horticulture, this fully-accredited program continues to develop horticulturists of the highest caliber for positions in both public and private gardens. After successfully completing the program, students receive The New York Botanical Garden's Diploma in Horticulture. The New York Botanical Garden has mounted public exhibitions throughout its history. In 1992, NYBG began presenting what would eventually be called
1274-500: A new entrance to the basement lecture hall and library and the renovation of 10,000 square feet (930 m) in the existing structure. The original building's rotunda was restored as well. Construction started in 1998, and though the expansion was originally supposed to be complete in 2000, the opening was ultimately delayed until 2002. Upon the annex's opening, the library collections and the Steere Herbarium were relocated to it, and
1365-402: A part of Hindu, Taoist, Shinto, Buddhist, and Feng Shui traditions. Historically, these are some notable events that were inaugurated by groundbreaking ceremonies. The reason for holding groundbreaking ceremonies in today's modern world has nothing or little to do with religion. Today, the western world exercises this old-age practice with a different purpose. Today, the celebratory serves as
1456-553: A result, NYBG officials planned for a four-story expansion to the east of the original building's north wing, set to open in 1991. A three-month restoration of the rotunda was completed in November 1988, and a new orchid terrarium was dedicated. The addition of the northern annex was delayed in 1992, when the NYBG announced that the annex would cost $ 32 million ($ 62.4 million in today's dollars) and be completed in 1994. A one-story annex to
1547-817: A sheltered area measuring 30 by 300 feet (9.1 by 91.4 m) across, near the Haupt Conservatory. In 2000, designer Lynden B. Miller created a new plan for the Ladies' Border. The Jane Watson Irwin Perennial Garden was designed in the 1970s by Dan Kiley and redefined by Miller in the 1980s and again in 2003. The Pfizer Plant Research Laboratory, named for Pfizer , is a two-story. 28,000-square-foot (2,600 m ) research building that opened in 2006. The laboratory studies plant genomics, molecular systematics , plant use in New York City's immigrant communities , and
1638-531: A similar design to the original building. The wing was to include classrooms, conference rooms, offices, and reading rooms. In 1964, Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. approved the plan, with the city and NYBG contributing equally toward the cost. The original rear wing behind the central pavilion was destroyed. The annex was dedicated as the Harriet Barnes Pratt Library Wing in late 1965, after a notable NYBG benefactor, and opened in 1966. Additionally,
1729-437: A team that included Britton & Parsons, as well as landscape engineer John R. Brinley, landscape gardener Samuel Henshaw, botanist Lucien Marcus Underwood , and architects Robert W. Gibson and Lincoln Pierson (the latter from the firm Lord & Burnham ). The LuEsther T. Mertz Library and Enid A. Haupt Conservatory were among the first structures at the NYBG to open. The Library was built between 1897 and 1900, and
1820-476: Is a serene cascade waterfall, as well as wetlands and a 50-acre (20 ha) tract of original, never-logged, old-growth New York forest. Garden highlights include the 1890s-vintage Haupt Conservatory , designed by Lord & Burnham ; the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, originally laid out by Beatrix Jones Farrand in 1916; an alpine rock garden, designed and installed by Thomas H. Everett in
1911-460: Is constructed with a steel frame and concrete floors. The basement contains the Arthur and Janet Ross Lecture Hall, which has a capacity of 400. An economic botany museum was developed on the first floor, and a general botany museum with exhibits on plant families was located on the second floor. The economic botany museum was developed in 1907 and later split into two sections: the economic/food plants and
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#17328581441382002-488: Is housed in what was formerly known as the NYBG's Museum Building or Administration Building, which started construction in 1897 and was completed in 1900. The structure was designed by Robert W. Gibson in the Renaissance Revival style. The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, named after Enid A. Haupt , is a greenhouse near the western end of the NYBG. The conservatory was designed by the major greenhouse company of
2093-492: Is located east of the southern wing, while a one-story annex is located to the south. The Harriet Barnes Pratt Library Wing is located behind the original building to the east of the center pavilion. The original building's facade consists of buff and gray brick interspersed with terracotta decoration. The windows are largely rectangular, except for those on the second floor, which contains round-arched window openings with balustrades at their bases. The third story consists of
2184-475: Is the largest existing remnant of the original forest which covered all of New York City before the arrival of European settlers in the 17th century. The forest, which was never logged, contains oaks, American beeches , cherry , birch , tulip and white ash trees, some more than two centuries old. The forest itself is split by the Bronx River , the only freshwater river in New York City, and this stretch of
2275-552: The Botanical Garden station of the New York Central Railroad (now Metro-North Railroad ), which made the building easily accessible from other locations. A design contest for the museum was held, attracting firms and architects like Ernest Flagg , William Appleton Potter , N. Le Brun & Sons, Parish & Schroeder , and Clinton & Russell . Robert W. Gibson won the commission and filed building plans with
2366-676: The LuEsther T. Mertz Library (2009), and the Lorillard Snuff Mill (1966, also separately on the National Register of Historic Places ). Groundbreaking Groundbreaking , also known as cutting , sod-cutting , turning the first sod , turf-cutting , or a sod-turning ceremony , is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and businesspeople . The actual shovel used during
2457-577: The New York City Department of Buildings in November 1896. In January 1897, the city authorized the NYBG to proceed with construction of the museum. By July 1897, construction was delayed due to disputes over whether the presence of the museum and the NYBG conservatory would detract from the naturalistic look of the rest of the garden. The magazine American Architect and Architecture , calling these objections "an unfortunate controversy", reported that
2548-628: The Renaissance Revival style building in 1896; it was finished five years later. The four-story structure, originally known as the Museum Building and later as the Administration Building , has a facade of gray- buff brick with buff terracotta . The sculptural Fountain of Life , as well as a tree-lined avenue called the Tulip Tree Allee, are located outside the front entrance. All three were included as contributing resources when
2639-548: The 1930s; an Herb Garden, designed by Penelope Hobhouse ; and a 37-acre (15 ha) conifer collection. The NYBG's extensive research facilities include a propagation center, 550,000-volume research library , and an herbarium of 7.2 to 7.8 million botanical specimens dating back more than three centuries, among the largest in the world. At the heart of the Garden is the Thain Family Forest , an old-growth forest . It
2730-642: The Botanical Garden's main entrance. It included the NYBG Shop and the Pine Tree Café. The following year, the Nolen Greenhouses for Living Collections opened with its publicly accessible Bourke-Sullivan Display House. The Plant Research Laboratory was completed in early 2005 and opened the next year at a cost of $ 23 million. In addition to restoring or redesigning existing gardens and collections, such as
2821-534: The Conservatory was built around the same time, being completed in 1902. For over a century after its opening, the NYBG refused to charge admission. Because of this, as well as insufficient government and private funding, its budget deficit started to increase in the 1950s. After the city cut the NYBG's budget in 1970, the garden was forced to remain closed for 3 to 4 days a week, and officials worried that this could eventually lead to permanent closure. In 1974, for
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2912-584: The Holiday Train Show, an annual exhibition of model trains running through a display of New York landmarks made of natural materials. In 2002, it introduced The Orchid Show, an annual exhibition of orchid displays and designed installations with changing themes. Beginning in 2007, the Garden added an annual fall exhibition of kiku, Japanese chrysanthemums trained to grow in modern and ancient forms. The New York Botanical Garden has also presented large-scale, stand-alone exhibitions, including: Sculpture from
3003-547: The International Plant Science Center, is one of the largest herbaria in the world, with approximately 7.2 million to 7.8 million specimens. The Science and Education Building contains offices, educational and environmental facilities, and a greenhouse used to simulate environments for plants. It is connected to the original building by a passage at its northwest end, and is used by the NYBG's School of Professional Horticulture. Herbarium specimens are stored in
3094-829: The Ladies' Border (2002), the Benenson Ornamental Conifers (2004), the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden (2007), the Thain Family Forest (2011), and the Marjorie G. Rosen Seasonal Walk by Piet Oudolf (2014), the New York Botanical Garden added new gardens and collections to its grounds: the Home Gardening Center (2005), the Maureen K. Chilton Azalea Garden (2011) by landscape architect Shavaun Towers of Towers|Golde LLC, and Native Plant Garden (2013), by landscape architect Sheila Brady of Oehme, van Sweden. Off-site,
3185-566: The LuEsther T. Mertz Library is located in the northern section of the NYBG. A 2002 New York Times article mentioned that the library had 775,000 items and 6.5 million plant specimens in its collection, while a book published in 2014 by the NYBG mentioned that the library had "550,000 physical volumes and 1,800 journal titles". As of 2016 the Mertz Library still contained one of the world's largest collections of botany-related texts. The library
3276-475: The Mertz Library was the largest botanical library in the U.S. and one of the largest botanical libraries worldwide. A 2002 New York Times article mentioned that the library had 775,000 items and 6.5 million plant specimens in its collection. Furthermore, the Times stated that the Mertz Library had 75 percent of all systematic botany literature in the world and 70 percent of all flora that had been published, as well as
3367-555: The Museum Building was renamed the Library Building. The original Mertz Library building was designed by Robert W. Gibson ; its main facade is 308 feet (94 m) long. The side facades, as noted in the building plans, measured 115 feet (35 m) on one end and 87 feet (27 m) on the other. Designed in the Renaissance Revival style , it consists of a central pavilion topped by a dome, with two side wings. The Mertz Library
3458-882: The Museum of Modern Art at The New York Botanical Garden (2002), Chihuly at The New York Botanical Garden (2006), Darwin's Garden: An Evolutionary Adventure (2008), Moore in America: Monumental Sculpture at The New York Botanical Garden (2008–2009), Emily Dickinson's Garden: The Poetry of Flowers (2010), Spanish Paradise: Gardens of the Alhambra (2011), Monet's Garden (2012), Manolo Valdés: Monumental Sculpture (2012), Frida Kahlo: Art, Garden, Life (2015), Impressionism: American Gardens on Canvas (2016), CHIHULY (2017), Georgia O'Keeffe: Visions of Hawai'i (2018), Brazilian Modern: The Living Art of Roberto Burle Marx (2019), KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature (2021), and …things come to thrive…in
3549-553: The NYBG $ 572,000 to begin a project called TreeBOL, the Tree Barcode of Life . By sampling the DNA from as many as 100,000 different species of trees from around the world, TreeBOL will document the diversity of plant life, and advance the process of plant DNA barcoding . A staff of 200 trains 42 doctoral students at a time. Since the 1890s, scientists from the NYBG have mounted about 2,000 exploratory missions worldwide to collect plants in
3640-543: The NYBG was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1967; in 2009 they were made New York City designated landmarks . An act of the New York State Legislature , passed in 1891, set aside land within Bronx Park in the north-central part of the Bronx for the creation of the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) on the condition that a board of directors raise $ 250,000 ($ 7.66 million in today's dollars) for
3731-400: The NYBG's rare-art collection. However, a book published in 2014 by the NYBG mentioned that the library had "550,000 physical volumes and 1,800 journal titles". As of 2016 the Mertz Library still contained one of the world's largest collections of botany-related texts. Stephen Sinon, who leads the NYBG's special collections, research and archives, called its collection "the largest of its kind in
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3822-559: The New York Botanical Garden was established on April 28, 1891. The garden occupied part of the grounds of the Lorillard estate and a parcel that was formerly the easternmost portion of the campus of St. John's College (now Fordham University ); the latter included three graves of the Fordham University Cemetery , which were then relocated. The stated purpose of the act was: ... for the purpose of establishing and maintaining
3913-421: The New York City parks commissioners had already hired the respective architects for the museum and conservatory, and were applying for construction funds for both projects. The New York City Board of Estimate again blocked the $ 500,000 appropriation in mid-September 1897, citing the concerns about the building's aesthetics and possible cost overruns, before approving it at the end of that month. A request for bids
4004-501: The annex started in 1998 and it opened in 2002 as the International Plant Science Center. In 2000, the NYBG began raising money for a $ 300 million renovation campaign after the city government donated $ 22 million. The NYBG's International Plant Science Center reopened in 2002 following a renovation. Several other projects were completed and programs implemented in the 2000s. In 2004, the Leon Levy Visitor Center opened as
4095-404: The annual visitors are children from underserved neighboring communities. An additional 3,000 are teachers from New York City's public school system participating in professional development programs that train them to teach science courses at all grade levels. NYBG operates one of the world's largest plant research and conservation programs. NYBG was established in 1891 and the first structures on
4186-415: The avenue's western end. These were removed in the 1950s with the construction of a laboratory building at that site. Other components of the avenue included Carolina poplars , planted in 1903, and tulip trees , planted in 1905 between each pair of poplars. The poplars were removed by 1911. The paths were re-graded in 1904 and now have benches, an asphalt surface, and concrete curbs. At the time of opening,
4277-438: The basement as well. On the rear (east) side, four window bays on the northern portion are visible from the outside, and the four southernmost window bays are also visible. The remaining window bays cannot be seen from the outside due to the presence of the annexes. There is an entrance to the ground/basement level from the northern portion of the rear facade. The side facades to the north and south were originally five bays wide. On
4368-488: The basement, and contains a windowless sand-colored facade. Original plans called for it to also include a green wall on the facade. The Harriet Barnes Pratt Library Wing is six stories high and has a similar exterior design to the original library building. The Jeannette Kittredge Watson Science and Education Building is four stories high. The building is constructed of steel frame with a glass facade interspersed with aluminum and green spandrels . The original building
4459-531: The board. The legislation would provide 250 acres (100 ha) within Bronx Park to the NYBG, and enable the board of directors to construct a library and conservatory, if at least $ 250,000 was raised within five years. If this condition were reached, the city would then issue $ 0.5 million in bonds . The principal officers of the new corporation set up for the garden were Cornelius Vanderbilt II , Andrew Carnegie and J.P. Morgan , with Nathaniel Lord Britton as
4550-455: The brick walls. By September 1898, according to The New York Times , the steel frame was 75 percent finished and the exterior walls had been built up to the second floor. The city approved the disbursement of another $ 200,000 in bonds that November. A contract to build the "front central portico" was carried out between July and October 1899. According to a Brooklyn Daily Eagle article in March 1900,
4641-425: The building had "just been completed". The NYBG's contract with John H. Parker ended the next month, with work on the end pavilions' ornamentation being delayed. The library initially had 2,500 volumes; in 1899, Columbia College donated another 5,000 from its botanical collection. In April 1901, Wilson & Baillie Manufacturing were contracted to build the fountain at the Museum Building's main entrance, as well as
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#17328581441384732-464: The conservatory, and a wetland had even been created unintentionally due to a broken sewer. A controversy arose in 1994 when the adjacent Fordham University proposed building a 480-foot-tall (150 m) radio tower for its radio station WFUV directly across from the Haupt Conservatory. The dispute continued until 2002, after several years of failed resolutions, when Montefiore Medical Center offered to move WFUV's antenna to its own facilities. By
4823-400: The construction industry. Early ceremonies were rooted in religion; by now, their basic foundations have still stood the test of time. Initially, some offerings/refreshments were also used to offer in such ceremonies, including; The first documented groundbreaking ceremony took place in ancient China , in 113 BC. Later, the tradition of symbolically consecrating the project's location became
4914-427: The first time in its history. In 1988, the NYBG announced a renovation of its museum building, including the addition of a new annex, which was supposed to open in 1991. By the early 1990s, the NYBG facilities were neglected. The garden did not have enough space in its parking lots to accommodate all its visitors, turning away potential guests. Many areas were neglected, except for the 40 acres (16 ha) surrounding
5005-406: The first time in the botanical garden's history, officials had to annually petition New York State Legislature for funds. That year, the NYBG announced a major renovation to the conservatory and the addition of a building dedicated to displaying plants in different habitats. The next year, budget cuts related to the 1975 New York City fiscal crisis resulted in the NYBG being closed on weekdays for
5096-648: The founder of the company, a celebrity , or a known politician/member of the community. The sole purpose of such speeches is to showcase how a company is working, growing, meeting its mission, and/or reflecting on its vision, the company's struggles, and future plans. To create a lasting impression of the company and the ceremony, some common supplies, including shovels, hardhats, etc., are given to participants/attendees. Nowadays, real estate companies are trying different approaches to their groundbreaking ceremonies to stand out among their competitors and draw media attention. A Los Angeles developer Lowe Enterprises , hosted
5187-422: The front approaches and cornice ornamentation . The library's collection grew over the years, and by 1926, an annex was being planned for the Museum Building. However, no progress was made on this proposal, except for the rearrangement of the building's interior. Then in 1958, Eggers & Higgins proposed a $ 1 million ($ 8.1 million in today's dollars), three-story annex behind the existing structure, with
5278-401: The greenhouses and roads. A new visitor center and gift shop were announced the following year, which would replace temporary facilities built in 1990. The new main entrance, with a gift shop, bookstore, plaza, restrooms, cafe, and information kiosks, was completed in 2004 at a cost of $ 21 million. Meanwhile, the addition of the library annex was delayed to 1994, then to 2000. Construction on
5369-413: The groundbreaking is often a special ceremonial shovel, sometimes colored gold, meant to be saved for subsequent display and may be engraved . In other groundbreaking ceremonies, a bulldozer is used instead of a shovel to mark the first day of construction. In some groundbreaking ceremonies, the shovel and the bulldozer mark the first day of construction. In other places, this ceremony can be replaced by
5460-528: The grounds opened at the end of that decade. Since 1967, the garden has been listed as a National Historic Landmark , and several buildings have been designated as official New York City landmarks . The New York Botanical Garden is an advocate for the plant world. The Garden pursues its mission through its role as a museum of living plant collections arranged in gardens and landscapes across its National Historic Landmark site; through its comprehensive education programs in horticulture and plant science; and through
5551-566: The institution opened The New York Botanical Garden Midtown Education Center in Manhattan in 2010. NYBG added a parking garage, the Peter J. Sharp Building, nearby in 2012, along with a Bedford Gate entrance to the Garden. NYBG restored its Lorillard Snuff Mill in 2010 and it was named the Lillian and Amy Goldman Stone Mill. NYBG's Humanities Research Institute, supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation ,
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#17328581441385642-458: The land at that location. The city had already been given authorization to acquire the land as part of the 1884 New Parks Act , which was intended to preserve lands that would soon become part of New York City. Some 640 acres (2.6 km ) of land surrounding the Lorillard estate was acquired by the City of New York as part of Bronx Park in 1888–1889. By act of the New York State Legislature ,
5733-602: The late 1890s, Lord and Burnham Co. The design was modeled after the Palm House at the Royal Botanic Garden and Joseph Paxton 's Crystal Palace in Italian Renaissance style. Groundbreaking took place on January 3, 1899, and the conservatory was completed in 1902 at a cost of $ 177,000. The building was constructed by John R. Sheehan under contract for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation . Since
5824-417: The left and right bays. On the third story, above the center bay, there is a cartouche of the New York Botanical Garden. The steps leading to the entrance bays are made of granite, and the sidewalls are made of brick with granite coping . The pavilions on the side also contain service entrances on the first floor, located under an arched transom . The side and rear facades are similar but contain windows on
5915-516: The library, is one of the largest herbaria in the world, with approximately 7.2 million to 7.8 million specimens. after the French National Museum of Natural History in Paris . Founded in 1891, the herbarium quickly became a repository for many important collections. In 1895 the garden incorporated the herbarium of Columbia College , an acquisition of approximately 600,000 specimens, including
6006-401: The mid-1990s, additions to the NYBG were being undertaken to reverse years of neglect. In 1994 the formerly free garden started charging an admission fee to fund these improvements as well as the continued maintenance of existing facilities. The Everett Children's Garden opened in mid-1998. By 2000, the NYBG had requested $ 300 million for renovations, including a new gift shop and renovation of
6097-472: The new secretary. Prominent civic leaders and financiers, including Vanderbilt, Carnegie, and Morgan, agreed to match the City's commitment to finance the buildings and improvements. By May 1895, the $ 250,000 in bonds had been raised but the plans had not been fully confirmed. The Board of Directors then asked landscape architect Calvert Vaux and his partner, Parks Superintendent Samuel Parsons Jr. , to consult on site selection. The north end of Bronx Park
6188-408: The one-story annex that connects directly to the south wing of the original building. The Fountain of Life , in front of the library's main entrance, was designed by Carl Tefft and completed in 1905. The central focus of the fountain are the heroic nude sculpted figures atop a granite pedestal. These figures include two horses, both with webbed forefeet ; a female sitting astride one of the horses;
6279-419: The original building's front staircase and its balustrade and sidewalls were renovated from 1960 to 1961. The Science and Education Building was built between 1969 and 1972 to a design by William and Geoffrey Platt, and was dedicated to Jeannette Kittredge Watson. By February 1988, the herbarium had taken up all of the vacant space in the original structure, including rooms formerly dedicated to exhibitions. As
6370-416: The original construction, major renovations took place in 1935, 1950, 1978, and 1993. The conservatory houses numerous tropical plants and flowers, cacti and other desert plants, and rainforest vegetation. In summer months, the two pools adjacent to the conservatory display many varieties of lotuses and water lilies. The William & Lynda Steere Herbarium, in the International Plant Science Center behind
6461-564: The people. As per the acts of incorporation, a board of directors would manage the NYBG. The board of directors included Columbia College 's president and professors of biology, chemistry, and geology; the presidents of the Torrey Society, New York City Board of Education , and the Department of Public Parks ' board of commissioners; the Mayor of New York City ; and nine other members elected to
6552-452: The personal collections to be given to the LuEsther T. Mertz Library are donations from: New York Botanical Garden The New York Botanical Garden ( NYBG ) is a botanical garden at Bronx Park in the Bronx , New York City . Established in 1891, it is located on a 250-acre (100 ha) site that contains a landscape with over one million living plants; the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory ,
6643-480: The plant-families sections. The third floor contained a library with a reading room, stacks , herbaria , and laboratories for plant embryology and taxonomy . After a 2002 renovation, the library also included a 48-foot-long (15 m) wooden reference desk and a 50-seat study room. Since the International Plant Science Center's opening, the library collections and herbarium have been located in that building. The William & Lynda Steere Herbarium , located inside
6734-525: The private herbaria of John Torrey and C. F. Meisner . In 1945 the garden incorporated the herbaria of the Columbia College of Pharmacy and Princeton University . The herbarium is named after William Steere (son of William C. Steere ) and his wife Lynda, who endowed the herbarium in 2002. The Index Herbariorum code assigned to this botanic garden is NY and it is used when citing housed specimens. In 2008, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation granted
6825-465: The processes through which plants create neurotoxins. The building has nine labs, one of which is a lab with robotic workstations on the second floor. Genomic DNA from many different species is extracted to create a library of the DNA of the world's plants. This collection is stored in a DNA storage room with 20 freezers housing millions of specimens, including rare, endangered or extinct species. Founded in 1899 and named after supporter LuEsther Mertz ,
6916-566: The river includes a riverine canyon and rapids. Along the shores sits the Stone Mill, previously known as the Lorillard Snuff Mill , built in 1840. Sculptor Charles Tefft created the Fountain of Life on the grounds in 1905. The Ladies' Border, originally commissioned by the Women's Auxiliary Committee in the 1920s, was designed by Ellen Shipman and installed between 1931 and 1933. It consists of
7007-435: The shedding…in the molting… by Ebony Patterson . The NYBG published The Garden Journal ( ISSN 0016-4585 ) from 1977 to 1990 and from 1931 has produced the scientific journal, Brittonia . The New York Botanical Garden was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1967. In addition, three structures are designated as individual New York City landmarks : the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory (designated in 1973),
7098-411: The site. Prominent civic leaders and financiers agreed to match the City's commitment to finance the buildings and improvements. By May 1895, sufficient funds had been raised, but the plans for the NYBG had not been finalized. The Board of Directors then asked landscape architect Calvert Vaux and his partner, Parks Superintendent Samuel Parsons Jr. , to consult on site selection. A topographical survey
7189-416: The south side, all five window bays are intact, but a former archway to the basement has been filled in, and a covered passageway from that arch leads to the one-story annex. On the north side, only the westernmost three bays can be seen from the outside, while the eastern two bays have been hidden by the International Plant Science Center. The International Plant Science Center is five stories high, including
7280-471: The south, housing the herbarium specimens, was designed by Coe Lee Robinson Roesch and finished in 1994. During the mid-1990s, the library was renamed after LuEsther Mertz , a major NYBG donor. When plans for the northern annex were finalized in 1997, the project was expected to cost $ 39 million. Polshek Partnership designed the structure, known as the International Plant Science Center. The addition comprised nine new research rooms, herbarium and library space,
7371-505: The surging movement of galloping horses and muscular riders." The fountain and statue were included in the original plans for the Museum Building in 1897, but except for the granite pedestal, the statue was not completed with the original building in 1900. That year, NYBG held a design contest for the proposed bronze statue, but all of the submitted designs were rejected. NYBG then asked the National Sculpture Society to appoint
7462-500: The wide-ranging research programs of the International Plant Science Center. As early as 1877, ideas had been circulating in New York City to create a botanical garden; funding could not be obtained at the time, although the efforts led to parkland being set aside for future use. By 1888, the Torrey Botanical Society was promoting the construction of a large botanical garden in New York City. The Garden's creation followed
7553-475: The wild. In 1932, Thomas H. Everett expanded an existing training program into a robust curriculum for developing professional horticulturists. Patterned after diploma programs at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh , the School for Gardeners combined academic studies with hands-on practical experience in a two-year, full-time program. With the exception of
7644-470: The world under one roof". The collection grew both through the purchase of books and through the donation of significant botanical and horticultural libraries from notable botanists, gardeners, scientists and book collectors. Other items were collected from NYBG expeditions abroad. The items in the collection include rare plant books such as two copies of the Circa Instans (dated circa 1190 and 1275). Among
7735-413: Was built on uneven ground, such that the basement is at the same elevation with the ground to the east, north, and south of the library, while the first floor is level with the ground to the west. The building has four annexes. The International Plant Science Center is located east of the northern wing and faces Southern Boulevard to the north. The Jeannette Kittredge Watson Science and Education Building
7826-447: Was completed in March 1896. As part of the topographical survey, a three-story museum with 90,000 square feet (8,400 m) of space was planned for the grounds of the NYBG, near the main entrance at Southern Boulevard and Bedford Park Boulevard. It would be the first museum in the U.S. with a collection focused specifically and exclusively on botany. The board selected the museum site for its hilltop location 1,000 feet (300 m) east of
7917-554: Was created in 2014 to stimulate public discourse about humankind's relationship with nature and the environment. NYBG opened an on-site restaurant, the Hudson Garden Grill, in 2015. It redesigned and reopened its East Gate entrance in 2017. The Edible Academy, an educational facility for teaching children, families, educators, and the general public about vegetable gardening, nutrition awareness, and environmental stewardship, opened in 2018. In February 2020, NYBG announced that it
8008-457: Was decided as the best location for the NYBG. By August 1895, the architects had started a survey on the site. Because the Bronx River and various small tributaries ran through the park, drainage was a major consideration. Though Vaux's preliminary layout was approved in October 1895, he died the following month. The topographical survey was completed in March 1896. The master plan was created by
8099-425: Was initially circled by a driveway on all sides, but the western part of that driveway (in front of the fountain) was turned into an unpaved pedestrian path in 1961. The fountain was cleaned in 1968 after a period of deterioration, by which point the plinth and basin had started to crack, and the mermaid, merman, and part of the crab claw had been removed. In 2005, the mermaid, merman, and claw figures were replaced, and
8190-488: Was opened, and 12 contractors submitted construction bids the following month, with the John H. Parker Company submitting the least expensive bid. After the city invalidated these bids, another request for proposals was opened. Seven contractors submitted bids, of which Parker's was again the cheapest. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on December 31, 1897, to mark the start of construction. By May 1898, construction had started on
8281-427: Was partnering with Douglaston Development to create affordable apartments on the northwest edge of the garden. In January 2024, the NYBG revealed a major rebranding, developed in partnership with global brand consultancy Wolff Olins . The rebrand included a new logo featuring a bespoke typeface "NY Botanical Gothic", as well as a new color palette. The Garden contains 50 different gardens and plant collections. There
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