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The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) is a huge, beautiful garden in the Bronx. Founded in 1891 on 250 acres, it is one of the gardening jewels of New York City. It is the region’s most prominent horticultural education center with a superb research facility. The NYBG features 48 gardens and plant collections, and a noteworthy conservatory. Some highlights include dramatic rock features, a river and waterfall, ponds, multiple conifer gardens, herb, perennial, and rose gardens, and a children’s adventure garden. |
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The NYBG features a very respectable group of Metasequoias. I received data on eleven of them, all received from the Arnold Arboretum and planted in 1950. The trees are generally around 80 feet tall with bases 25 inches in diameter. However there are specimens over 90 feet tall and one specimen with a base 37 inches in diameter. This is fairly average for the New Jersey region, but slightly better than the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Apparently the relative success of the plants can be explained by the specific grounds on which they are planted. It is rather dry, and in the past two years irrigation has been added to the site because of stress that has occurred to the trees during summer droughts. This irrigation has actually led to considerable growth in some trees during the past few years, which brings hope for future growth as well. The site, along with the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens , is certainly worth visiting if you live in the New York area. While the BBG is probably more important to the overall history of Metasequoias, the NYBG features a much larger garden area and has a particularly impressive collection. All in all, the two sites have Metasequoias of about the same size and are both worth multiple visits. The New York Botanical Garden 200th Street and Kazimiroff Boulevard Bronx, NY 10458 |
