NPG Group Tour November 17, 2016

NPG Group Tour Thursday, November 17, 2016

It is relatively rare that a Group Tour asks for a Native Plant Garden tour. When I saw that Ana listed a request for the NPG for a school group, I volunteered. What do you do when 30 people are expected?  For me, I take my $15 loudspeaker so the whole group might hear my words of wisdom.  How about half the group?  Better.  But docent Emily got the 10 high school senior girls who seemed to be a bonded group with a focus of transforming a small plot in NYC into a native garden paradise.  They had their clipboards and lots of questions, and Emily was pumped at the end of the tour.

The eighteen in my group were fourteen year old girls high school freshmen, the good looking, young, male teacher was their "tech" teacher and not much interested in plants, and none of them asked a question, answered a question I asked, laughed at any one of my attempts to be funny.  Even the teacher was gabbing with a kid or two in the back of the group. In addition to their arriving an hour late, it was one of the least enjoyable tours I ever led. How do you motivate a group when coming to the NYBG was not their choice? What could I have done better?  You Group Tour leaders can help me.

Especially since they were late, there was time to check out the Native Plant Garden on this pleasant fall day with a temperature nearing fifty degrees.

You would expect and do see Asters, Wild Bleeding Heart, and know that no Vernonia would be showing since the last of it was there a few days ago.

Asters

John Egenes, gardener at work

The Silver Bell trees are special to point out.

Silver Bell Halesia "Chinese lanterns"

Especially attractive now with its bright red, seasonal berries is the female Holly. 

American Holly

Security Guard Mike

The Nyssa sylvatica Black Gum Tree was dressed in glorious golden leaves.  

Nyssa syulvatica

 The leaves of Ladies' Tresses Spiranthes were turning red and the blooming flowers have not reacted to the cooler weather.  Lots of them. 

Ladies' Tresses

 Leaves were extraordinarily shiny.

The large green leaves lying on the ground?  Right, we do remember they are Glade Mallow, Napaea doica.

Glade Mallow leaves

Goldenrod is golden nearer the ground and fuzzy with seeds toward the top. Plymouth Rose Gentian Sabattia kennedyiana is keeping the same blooms, and Rudbeckia triloba stands out in its bright yellow, rounded petals and central dark disk.  

Rudbeckia triloba

If you are hoping to find more blooms to point out to visitors, look above the Education Building, by the Fringe Trees, where, protected from the wind and cold low to the ground is Foxglove Beardtongue Penstemon.

Today the autumn appreciation of the lovely wild grasses has gone with the wind. As this season moves on, it is time to point out the lay of the land, the water feature, the Gravel Lok, the history of the New York Botanical Garden, the Brittons, and what the visitors have to look forward to this winter and before you know it in the early spring. 

Right weather for wearing the Tour Guide sweatshirt.

NPG Saturday, November 12, 2016

NPG Saturday, November, 12, 2016

After a NY Fern Society meeting, Ellen and I took an impromptu walk through much of the Garden, where excessive numbers of White Snake Root have gone to seed, giving me a chance to practice the new name, Ageratina altissima, (thanks to Carol Levine for telling me). Staying on topic of this Blog, and because Michael P. asked what would be blooming for his NPG tour in two weeks (unfortunately, most of the lovely seedheads of the grasses have blown away), here's my observation of what is of interest, and photos I took in the Native Plant Garden.  It was a cool, sunny, lovely day and I was pleased, and surprised, that we walked for two hours.

Unexpectedly, while putting this blog together, I agreed to do a GROUP tour on Thursday, Nov. 17 of the Native Plant Garden.  It is seldom that a group request is one I am capable of doing.

Carol and John Mickel at the Fern Society deserve recognition. All are invited to the monthly meetings.

Although the bright purple Asters were spread like a running stream in the Meadow, most of what you would be looking at elsewhere would be single leftover flowers.

Asters in the Meadow

Rudbeckia triloba which even has usually unnoticable signage, still showing a lot of flowers.

Rudbeckia triloba

Two sweet pale pink Sabatia kennedyiana Plymouth Rose Gentian showing in their same position to the right of the boardwalk.

Plymouth Rose Gentian Sabatia kennedyiana

Leaves galore in the water feature, a job waiting for a wading gardener.

Ladies' Tresses have turned out to be hardy and lovely, and inserting themselves in new areas. But their neighbors Pitcher Plants are not likely to move (a guess on my part).

Ladies' Tresses Spiranthes

Pitcher Plants Sarracenia

A best friend, Wild Bleeding Heart, still there for show and tell. I think the longest blooming season of all the NPG plants, April and still through November.

Wild Bleeding Heart Dicentra eximia 

See, the orange berries of 'Winter Gold' Ilex verticillata, sit tight on the shrub, not desired until urgent needed as food for the birds.

Ilex verticillata 'Winter Gold'

It took some discussion to convince the difference between the bare branches of Azalea and Blueberries Vaccinium.  That old helpful means of identification: WHERE is it, not just WHAT is it.

Azalea buds

A few New York Ironweed Vernonia showing dark purple but not for long. White Wood Aster browning but there.
And neither of us could come up with the name of the very large green leaves lying flat just behind the sign that reads: harlequin blueflag  Iris Versicolor 'Cat Moussan.'

know these leaves?
Glade Mallow Napaea dioica

NPG Nov. 13, 2014

NOTE: about two years ago from posting, November 2016

NPG Nov. 13, 2014 40 degrees, sunny, no wind.

The big boss (GL) viewed on the way in, then the next boss, Todd Forest. Saverio, the concierge,friendly and helpful, even to the extent of suggesting waiting and keeping warm in the concierge booth. Mr. Jones, security guard, always makes the day better, and Travolta, also security guard, showed me how to zoom in or out on my new iPad mini.

On the path to the entrance a visitor from Ireland, more talkative than I, her first time at NYBG, doing genealogical research in NY on a family member who fought with George Washington. A runner racing through the NPG.

Took lots of photos, or thought I did, and then discovered 13 duplicate shots of the hydrangea leaves. Eleven o'clock now, anyone coming? A couple from Uruguay, but preferred to walk themselves.  About to give up, when a Bronx couple and a Queens mother and daughter showed up, later joined by a fellow docent, so a tour was in order. 

Blooms to be found: Poppy Mallow, one weak sample, Black-eyed Susans and Rudbeckia triloba, Viola walteri (surprise, by the metal ramp), Evening Primrose in the meadow, Asters probably ‘Raydon’s Favorite,’ Wild Bleeding Heart, and the Beardtongue nestled near the steps to the Education Building, apparently protected in such a way to be blooming months after the other Penstemons have gone.  Beardtongue story: Five stamens, one fuzzy, thus the name Beardtongue. Though many species, each one attracts a single insect specie and they are not hybridized. Pitcher Plants still outstanding, and how they get nutrition I explained to about eight 4 year olds walking through without Green staff member.  

Beardtongue

Mr. Jones, security guard

Side Oats Bouteloua curtipendula

leaves of Oakleaf Hydrangea

                                                            

Correction

November 3, 2016   note from Marcia Strean

Carol Levine emailed two bits of education, and as usual she is right on!  Relates to the blog written on October 27th, 2016.

Dear Marcia,  I have been having such a good time going through your blog!  so I have two  questions - 1. On the New England Aster shouldn’t the genus be spelled - Symphyotrichum on the posted sign?

2. The latest name for White Snakeroot - Ageratina altissima replacing Eupatorium.

I did not notice the misspelling on the 'Marina Wolkonsky' sign from the last blog.  Of course it is Symphyotrichum.

And I plead ignorance of the change of the Latin name of White Snakeroot.  The old name rolls off my tongue so easily and frequently.  Ageratina altissima   Ageratina altissima   Ageratina altissima   Ageratina altissima  Ageratina altissima.

Would'st that there was an automatic list that we could be on for notifications of such changes.  Dear Sam Dvoskin was the one who first alerted me to the new Latin names of the asters.