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.