I
t is an advocate of the plant kingdom. When people discuss the mag-
nificence of the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), the sentiment is one of the first things that comes to mind. Established in 1891, the iconic NYBG is distinguished by the beauty of its landscape, collections and gardens. The scope of its excellence extends into the myriad programs in horticulture, education and science.
All photos courtesy of NYBG
NYBG was inspired by an 1888 visit that eminent botanists Nathaniel Lord Britton and his wife, Elizabeth, who took to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, near London. The Britton’s believed New York should have a great botanical garden to advance public understanding of plants, so the concept of the park was born. The 250-acre garden sits on picturesque terrain on the northern half of Bronx Park, defined by the freshwater Bronx River, rock-cut gorge and 50 acres of old-growth forest. During the 129 years since its founding, NYBG carefully has stewarded a stunning urban oasis, along the way creating one of the world’s most comprehensive plant research and conservation programs, unrivaled research collections and a living museum. Recently NYBG finished an epic restoration, spearheaded by the EW Howell Construction Group. The $18 million renovation of the iconic Palm Dome of its Enid A. Haupt Conservatory began in April 2019. The 118-year-old dome is home of the Haupt Conservatory’s celebrated Palms of the World Gallery.
OCTOBER 2020 — COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION
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