The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens: NYC’s ‘other’ great park

Central Park is one of the joys of the New York; a vast green space that is a vital counterpoint to the relentless urbanism of the rest of the city. But across the Brooklyn Bridge lies another magnificent park that equals it in term of beauty.

The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens date from the late 19^th century and cover 39 acres in Park Slope, the most genteel and elegant part of Brooklyn that is famous for its wide avenues and historic brownstones.

Botanic Gardens in Brooklyn

Soon after inauguration the Japanese Garden, one of its most charming features, was installed, followed by a rock garden, a children’s garden, a glasshouse, lily pond and various other gifts that make up this incredibly diverse and magical park.

The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens are renowned for their specialist ‘gardens within the gardens’ which range from avenues replete with cherry trees to a plaza filled with magnolias, a magnificent rose garden and an English cottage garden (called ‘The Shakespeare Garden) and a fragrance garden.

But nature aside, the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens also hosts an incredibly active calendar of educational and cultural activities. For example, until early May you could come and celebrate Hanami, the Japanese tradition of cherry tree appreciation, or take a tour of the blooming plants of spring.

The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, New York are open Tuesday–Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m, and Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The entrance fee for adults is $8 (children under 12 enter free).

Pounding the Pavement in NYC

New York, ‘the Capital of the World’, offers something for everyone, and no matter what your taste or interest there’s bound to be some enthusiastic specialist ready to show it to you.

NYC walking tours

Most people have heard of the ‘Sex and the City’ tours, where you’ll tread in the footsteps of Carrie, Samantha and Co, visiting, amongst other things, the SoHo art gallery where Charlotte worked and the boutiques where the girls loved to go shopping. But for something a little more highbrow, you could choose to take an historical tour. Big Onion Tours specialise in off-beat walking tours, with themes including ‘The Gangs of New York’ tour, which tells the legends of the infamous Five Points neighbourhood, and a walk along The Bowery, New York’s original ‘Skid Row’.

Gotham Walking Tours is another respected company who offer a host of tours. As an introduction to New York, their ‘Big Apple Sampler’ is a great idea; Lasting over seven hours, it takes in al the major areas and sites, such as Ellis Island, the Financial District and Chinatown. They also have a handful of indoor tours (a good option in bad weather) that let you discovers landmarks such as Grand Central Station and the Rockefeller Centre.

Naturally, with New York’s dining scene being the most diverse on the planet, there are plenty of food tours to choose from too. The gourmet guides at Foods of New York show you around the specialist food shops and ethnic eateries of New York, with plenty of sampling along the way. Interested also in Brazil and Rio travel, from NYC? A quick shameless plug for our friends who have started the Rio Travel portal.