Armenian Grape Hyacinth

These beautiful flowers are Armenian grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) blooming beneath the lilacs at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. They were in full bloom during the last week of April.

Brooklyn Rite of Spring

The annual celebration of cherry blossoms and Japanese culture took place a week ago at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Cherry blossoms (sakura) had become the celebrated spring flower at the garden where visitors can enjoy over 200 Japanese flowering cherry trees of over 30 different species and cultivars. In addition to "hanami" or flower viewing, visitors of all ages can enjoy music, workshops, and crafts that celebrate the culture of Japan and cherry blossoms. 

Olek's Crocheted, Wearable Sculptures and Performance Art Installation at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

During last weekend's Cherry Blossoms Festival at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a performance art installation delighted visitors. The two participants wore artist Olek's crocheted, wearable sculptures made of multicolored, crocheted camouflage. They sat on a colorful crocheted blanket on the lawn while reading a book, relaxing and occasionally sipping from a crocheted wine glass. There were other crocheted objects around them including wine glass, gloves and fruits. 

Olek (Agata Oleksiak, and known professionally as Crocheted Olek) is a Polish-born artist living in New York City. Her extensive works include sculptures, installations such as crocheted bicycles, inflatables, and fiber art. Her best known piece is probably the apartment in which the contents, including the residents, were covered in crocheting as featured in my previous post. Olek's art generally includes members of the public crocheted directly into the suit without traditional fasteners.Olek has also exhibited abroad.

Tulips In Bloom At The Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Annual Border

Tulips are in full bloom at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Annual Border, two long beds located on the western side of Lily Pool Terrace. Each year, in April, the Annual Border offers a display of thousands of tulips lining the pools and a burst of beautiful colors in this area of the garden. Above are photos of some of my favorite blooms captured yesterday.

Blooms and Foliage at Brooklyn Botanic Garden

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a small but beautiful botanical garden near the Brooklyn Museum of Art. The garden features a Japanese hill and pond garden, as well as the Cranford Rose Garden, herb garden, the Children's Garden, Steinhard Conservatory of indoor flowers and plants, and the new visitor center, a model of energy-efficient design. Above are some photos of gorgeous spring blooms and foliage at the garden, including clematis, grape hyacinth, tulips, roses and daisies.

Spanish Bluebells in Full Bloom at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

The Bluebell Wood has become a popular attraction at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in the spring. Designed by Robert Hyland, it is a woodland planting of more than 40,000 Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica 'Excelsior') that bloom in late April through mid-May. It is shaded by the beech, birch, oak, and elm tree collection of the garden. 

Cherry Blossom Season at Brooklyn Botanic Garden

This time-lapse was created by Dave Allen, BBG's Web Manager, from over 3,000 digital photos, one taken every 3 minutes from April 18 to April 26, 2008, of Brooklyn Botanic Garden's famed Cherry Walk. The music is by Jon Solo, a Brooklyn-based musician and producer.

The Cherry Esplanade of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a broad green field bordered by two allées of cherry trees (Prunus'Kanzan). This year, the double-flowering cherries bloomed earlier than usual. The images were taken yesterday. The cherry blossoms are a centerpiece of the Garden’s annual cherry blossom festival to be held at the end of the month.