On Tuesday, May 6, SUNY Suffolk Professor, Rosa Gambier’s Plants and People class took a trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden as part of the class curriculum. As with the rest of the material in the class, the trip was very worthwhile and interesting.
Traveling to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden is quite easy via the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) and subway. As a class we took the LIRR from the Ronkonkoma Train Station and got off at the LIRR Jamaica Station where we transferred trains in order to arrive at the LIRR Atlantic Terminal. At the Atlantic Terminal we switched modes of transportation to the subway which we only had to ride for four stops where we got off at the Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum MTA subway stop. From the Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum subway station entrance, the Brooklyn Botanical Garden’s Eastern Parkway Entrance was only a few steps away.
To say that the trip was worthwhile and interesting would really have to be an understatement. The entire botanical garden is extremely well kept and well maintained; with maps everywhere, as well as complementary copies at the information booth, it is very easy to navigate and get around; there are ample restrooms, benches as well as food and drink services for when you might want to take a break from the various exhibits; and the gardens and conservatories were all breath-taking. My only criticism of the park would have to be the excessive prices charged for food and drink which were all undersized in terms of their size and portions.
Highlights of the trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden were The Fragrance Garden, The various pavilions of the Steinhardt Conservatory, the C.V. Starr Bonsai Garden, the Herb and Vegetable Garden, Bluebell Hill, with four standout exhibitions being the Cherry Garden, the Water Garden, The Japanese Garden and the Shakespeare Garden.
Put simply, the Cherry Garden was magnificent. Although the cherry trees were past their best and no longer fully blooming, the exhibition was still beautiful and worth the price of admission. This was due to the fact that all of the cherry blossoms no longer remained on the trees but were instead covering the ground and blanketing it in a way that made it look as if it had just snowed cherry blossoms. One can only imagine how beautiful the Cherry Garden exhibit was two weeks prior to the classes trip to the botanical gardens.
Another botanical exhibition which was worth the price of admission was the Water Garden. With the Water Garden, I particularly enjoyed how lush and green the vegetation was along with the tranquil environment created by its brook along with its pond. This exhibition reminded me a lot of the wetlands found on the North Shore of Long Island, especially the wetlands around Caumsett State Park. It is beautiful witnessing plants and wildlife in harmony with the natural environment which this exhibit portrays wonderfully.
Of all the exhibits that exemplified the harmony that can be created from the living, natural environment around us, none achieved this better than the Japanese Garden. With the Japanese Garden, its bushes, pond, waterfalls, grasses and other natural wonders were all well balanced with the stone pathways, wooden structures, and pagodas in a way that achieved its designer, Takeo Shinota’s goal of simplicity through, “harmonious symmetry”. I particularly enjoyed the way he designed the man-made paths to meander throughout the beauty of the natural landscape. The landscape was stunning, and the walkways meandered throughout the Japanese Garden in a way that is similar to the spiritual/religious labyrinths of Europe. It is easy to comprehend how, while walking on the pathways of the Japanese Garden, individuals can fall into a state of deep mindfulness, concentration and spirituality. It really is something one must experience in person to fully comprehend.
One last exhibit one must experience in person to fully grasp is the Shakespeare Garden at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. As someone who is fond of Shakespeare’s works, this garden was right up my ally. One of the charms of this exhibit is how it includes direct quotes from Shakespeare’s works regarding the pants and flowers on display. It was not only nice to see the specific plants and flowers that Shakespeare referred to, but also to learn how the specific plants and flowers of Elizabethan England had influenced the world’s greatest playwright. One almost feels like they have been transported back in time while visiting this garden. It was quite a rewarding experience – much like the overall trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden was rewarding.
In terms of entrance fees for the park, the entire trip, all transportation and botanical garden fees, were provided by the college. For those interested in taking a trip of their own to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, park entrance fees are 22 dollars per adult, 16 dollars for seniors and students with ID, and free for children under the age of 12.
