Conservatory Garden: Korean Chrysanthemums
Last year was my first time seeing the amazing fall Korean chrysanthemums at the Conservatory Garden in Central Park. I actually thought they were daisies at the time, because I know nothing about plants, but a helpful commenter gently set me straight. I was thrilled to discover that they're back this year—as beautiful as ever—and to be able to answer correctly when two women asked if I knew what type of flowers they were.
Fall isn't necessarily known for its spectacular blooms, but thanks to the incredible plant magic they work at the Conservatory Garden I've discovered that fall flowers can be just as impressive as the ones in spring or summer. I actually even think I prefer the chrysanthemums to the tulips, even if they're what made me fall in love with the Conservatory Garden in the first place.
What makes the chrysanthemums so impressive is the shear number of them—I'm terrible at estimating things, but there must be thousands of blooms—buzzing with bees and other exotic-looking insects, spilling out onto the walkways and tangling with one another, positively bursting out of the beds. The effect is really something that must be seen in person to be truly appreciated, and I'm so glad I remembered to check in on them this year.