Korean Chrysanthemums

I've seen (and photographed) the incredibly lovely Korean Chrysanthemums at the Conservatory Garden in Central Park for the last few years (2014 // 2016), and this year I just caught them in time. When I went to check on them over lunch, they were beginning to be removed and they were definitely past their peak. The first year I posted about them, I thought they were daisies because I know absolutely nothing about plants. Someone who obviously knows much more about these things than I do was kind enough to correct me, and now I feel superior in my (still woefully limited) plant knowledge every time I spot another Korean Chrysanthemum. 

I've never been really disappointed to find that the flowers I've gone to visit are already half-dead, and I even sometimes prefer the crispy versions to their lively counterparts. Maybe it's all the time I spend reading about death and decay (and pining after senior rescue dogs), but I try my best to appreciate living beings at every stage of their beautiful lives. 

We went to see Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri this weekend—it's great, go see it!—and I fell in love with Frances McDormand's wrinkly, malleable, age-appropriate, fascinating face. It's refreshing to see a woman in Hollywood unapologetically exhibiting beauty and bravery on an unaltered face, and her performance was riveting not in spite of, but because of it. 

I've been struggling with how to wrap my head around this onslaught of sexual assault news, and what it says about a woman's place in our world. I certainly have my share of #metoo stories—mostly small, but they add up—and I'm trying to harness all of this hurt, bewilderment and rage into something useful. I've certainly been complicit in the degradation of others in my past—in the service of powerful men, and of my own volition—but it always felt wrong and I'm sorry. I'm trying to focus on the positive, on the healing power of sharing stories, on the beauty in the decay, and on the fact that women are incredibly powerful when we work with, and not against, each other.

Conservatory Garden: Signs of Spring

The weather in New York has been all over the place lately—in the 70s one day and snowing the next. Due to the unseasonably warm weather (hello, climate change!), plants began blooming while it was still February. While I know little to nothing about plants, I do know that it's fairly normal to see things like snow drops this time of year, but seeing cherry blossoms beginning to bloom months before their traditional appearance is just strange (or perhaps alarming).

I went to check in on one of my favorite places in Central Park—the Conservatory Garden—recently on my lunch break, and found several signs of an early spring. I first visited the Conservatory Garden in the spring, at a time when I was really solidifying my plans to finally move to New York, so it will always hold a special place in my heart. While it hasn't been a part of my daily commute for over a year, I'm lucky enough to work within walking distance and it's the perfect quiet space to spend my lunch break.

The Conservatory Garden always puts on a spectacular tulip display, some of which are already starting to make their way out of the ground. The colors usually vary from year to year, so the arrangements always feel new. There's a particular cherry blossom tree (I'm pretty sure that's what it is, although if I'm totally plant-clueless, please correct me) by the entrance to the garden that for the four years I've been here has always come to the spring party early, and it's already bursting with blooms. It's cold and windy again now and I want to go cover all of the fragile-looking buds with tiny snuggies, but I think spring will be here in full-force soon enough.

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.

Last year's blooms

Conservatory Garden: August 2016

Now that I no longer have the pleasure of commuting every day through Central Park, I don't get to the Conservatory Garden nearly as much as I should. It's one of my very favorite spots in the park and I'm always happier after spending some time there, even if it's just my lunchbreak. I decided to check in on the gardens recently and it was as beautiful as ever. The last time I was in the Conservatory Garden, the tulips were in bloom, so I was way overdue for a return visit.

Plants will always be a mystery to me—as evidenced by the time I mistook a billion chrysanthemums for daisies, or the succulent that I recently murdered—but that's part of why I admire them so much. I started off looking at the dahlias and other blooms, but very quickly started to fall in love with all of the darker plants. It's a trend I noticed when I visited at a similar time last year, but the dark color palette is definitely more pronounced this year. Deep purples and charcoals might not seem like an obvious choice for a summer garden, but that's what makes them so wonderful.

The deep reds were also really beautiful and as always the contrasts of textures, colors and shapes is really spot on. The Great Fall anticipation always begins for me around this time of year (I blame back-to-school advertising) and for a brief moment I allowed myself to get excited for all things pumpkin, spooky and crisp.

Conservatory Garden: Spring 2016

The weather in New York lately has been absolute garbage—rainy and chilly and too much like the gray days I thought I had left behind forever when I left Ohio. We didn't have much in the way of winter either, but I'm hoping that this damp mid-50s cloud lifts sooner rather than later. Despite the gloom, spring is indeed happening and I'll be forever sad that my daily commute no longer takes me through Central Park. I did go on my lunchbreak recently to check out the Conservatory Garden, my favorite portion in the northern section of the park, and see how my old tulip friends were faring.

This is my fourth time in five years gawking at the tulips, and they're always such a treat. I think 2012 is still my favorite year, but it could just be that it was my first year seeing them and you never forget your first. This year the timing was a bit off, with certain sections and colors blooming way before the others, so the effect was somewhat uneven. It's still a wonderful sight to see so many tulips so beautifully organized in a spectacular, circular space and I can't blame them for being confused with this crazypants weather.

The cherry blossoms were also in bloom along Park Avenue, Fifth Avenue and in the garden. I never made it

back to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

to check on the cherry esplanade before this weekend's rain washed away most of the blossoms, but thankfully the Upper East Side is no slouch when it comes to cherries.

The tulips elsewhere in the garden were also starting to bloom, and the daffodils were still hanging on. I know I say this every year, but the large variety of flowers always thrills me, especially when they're all hanging out next to each other creating a wonderful mix of textures and colors. I suppose I should be grateful that at least it looks like spring in the city, even if the weather hasn't yet received the memo.

Conservatory Garden: July 2015

I mentioned briefly in one of my 365 project posts that I'll be moving to Brooklyn on August 1st. I'm super excited for the move in every way, except one: my new commute. Instead of being able to walk to and from work every day, through Central Park, I'll have to take the subway like most people who work in New York. I had to do this with my first job in Midtown, but as soon as I started working on the Upper East Side I was able to walk when I wanted and when the weather cooperated. Even though last year I moved 20 blocks north, I still walk home almost every night.

The move to BK is right for me in every way—and it's not like I can't go into the park at other times—but I've been trying to savor my enviable commute while I still have it. A few days ago I walked through the Conservatory Garden in the morning, and then a few days later on my way home. I've lost count of how many walks I've taken through the garden—in every season—and it's my favorite spot in the northern portion of the park.

I didn't even intend on taking photos in the morning since I didn't have much time, but as soon as I passed by the fountain and noticed the incredible rainbow, I had to pull out my camera. The light was so beautiful, and I like to check in on the flower beds every now and then to see the new things that have bloomed. There's always something wonderful growing in the garden in every season and I'll have to remember to keep checking in from time to time.

I love the huge variety of plants, colors, textures and insect life in the Conservatory Garden and it's pretty remarkable that so much can be found in such a small space. The juxtaposition of bright flowers, dark leaves, spiky plants and soft petals is fascinating—whoever is responsible for the landscape design has consistently done an amazing job. I'll definitely miss the ease and convenience of walking home through such a wonderful place, but I'll still be working only a few blocks away—I'm sure I can squeeze in a lunchtime visit every now and then.

Conservatory Garden

The Conservatory Garden in Central Park is one of my very favorite places. Three years ago, the tulips there changed my life and it's been awing me in every season since. The flowers and trees around the city have been struggling a bit this year, however, with the cold weather lingering on ... and on and on.

I thought it was about time to check out what was blooming in the Conservatory Garden a few days ago during my lunch break, and I wasn't disappointed. The main circle of tulips—usually packed with multi-color flowers—was mostly filled with white daffodils. Daffodils aren't my favorite flowers, but en masse they really were beautiful.

The southern half of the garden is much more colorful and filled with tulips of all different colors currently in full bloom. I think I must have a sort of flower amnesia because every spring I'm amazed by the varieties and feel like it's my first time ever seeing most of them. I'm usually drawn to the darker, more somber colors but this time I couldn't get enough of the pale peach and yellow tulips.

The lilac trees (my favorite) are just barely beginning to bloom but they still smell incredible. The cherry blossoms are also a few weeks from peak bloom, but the pink magnolia trees are spectacular. I've already forgotten what it's like to feel desperately cold while dodging piles of frozen trash that covered the city this winter, which is certainly no small feat.

A Thousand Korean Chrysanthemums (That I Thought Were Daisies)

I was riding the bus down Fifth Avenue to work last week when I happened to glance up from my book as we were passing the Conservatory Garden in Central Park. I couldn't see much, but I saw glimpses of color and made a note to come back during my lunch break. I had been to the garden a few weeks back and marveled at the beautiful fall flowers in bloom, but this looked like something new.

I was completely blown away when I later entered the garden to find the most incredible array of Korean chrysanthemums I had ever seen. I'm not exaggerating when I say there were thousands and thousands of them (Lorelai Gilmore would have approved) in more colors than I even knew existed.

They were spilling over onto the walkways, pushing up through the cracks in the benches and tumbling over one another in every which way. It was impossible to be grumpy sitting on a bench surrounded by so many colorful flowers and I'm still having a hard time believing that something so beautiful can still exist this late into the season. The Conservatory Garden has stunned me breathless before with its tulips (first in 2012 and then again this year but I have to say that the Korean chrysanthemums might have surpassed them as the best New York garden display I've seen yet.

EDIT: Apparently these are actually Korean chrysanthemums, and not daisies (as I originally wrote), which was pointed out to me by someone on Instagram who is clearly much smarter than me. This makes much more sense, seasonally, and also negates my Gilmore Girls reference but I'm never mad when I get to reference GG, even if it's a mistake. It should also be noted that I know absolutely nothing about plants, which is probably obvious by now.

Fall Flowers

I've said more than once that I was never a big flower person until I moved to New York. You might not think that flowers and the city necessarily go hand-in-hand, but everywhere you look there are beautiful blooms to match every season. I've really been noticing and loving the transition from summer to fall in the gardens around the city, particularly the Conservatory Garden in Central Park and the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx.

While summer flowers are bright and cheery, I definitely prefer the deeper shades and more interesting mixes that start popping up when the weather turns chilly. I just can't get enough of the dark reds, bright purples and of course oranges, mixed with neon greens, grays and deep, dark purples. I also love the weirder looking plants—the things with spikes and veins and spots and fuzz.

It seems like suddenly every sidewalk and stoop is overflowing with the most beautiful mums, and the NYBG has an entire show devoted to the weird and wonderful things people can make them do. I went to the Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Garden Show this year and last year, and I am continually amazed at the variety and complexity of nature. Hundreds of blooms growing from a single stem, intricately layered petals that go on for days, honeycomb-like centers and the most breathtaking color gradations—just a few more reasons why fall is the fucking best.

Tulips

I never really paid much attention to tulips before I moved to the city, but now it's almost impossible not to notice them. They're everywhere now — in the medians, in sidewalk planters, in window boxes and throughout the parks and gardens around the city. I've kind of become obsessed with them, and every time I think I've found a favorite, I walk by another color or variation that is even better.

There are ones that look like roses, spiky ones and striped ones, ones with ruffles, miniature ones and ones that are impossibly tall. If I had to pick a favorite I would have to say the darker the better; there's just something about a dark purple, almost black flower that I really love. Dark tulips always remind me of a Victorian funeral and are a little bit morbid — kind of the direct opposite of every other hopeful and bright spring bloom. Two years ago while I was visiting the city (and the Conservatory Gardens for the first time) I fell in love with the dark purple tulip and I'm still not over them.

I always thought that tulips had a very brief blooming season, but they seem to be sticking around for longer than I would have expected. There are even some in the Conservatory Garden that haven't reached their peak yet — I've been checking on them a few times a week since the beginning of April and they just recently started to come to life. I'll definitely be sad when tulip season is officially over and my daily commute gets a little less colorful.

Spotting Spring

Although it's almost May and it currently feels as if it could very well snow again, spring has managed to force its way into the city, slowly but surely. My daily commute includes a nearly 2.5 mile walk across Central Park, where I have been able to witness the day-by-day changes to the cherry trees, tulips, daffodils and other blooming delights.

Everything has been quite delayed due to the crazy winter we had (are still having?) and I was afraid that I would miss the best blooms while I was out of town, but we're still a few weeks away from the peak. Whenever I can get moving early enough, I walk from my apartment on the west side to my job on the east side, walking along the reservoir which is lined with cherry trees (my favorite).

If I really get an early start I have time to walk through the Conservatory Garden, and I brought my camera with me the other day in hopes that the field of tulips had started blooming. Unfortunately they were still entirely green, but the daffodils, magnolia trees and even the lilac (my favorite scent) have already made an appearance.

The Conservatory Garden is one of my very favorite spots in the park and I still haven't gotten over the fact that it's a regular stop in my morning commute. I do wish they had a bloom map like the Brooklyn Botanic Garden has for their cherry trees so I wouldn't be continually afraid that I was missing something, but there's always something nice to look at no matter when I stop by.

After leaving Central Park I still have a few east side avenues to cross before I arrive at work, and the Park Avenue tulips have just started blooming. In one median in particular there is one lone yellow flower amongst all of the bright pink ones and I make it a point to say hi to it each morning as I pass. I can't say that I'm not getting impatient for the warm weather to stick around for good, but I'm enjoying this prolonged blooming season, and I'm trying not to miss a single blossom or bud. I might never be rich enough to actually live on the park (or Park Avenue) but getting to walk through/past them each morning is pretty amazing.

Springtime in New York, part 1

This past weekend I went to New York City, which just happens to be my favorite of all of the cities. I've lost count of how many times I've visited, but I'm pretty sure I've covered every month — December was the coldest (-22 with windchill), June the hottest (90+, a record that year) and August the rainiest (I nearly lost a flip flop down a storm drain).

I've been there when it was 60 degrees in January and 40 degrees in May, but this past weekend it was absolutely perfect. Sunday was chilly and rainy, but Friday and Saturday were some of the most gorgeous days I've spent in the city.

Determined as always to see as much as humanly possible, I packed an extraordinary amount of sightseeing into two-and-a-half days. I can't possibly pick a favorite spot, activity or even borough when the contenders include most everything on my to-do list with notable additions being the "Cat You Care For" book I bought for forty-eight cents, delicious burgers at Shake Shack and an entire grove of lilacs.

I have to say though, for being such a city, New York certainly knows how to do nature. I spent a considerable amount of time walking around Central Park, Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and every time I turned a corner something was blooming and taking my breath away. The highlights:

I spent Friday morning walking most of Central Park, eventually ending up at the Conservatory Garden. I was just about to exit the gate, when I walked into this courtyard ringed with the most gorgeous tulips I've ever seen. Believe me when I say these tulips were a game changer.

I hesitate to say they took my breath away, but I'm still having a hard time believing I even saw something this beautiful. Did I mention the Conservatory Garden is free?

After the Conservatory, I headed to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. I went for the flowering cherries, and they didn't disappoint. I wish I was still there, sitting under the canopy of peak-bloom cherry trees — every time the wind would blow, a few petals would fall and I had to keep reminding myself that it was real life. Sometimes I can't believe I'm so lucky.

Also, I got in for $5 thanks to my student I.D., even though it's been 4 years since I could call myself a student.

Don't tell New York.

As if the cherries weren't enough, the Botanic Garden also has the most delicious smelling lilac grove I've ever seen. Well, it was also the first lilac grove I'd ever seen, but seriously I wish you could smell my photos. That's not usually something I wish when presenting New York City photos, but trust me.

Not to be outdone, the azaleas were also in peak bloom and in such vibrant colors I could barely trust my own eyeballs. Luckily I took approximately six thousand pictures as proof. Apparently the bumble bees enjoyed them as much as I did — I tried to take a picture of two bees getting fresh with one another, but they were all "stop creeping on us" and flew away.

I can't recommend the Brooklyn Botanic Garden enough — every where I looked was incredible. The bluebell field is apparently in bloom as of right this second, so grab your fraudulent student I.D. and head over to Prospect Park if you can — tell the cherries that I'll see them next year.