You may not think visiting a botanical garden in winter could be very interesting. The flowers have faded, the leaves have fallen and the forest has turned into “stick season”. While that may be true, that doesn’t mean it’s not interesting. Winter is cold, but it’s a wonderful time of year. Yes, I do feel sad when the trees bid farewell and take refuge in their roots until spring arrives, but there is still so much to see. Birds’ nests are easier to spot in the trees, and the landscape takes on a new color palette of browning leaves, red berries and the striking greens of the conifers. One of my favorite spots in the NYBG any time of year is the stand of majestic Eastern White Pines just along the edge of the garden. The soft, brown needles are a relief to walk on after a long week of walking on hard concrete city sidewalks. Just past the White Pines are the native Pitch Pines. These pines are twisted and rugged with spiky cones. They’re built to survive dry, rocky ridges, exposed mountainsides and thrive in places other trees cannot. I love spending time in any season among the pines in the garden, but in winter especially. The garden is even more peaceful this time of year and a wonderful respite from the urban world just beyond its gates.

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