Take a soothing family trip to the Queens Botanical Garden in Downtown Flushing for an educational day filled with carefully cultivated plants both native and rare. With 39 acres of landscape to take in, why not make a whole day of it by packing a picnic or eating at one of the neighborhood eateries? Be sure to bring a camera as well, since the flowers make wonderful backdrops for family photos.
Visit the Gardens
At the Queens Botanical Garden, there are 28 different gardens in all kinds of themes and subjects. Visit the Rose Garden or the Fragrance Walk for lush gardens of roses, perennials, and bulbs. The Meadow is lovely throughout any season, featuring perennial wildflowers and grasses, as well as the native birds, butterflies, and bugs that call it home. At the Herb Garden, you can see groups of aromatic, culinary, and medicinal herbs from all over the world, used in a variety of cultures.
For a more scientific trip, visit the Cleansing Biotope, an area planted with native wetland species that filter rainwater, or the Bioswales, where planted depressions collect run-off storm water. At the Compost Demo Garden, curious families can watch composting in action and learn how it works. And now with the rising awareness of bee preservation, the Bee Garden is a great place to visit while you are here to learn about what plants and trees attract bees or flavor honey.
If you visit this summer, be sure to check out their lists of seasonal highlights online for July and August to see what’s in bloom. For a full list of gardens, click here.
Visit the Children’s Garden
A kid’s favorite at the Queens Botanical Garden is, no surprise, the Children’s Garden! Here children 5-12 can learn hands-on about plants, gardens, and nature. They will plant and harvest vegetables and flowers, visit QBG’s 39 acres, and cook with the food they’ve grown. For a list of summer sessions and dates, click here.
Enter the Garden of Tomorrow Art Competition
“Where do you envision the QBG 50 years from now? What might the landscape look like? What new flowers might be discovered in your Garden of Tomorrow?” The Garden is asking kids 5 and older these questions in their Garden of Tomorrow Art Competition. Your little artist can enter their answering drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, and more! Submissions will be accepted through August 31, 2014 via e-mail.
See Exhibits & Events
Harvesting Our History: The Story of Queens Botanical Garden is currently on display, Tuesdays-Sundays through September 28. At this exhibit families can learn the history of the Garden, dating back to the 1939 World’s Fair and it’s move to the current location for the 1964 World’s Fair. The exhibit will present QBG, private, and public archival materials.
On July 27, Alicia Svigals & Friends will perform Klezmer Music. Svigals is widely considered the world’s foremost living Klezmer fiddler, so this is sure to be a spectacular show for the whole family. NYC’s only African-American string band, The Ebony Hillbillies, will perform on August 16. Both events are free with Garden admission. Why not pack a picnic to enjoy over at Oak Allee! For more information, click here.
Go On a Tour
Self-Guided Tours, available Tuesdays-Sundays, may be a good idea for a family trip. Groups can explore the Garden at their own chosen pace at the low price of $30 per tour! For an even better experience, a Visitor Guide and Green Trail Guide are available online in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Korean. A Family Guide is also available in English.
For parents with smart phones, QBG now offers a free garden tour app, Explore QBG, so you can plan your visit, take a tour, learn about the green building and landscapes, and visit adopted trees and benches.
For more information, visit the Queens Botanical Garden website here.
