When driving into the main gates of Fordham University, it’s hard to miss the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) sign directly across the street. Its 250-acre site hosts one million plants, and it is the largest botanical garden in the U.S. Containing many different areas of interest, such as the Haupt Conservatory and the Everett’s Children Adventure Garden, the botanical garden is always hosting something fresh, fun and educational for all types of visitors. 

When it comes to the fall season, there is no exception! This week I was so excited to experience my second fall in the botanical gardens, but this time I got to experience some featured events. For my first stop on my fall tour I ventured to Everett’s Children Garden, a spot I had not been to in quite some time. Decorated with a hundred silly pumpkin scarecrows along the winding trails, it was such a fun experience for not only the little ones, but adults as well! 

“Now that my daughter is three we are starting to do more of the events,” said a mom of two kids visiting for the day from Westchester, New York. “It’s really great for her, they love getting outside in nature.” With NYBG hosting many different programs for all ages, it is a great way to get as many kids involved. 

When asking what her kids thought about the scarecrows and pumpkins event, she said “my kids are one and three and they are having such a great time.” This was no surprise. I could see how excited they were to be outside playing with the interactive games and how much they enjoyed the silly pumpkin gardens. 

My next stop was to the Haupt Conservatory to visit Kusuma Cosmic Nature installations. Yayoi Kusama, a contemporary Japanese artist, is one of the most well-known artists in the world, attracting millions of visitors with her elegant and colorful installations. 

On my way to the conservatory I was able to speak with one of the many amazing volunteers of the gardens. When asking her which fall exhibit was a must-see, she said, “the kiku, the Japanese method of training chrysanthemums to grow from a single stem into huge displays,” which were being held in the conservatory. 

Having not been in the conservatory in over a decade, I was overwhelmed by the many different exhibitions. From the moment you walked up the steps, you could see fall was in full swing in the gardens. With a cascading display of pumpkins and gourds, the steps were covered with beautiful colors, instantly getting me in the fall spirits.

 I was so excited when entering the conservatory I didn’t know where to start! Navigating my way through the thousands of plants and flowers, I was eager to find Kusama’s “Starry Pumpkin” and “Dancing Pumpkin.” Having read up on her artwork, I was looking forward to seeing it up close. 

Immediately, her polka dotted and beautifully colored contrasting pumpkins stood out against the surrounding greenery and flowers. The iridescent golds and pinks of the “Starry Pumpkin” were the perfect fall additions to the gardens, coexisting extremely well with the chrysanthemums the volunteer had mentioned. 

After doing another lap through the conservatory and seeing more of Kusama’s work, it was time for me to head back towards campus. On my way out, there was no shortage of pumpkins and gourds. Overall, I was extremely happy with all the exhibits I saw and definitely wished I had more time to explore.

Spending the quick hour in the gardens was the perfect way to de-stress from midterms week and spend quality time outside and unplug. Having the opportunity to visit the gardens for free and seeing special events for a discounted price as a New York resident and student, I was very grateful for it to be right across the street! 

So if you have some free time, and love nature or even just need a change in scenery, head over to the botanical garden and you will not be disappointed. Even if you don’t have time to make it for its fall events, NYBG always hosting seasonal events as well as year-round exhibits. I can’t wait to go back and see what’s next!