Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Some of the more popular plants located in the garden are cherry trees. They come in a number of varieties; forty two of them are Asian cherry trees. They started to plant cherry trees at the location around World War 1 as a gift from the politicians of Japan. The blooming of the cherry trees is multiple months long, during which a festival named Hanami is held. It eventually leads to a weekend long event that is called Sakura Matsuri. Tourists spend their time walking around the garden while the cherry trees are in bloom, taking in all of the sights. There are many different species, and each species tends to bloom at a slightly different time.

Within the Brooklyn Botanic Garden there are a number of smaller gardens, including the Japanese Hill and Pond garden. It was the first garden to be recognized as a Japanese American Public Garden. The garden was first built in 1915, and at the time cost less than $13,000.  Many consider the garden to be a masterpiece, and a number of growing events are held within the garden each year. As the name would suggest, the Hill and Pond Garden is home to numerous rolling hills and ponds. The outside of the garden is surrounded by hills, which contain about as much plant life as the center, flat section of the garden does. The garden was also restored in 2000, when a number of new plants were brought in. The restoration was so successful that the park was awarded the New York Landmark Conservancy’s 2001 Preservation Award.

Another popular attraction within the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is the Cranford Rose Garden. The rose garden is home to nearly 1,500 different kinds of roses, as well as more than 5,000 bushes. The garden is also home to a number of wild species of roses including the floribundas, hybrid perpetual, climbers, hybrid tea roses and old garden roses. It is truly a sight to be seen.

Another popular location is the Alice Recknagel Ireys Fragrance garden. It is the first garden in the USA to be designed specifically for individuals who are vision impaired. The smell is so strong from the garden that many are taken aback when they first enter. Most of the plants within the garden are meant to be touched, have scented leaves, or flower with fragrance.

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is one of the most popular tourist attractions inside of New York City. It is a treasure that has been enriching lives since 1915, and is held to a high standard by locals and tourists alike.