Cherry blossoms at New York’s botanical gardens

With only through next week to catch the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., there’s another chance in April to enjoy the pink glory if you head north. At the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx, and at the Brooklyn Botantic Gardens, the cherry trees bloom later than those in D.C.

To create this time lapse photography video that highlights the blooming, 3,000 shots, one every three minutes, were taken between April 18 and April 26, 2008. The video was created by Dave Allen, the webmaster for the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. The effect is a bit like a musical kaleidoscope of nature in shades of pink. Nicely done!

To see the cherry trees bloom in real time, head to the section the Brooklyn Botanic Garden called Cherry Walk. According to the New York Botanical Garden website, rhododendron, buttercups, pansies, and magnolias are some of the other flowers and trees that bloom there in April.

Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden

This charming video showcases the New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show currently on view through January 11 in The Bronx section of New York City. Last week, I had the wonderful experience of visiting Paul Busse, the creator of the display, at his workshop in Kentucky. I’ve been a fan of Busse’s work for years. This particular masterpiece takes five 8-hour days and several people to complete.

If you ever get the chance to see Busse’s work where all but the trains and the tracks are mostly made out of natural elements, do. You’ll be enthralled. In the meantime, enjoy some of the magic here.

This clip is from a larger PBS documentary. It can be purchased at the Botanical Garden’s gift shop.