Tips to Having Loads of Fun at Brooklyn Botanic Garden in NYC

Global warming sucks y'all. Winter was terribly mild for New York this year. Yes, I said terribly.I know, I'm a tropical boy through and through and I hate the cold of winter as much as the next island dude. BUT. Since this would've been my first winter, I was excited to see snow, to make snow angels, to build a snowman and all other cliche'd things people do in winter that I only got to watch from my television in the Philippines where it's always 30 



degrees C. So imagine my frustration when it only snowed twice. Basically winter was a series of cold, cold days, without the added value of pretty snow. So yeah, that sucked.

So I was more than glad when Spring finally came especially because I wanted to see the cherry blossom trees blossom. But the weather, being consistent with its inconsistent patterns, made it difficult for us to predict when exactly the blooms would arrive. So to make a long story short, by the time we got to visit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the blossoms have mostly withered away.

Still, there were patches of pretty here and there. More than enough to fill this post with photos of lovely flowers and blue skies. And of course, the occasional cam-whoring/touristy posing with good friends.

TIPS in VISITING THE BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN

1. It's best to come by in the Spring, when the flowers are all fresh and blooming. Make sure to catch the cherry blossoms in all their glory. It's the next best thing to being in Japan. However, you have to know when they would be blossoming. The flowers stay on only for a week or two before they wither. So plan ahead!!

2. Have a picnic!! The part where the cherry blossom trees are can also be a picnic area. And since the Botanic Garden is substantially big, you might want to have lunch there. Bring lots of water! There's a restaurant, and a Starbucks (of course. In New York City, there's a Starbucks in every block or so.), but the prices make it seem like Bill Gates is a regular customer.

3. Bring good friends. While I enjoy spending time in a flower garden like every other manly man every now and then, it won't hurt to bring your most awesome friends. By awesome, I mean those friends who won't get annoyed when you stop at every pot, flower and tree to take a picture.  If your most awesome friends aren't available, then just bring the ones who are nice enough to take your pictures.

4. Do not pick the flowers!!! Don't be selfish and let the circle of life take its course - let the flowers wither and die attached to the stem, not in your bloddy, murderous hands.

5. Bring a camera! Since you're not allowed to pick the flowers, then bring a camera. It's the next best thing!

6. Check the weather ahead of time. Unlike in the Philippines, where the weather for the day can be predicted by simply looking out the window, the weather in New York tend to suffer from some schizophrenic disorder which leads to an hourly change in weather. So most New Yorkers have developed the habit of checking weather.com to make sure they wear the right clothes and bring the right jacket or umbrella. And you should too, if you're planning to visit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.


7. Check out the map. If you have a type A personality, then you might want to check out the map of the garden and strategize your route and the minutes you'll be spending it each stop. While you're at it, you might as well bring a timer, to ensure that you're right on schedule. Set the alarm of your phone or watch to sound off when it's time to move on the the next stop. Fun right?!


8. Don't read the map! Be spontaneous!! Follow your heart! Stop and smell the roses! or the lilies.

9. Roll around the grass. Be a child again and pretend not to care if you get your clothes dirty. Lie down under the shade of trees and identify figures shaped by aimless clouds. 

So that's it. Below are the pictures:

On our way to the Garden, we passed by this museum. Note to self: check this out.

Saturday mornings are free of entrance fees! That's why there were a lot of people when we got there.

But it's all good.

There's enough of these babies to go around.

In a Dr. S voice " There's Donna!"

Notice the floral skirt?

Okay, This early, let me tell you that I'm not the type of blogger who memorizes details.

So I can't really tell you what these are.

But I can make up names. I'll call this one Violet Vanessa.

This one I shall call Nerds ( as in the candy! hahaha. yummy.)

So this is how Nerds would look like when it finally blooms.

Let's call this one, White Willy.

Look at how pretty White Willy is.

Especially against the blue sky.

I just can't get enough of white Willy.

This one is Pink Perry.

Donna with Pink Perry.

And there's Anne and Bea!

Some sort of twig/stem/root house.

White Willy is so pretty.

Leila Lilly.

This is called lunch. haha.

Hanging from the ceiling of one of the glass houses.

Lebanese Lilly.

All the pretty ladies in the house y'all.

Take 2!

Love the shades!

On our way to the Japanese garden (yep, made that one up too!)

White Willy again.

Sure, the water looks kinda gross. But I love turtles!!

That's me wearing my winter jacker. Because it was still cold, especially for an tropical island dude like me.

I'd take my kids here if I had any.

So what have learned kids? Don't visit this blog for accuracy. hahaha.