Spring Walk in the New York Botanical Gardens

Daffodils are in full bloom in the gardens; cherry, crabapple, azalea, lilac, and other trees and shrubs are also beginnning to flower, so let's take advantage of the free Wednesday admission for a leisurely stroll through the gardens to linger among the spring blossoms. We will be making frequent stops to admire and smell the flowers, so please be prepared for a slow and easygoing pace.

Admission: "On Wednesdays, Grounds Admission is free to NYC residents all day and to all other visitors between 10‒11 a.m."

Do note that tickets are required for visiting the conservatory and for the tram tour.

How to get to the gardens:
If you are taking public transportation, you will be entering the gardens through the Moshulu entrance (see map)

• Train: From Grand Central, take the 10:53 Metro-North Harlem local line to Botanical Garden Station, located directly across the street from the Garden’s Mosholu Entrance. One way tickets are $7:50; $5 for seniors. You can also get a City Ticket for $5 (please check the MTA website for information on where to get this ticket).
• Subway: Take the D train to Bedford Park Blvd. Station. From the station exit either take the Bx25 or Bx26 bus east to the Garden’s Mosholu Entrance or walk the eight blocks down the hill on Bedford Park Blvd (approximately 20 minutes). Turn left onto Southern Blvd. and walk one block to Mosholu Entrance.

Drivers should enter through the main entrance. Directions and parking fees can be found here.

When and where to meet:
Meet at 11:30 AM in the seating area just to the right of the gift shop as you are walking toward the bathrooms. This area is between the bathrooms and The Pine Tree Café. Ask the agent at the entrance booth to direct you to the gift shop/restroom area. If you are taking the train, you will be entering the gardens around 11:20, which should give you enough time to get your tickets and walk to the seating area where we will be meeting. The walk will start at 11:40.

Bring: water, snacks, lunch; we will be spending about four hours exploring the gardens, which includes a lunch break at one of the designated seating areas along the paths.

Wear sturdy footwear as some of the paths are not only unpaved, but also require negotiating tree roots, stones and boulders that serve as steps.

Registration opens at 8 PM tonight; please check your schedules and availability before registering for this walk. Do note that although this is a leisurely stroll, we will be walking uphill and downhill on paved paths, and also scrambling over stones and small boulders on unpaved paths.

Optional excursion: Please note that the end time is approximate; we could extend our walk by visiting the shops along Arthur Avenue in Little Italy.

Leader: Prathima Christdas, christdasp@yahoo.com

Please use the Comments section for communicating with me as I won't have access to my email from around 8:30 AM tomorrow.