Botanic or botanical? Both!
Nature is not necessarily the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of the urban metropolis of New York City, but in addition to its many world-renowned parks, it is also home to a collection of gardens that offer a year-round opportunity to take a moment to smell the roses.
After trading in your wool coats for cotton blazers, HeliNY encourages you to check out two awe-inspiring annual flower shows that take place here each spring.
The first one we would like to mention is Sakura Matsuri, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s annual cherry blossom festival, which takes place on April 27th and 28th this year. A stunning celebration of both classical and contemporary Japanese culture, performances range from taiko drumming to an indie rock band from Tokyo.
Their website actually has a bloom tracker, so if you’re unable to make the festival itself, you can still plan out a memorable visit. The Cherry Esplanade of the BBG boasts more than 25 species of this iconic flower. The bees are very happy to have so many options to choose from!
The New York Botanical Garden, located in the Bronx, is substantially larger than its Brooklyn counterpart. With 250 acres of indoor and outdoor gardens as well as a research center on botany and conservation, this institution has something for everyone.
Singapore, known to some as the “City in a Garden” due to its dedication to becoming one of the greenest places in the world, is the inspiration for the 17th annual Orchid Show.
The show runs until April 28th and comprises thousands of flowers adorning vertical cones and arches in tribute to Singapore’s floral style.
In fact, since our prices went down on April 1st, with the money you save from booking your helicopter tour, you can think of your visit to one of these gardens as free! As the saying goes, treat yourself.