Groundbreakers Exhibition Opens at The New York Botanical Garden on May 17, 2014, Exploring Great American Gardens and the Women Who Designed and Photographed Them

NEW YORK, May 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York Botanical Garden's exhibition Groundbreakers: Great American Gardens and The Women Who Designed Them explores the burgeoning age of gardening in the early 20th century and the contributions of American women who emerged as influential professionals in the fields of landscape architecture and design and garden photography. Opening on May 17 and running through September 7, 2014, the multifaceted exhibition examines how the work of these pioneering women helped define American garden design.

"Mrs. Rockefeller's Garden," a gorgeous horticultural exhibition within the Seasonal Galleries of the New York City Landmark Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, evokes of the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden in Seal Harbor, Maine. The exhibition pays tribute to the sophisticated plantings and landscape features of the iconic Rockefeller Garden, including colorful flower borders, a mossy woodland, and Asian-influenced Moon Gate and tile-capped enclosing wall.

"Gardens for a Beautiful America: The Women Who Photographed Them," a historical exhibition in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library's Rondina and LoFaro Gallery, features a collection of vintage photographs, photo equipment, photo-illustrated books, and a simulated "Magic Lantern" slide show, highlighting the landmark work of pioneer female photographers.

Developed in partnership with the Poetry Society of America and located in the outdoor gardens adjacent to the Haupt Conservatory, "The Edna St. Vincent Millay Poetry Walk" presents the poems of early 20th-century American poet Edna St. Millay (1892–1950), a leader in her generation of poets, known for employing traditional poetry forms to convey modernist messages in a uniquely American voice. Many of the poems, displayed on poetry boards set within the Botanical Garden's landscape, reference plants and flowers found in the Garden's collections during the peak flowering season.

In the Conservatory Rain Forest Galleries, "Groundbreaking Women in Science," sponsored by AMOREPACIFIC, highlights the invaluable achievements of leading women in science through a series of informative panels, that recognize their unprecedented research and contributions to the study of plant science at the Garden. 

"The Groundbreakers App" enhances the visitor experience through a mobile application-guided walking tour. Mobile media is sponsored by Bloomberg.

Additional programming during Groundbreakers includes a poetry reading of Millay's work, Jazz Age evening garden parties with live music and dancing, as well as public lectures and a symposium featuring scholars who discuss the impact and influence of women on landscape architecture in America.

For more information, visit nybg.org or call 718.817.8700.

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SOURCE The New York Botanical Garden