The New York Botanical Garden News

Kiku is Coming to The New York Botanical Garden; October 20-November 18, 2007

NEW YORK, Aug. 7 PRNewswire — Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Chrysanthemum, the most elaborate flower show and cultural exhibition ever presented by The New York Botanical Garden, will open on October 20 and run through November 18, 2007. Visitors will discover the exquisite beauty of kiku — meticulously cultivated chrysanthemums in a traditional Japanese art never before seen on this scale outside Japan. The month-long exhibition, the culmination of a cultural exchange and collaboration with the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden in Tokyo, will include:

— a flower show featuring distinct styles of kiku and other Japanese garden plants, including maples and bamboos, in the expansive Courtyards of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, the largest Victorian- style glasshouse in America; — an exhibition of works on paper illustrating the plants of Japan in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library gallery; — a wide range of programs for visitors of all ages and interests, from home gardening to Japanese life and culture. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070807/NYTU031 )

The chrysanthemum (kiku in Japanese) is revered throughout Japan, where it has been carefully cultivated and expertly trained into codified forms through floricultural techniques developed over 1,500 years. Cultivating and training kiku is exceptionally difficult, requiring expertise and constant attention throughout a 12-month growing period, during which time the plants are carefully watered, pinched, staked, and tied to grow in a variety of highly specialized shapes.

Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Chrysanthemum will display three traditional styles of the Japanese chrysanthemum, highlighted by dramatic shapes, vibrant colors, and numerous blossoms. The ozukuri ("thousand bloom" plants) feature hundreds of-if not quite a "thousand"-simultaneous blossoms in massive, domed- shaped arrays, all from a single plant. Another type, ogiku ("single-stem" plants), ranging up to six feet in height, present one single perfect flower balanced atop the stem. Quantities of these are arranged in diagonal lines to form disciplined color patterns. A third type, kengai ("cascades"), feature dramatic waterfall-like frames covered by small-flowered chrysanthemums.

Integral to the chrysanthemum display will be traditional Japanese garden pavilions, or uwaya, built according to centuries-old construction techniques utilizing bamboo and rope accented with swags of purple cloth and red tassels. In addition to providing shelter for the plants, these structures create an atmosphere of Japanese elegance and style.

The flower show, Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Chrysanthemum, will be the Botanical Garden's centerpiece of a larger celebration of Japanese art, life, and culture throughout the Garden.

A magnificent exhibition, Plants of Japan in Illustrated Books and Prints, will be mounted in the William D. Rondina and Giovanni Foroni LoFaro Gallery of the LuEsther T. Mertz Library. The exhibition, drawn from the Botanical Garden's own extensive collections in the Mertz Library, will present the rich exchange of horticultural ideas and perspectives between Japan and the West. It will trace the history of Western botanical exploration of the island nation, presenting plants that have become Western favorites, including hydrangeas and Japanese maples, iris, and chrysanthemums.

The Botanical Garden will present Kiku Matsuri, a range of multi- disciplinary programming, including lectures; performing arts such as taiko drumming, musical performances with koto and shakuhachi, and Butoh dance; workshops and demonstrations in ikebana, origami, kiku cultivation, bonsai, Japanese garden plants for home gardens, saori hand weaving, and chrysanthemums in Japanese food and wine; a new audio walking tour; Kiku for Kids; guided tours; and more.

In addition to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden and The New York Botanical Garden, participants in this cultural exhibition include The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Japan Society, and the Japanese Ministry of the Environment.

Generous donors to this exhibition and its ancillary programs include: Presenting Sponsors Mitsubishi International Corporation Coach, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Nolen LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust Major Sponsor Canon USA Sponsors Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc. Sumitomo Corporation of America Toyota Motor North America, Inc.

Exhibitions in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory are made possible by the Estate of Enid A. Haupt.

The New York Botanical Garden is a museum of plants located at Bronx River Parkway (Exit 7W) and Fordham Road. It is easy to reach by Metro-North Railroad or subway. PRICING: $18, Seniors/Students $16, Children $5. Advance tickets are available online at www.nybg.org. For more information, please call 718.817.8700 or visit our Web site at www.nybg.org

The New York Botanical Garden is located on property owned in full by the City of New York, and its operation is made possible in part by public funds provided through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. A portion of the Garden's general operating funds is provided by The New York City Council and The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. The Bronx Borough President and Bronx elected representatives in the City Council and State Legislature provide leadership funding.

Media Contact: Nick Leshi 718.817.8658 or 718.817.8616; Images Available

SOURCE The New York Botanical Garden

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