Hi friends, welcome back! Last weekend we took our annual excursion to the New York Botanical Garden to see the holiday train show. Jon and I went last year, and it was our last activity before Violet was born. We were in the giftshop and Jon noticed that someone had spelled out “Violet” with the trains. It must’ve been a sign because she was born five days later. As you can imagine I never got around to blogging about it, but I’ll never forget that little memory.
This year we got to share the fun with Violet, and she had a blast! We went on a gloomy day so we didn’t explore the rest of the garden, but we were treated with fewer crowds inside. A lot of the structures they reuse, but there is always something new to see at the train show. They usually arrange it differently each year so it feels like a new experience. Last year they added this outdoor train exhibit and little mountains. They had it up this year, but not all the trains could run with the rain. It’s cute nonetheless and a little preview of what’s to come inside.
There are almost 200 structures with some iconic NYC landmarks and notable places in the Hudson Valley too. Each piece is handcrafted by the firm Applied Imagination. They make pieces for botanical garden train shows around the country and I’d highly recommend checking one out near you! Here is their list of exhibits.
The Delacorte Theater is new this year. It’s a replica of the theater in Central Park that hosts Shakespear in the Park in the summer.
Inside Christmas music played and it was a very joyful atmosphere. On most weekends you can visit the garden at night with a cocktail for a unique night out.
I can barely make a gingerbread house so I can only imagine the amount of skill and time that went into each structure.
The Whitney Museum of Art is also new this year.
We ended our excursion in the gift shop and we managed to acquire all the VIOLET train letters in a full circle moment.
The train show runs through January 11th. Tickets are $39 for adults and $27 for kids over two. If you live in the area I’d recommend getting a membership because it pays for itself if you attend the train show and orchid show in the spring. A day at the botanical garden is always a good idea, but even more so at Christmastime! What do you think of this festive exhibit?
Wow! Great photos of this unique garden. Very interesting indeed. Thanks for posting!
Reid
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
That is such a beautiful display. I know our grandchild would love this, as they are crazy about all trains. Great story about the last year display spelling out Violet. An omen indeed. Have a great Friday Lyssy. Allan
It is heaven for train lovers – young and old! We were almost a letter short on getting the Violet train, but luckily there were more in the back.
Violet is going to be thrilled with that train.
She sure will! They had just enough letters too.
Excellent!
That’s a truly magnificent show – sign me up.
You’ll have to come back at Christmas one year!
That’s an excellent suggestion.
That looks like a lot of fun. Have a wonderful festive season xxx
Such a fun event! Hope you have a great holiday season too!
This place looks so cool! Also, love the name Violet!
Thank you! It is a great Botanical garden!
What an extravagant show! The NY Botanical Garden really goes all-out with this event. Like you, I’m blown away by the gingerbread structures– the details are unreal, and even I can barely make a gingerbread house, let alone cathedrals, art museums, etc. It’s awesome you got the VIOLET train letters for your daughter, and I see this being an annual family tradition in the years to come. Thanks for sharing, Lyssy 🙂
They really do go all out and it gets even better each year! Blogging is as creative as I can get, so I’m always so impressed by what people can create. It will definitely be an annual tradition even when I have to begrudgingly bring a teenager ha!
I’d not heard of the NYC Botanical Garden train show Lyssy but it’s just my sort of thing. I’d love to see it for myself one year and to note all the time and effort into creating the structures. Hope you have a lovely weekend. Marion
It’s a really neat event, you’d absolutely love it! It’s amazing how much work goes into it and what people can create.
The New York Botanical Garden looks lovely and the structures are really detailed and beautiful. Love that you got all the train letters to spell Violet!
It’s a beautiful botanical garden and they do such a great job with this event. We were almost a letter short ha!
Wonderful modelling, although the “turtle shell” interpretation of the Guggenheim is odd compared to the detail you see in the other structures. I recognize the large-scale LGB train cars in your sixth and seventh photos because I used to own a set. Finally (the inevitable question), did you already have “Violet” in mind before you saw the letter train in the gift shop? If so, that’s a neat coincidence!
You’re right it is quite different from the other structures, although I suppose the Guggenheim doesn’t have many windows so it’s kinda accurate. I’ve always wanted a train around my tree. We did have the name all picked out! I think we had the name by 4 months. We both made a list and then traded and Violet was on Jon’s. Nobody ever guessed it even though they tried so hard.
I loved reading about the full circle moment! It’s very appropriate to have walked away with your very own VIOLET train. The displays look amazing.
I loved being able to get the Violet train this year, so special!
Looks like a fun exhibit and what a great story about the Violet trains. She will treasure it. Maggie
It’s always a great time at the botanical garden! It will be nice when she stops trying to eat them ha!
Aw it looks wonderful – I love all the miniature world buildings of NYC – I’d spend hours looking at them all 🙂
It’s fun recognizing a lot of the structures and seeing the new ones each year! You’d really enjoy this!!
WOW!
All these models are impressive; it’s fun to recognise places you know. A beautiful collection in a slightly offbeat setting.