Sunday, May 2, 2010

Shakespeare Garden


A small charming area in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, which is located at 900 Washington Avenue, in Brooklyn, New York, is the Shakespeare Garden. Composed in an English cottage-garden style, it exhibits plants mentioned in the Bard's poems and plays.     

"There's rosemary, that's for remembrance. Pray you, love,
remember. And there is pansies, that's for thoughts." ~  Hamlet


An informational placard in the garden .. all photos will enlarge for easier viewing when double clicked. Use the back arrow to return to the blog post.


More than 80 of the plants mentioned in the works of Shakespeare grow here. Common or Shakespearean names, the botanical name, references for relevant quotations and, in some cases, a graphic representation of the plant, are displayed on labels. Complete list of all the flowers and herbs that are in the Brooklyn Botanic Shakespeare Garden can be view here.

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet." ~ Romeo and Juliet


An oval brick path, lined on either side with flower beds, leads into the garden, and a teak bench and fountain help create the atmosphere of an English cottage garden of Elizabethan times.  It is a quiet place to stroll through or sit for a little while when you visit the large 52 acre Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Do you have a favorite Shakepearean quote that contains the name of a flower?  I've included a few of mine in this post!
“Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our bodies are our gardens, to which our wills are gardeners; so that if we will plant nettles or sow lettuce, set hyssop and weed up thyme, supply it with one gender of herbs or distract it with many—either to have it sterile with idleness or manured with industry—why, the power and corrigible authority of this lies in our wills.”
~ Othello


I'm linking with Mary for "Mosaic Monday" on her blog The Little Red House. Please visit Mary today to see her beautiful mosaic and links to many more!



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46 comments:

Debbiedoos said...

No favorite quotes for me I forget what I said let alone anyone else lol!~ That garden looks awesome, so romantic too to sit on the brick pathway and watch nature and people stroll by....thanks for sharing your fabulous photos as always!

Grace said...

So beautiful and Romantic! I was thinking today to go to the NY (Bronx) Botanical Garden to see the Emily Dickenson exhibit Gardens. Thanks for sharing such beautiful pictures and a great post. Grace xoxo

Carol said...

Beautiful gardens, so charming, Pat, love the places you go and share here! Another great post!

Bobbi Ann said...

Wonderful post, lovely gardens, great pictures! I hope that you have a beautiful new week!
Hugs...
Bobbi

Naturegirl said...

Such romance and wonderful quotes in this garden I'm sure!

"And sing while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep" W.Shakespeare from A Midsummer Night's Dream!

Mmmm..can you imagined sleeping on pressed roses petals sprinkled with lavender!!! Zzzzz

Maria M. Boyer said...

BEAUTIFUL!

Tales From My Empty Nest said...

Such beautiful gardens. This NY Botanical garden is an awesome place! Thanks for sharing. Love & blessings from NC!

dianasfaria.com said...

I love Shakespeare! & what a great idea to use his work to accompany the different plants he wrote about.
Sounds like a great way to spend an afternoon.

Claudia said...

What a lovely post!

I am jealous too... While I am horrible with memorizing ... I, like you, love the "that by any other name would smell as sweet."

Hope to see you with us on Friday!

Claudia

My name is Riet said...

What a beautiful place to visit Pat and this in a that large botanical garden. What a treat. I only know "to be or not to be" by Shakespeare.
Have a nice day.

Old Kitty said...

Hi Pat

I'm now madly rummaging through my boxes of books for my big bad book of all of Shakespeare's plays!

And that means I'll have to read it to find suitably floral quotes. :-)

Oh but this is lovely, Pat, lovely. A tiny bit of this wonderful Botanic Garden packed to the rafters with cottage garden plants. It all looks so romantic and so dreamy - just like a proper English cottage garden!

It was interesting reading that Wormwood, Absinthe card. I never knew that Absinthe was wormwood.. maybe I ought to find some to grow!

:-)

Thanks for the Othello quote "our bodies are our gardens" - so, so, so true.

Take care
x

Allie and Pattie said...

such a wonderful place- thank you.
xoxo Pattie

Jennyff said...

The garden does look very English and I really like the English theme, you do show us some great places. I'm inspired now to get out and do even more gardening myself.

Anonymous said...

Looking at your photos this morning it struck me..how relaxing this beautiful garden looks!
Great Post....
Happy Monday!!
Marilyn
xxoo

Jojo said...

What a lovely themed garden idea to capture the cottage garden!!

Wishing you a happy Monday.

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

What a neat place! My youngest daughter LOVES Shakespeare! I just asked her, as she was running out the door to school, if she had a favorite verse, she shouted back, she'll think of one!

Great mosaic too! Happy you are following!

Kindly, ldh

Tracy said...

This is so wonderful! I have always wanted to do a themed garden like this. This gives great inspiration! Such lovely photos, Pat... Happy Day :o) ((HUGS))

Ciao Chow Linda said...

How about Juliet talking about Romeo: "What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet"
I didn't know there was a Shakespeare Garden in Brooklyn. I'm familiar only with the one in Central Park. Who needs Manhattan?

nanny said...

Beautiful garden! So peaceful!

CatHerder said...

beautiful!

RoeH said...

I just emailed my daughter in Maryland and told her the next time she goes to NY, SEE THIS PLACE. And I want to go too.

Claudia said...

I've always had a love for Shakespearean-themed gardens. As May winds whip through MN, am remembering, "Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May" (Sonnet) and from Midsummer which is rife with flower poetry, Oberon's line, "I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,where oxlips and the nodding violets grow, quite overcanopied with luscious woodbine, with sweet musk roses and with eglantine." (I know, I'm a Shakespeare nerd who has done MIDSUMMER four times!)

Anonymous said...

Great concept for a garden. When I was last in Stratford they were setting up an Elizabethan garden but I read that they were now having an archaeological dig there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8sQn6wC2oU

Killara girl said...

what a fantastic set of photos and blog you have....i am going to put you on my list, so i can come back and visit...i haven't been to many places around ny but must try and get out more.

Sue said...

Just another good garden for the daughter to take Miss B to....Miss B loves her gardens...she went this weekend to Longwood Gardens...it's never too early to teach your kids about the beauty of nature...

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I love the photos...and the quotes! What a perfect addition to your lovely post! I have a print of Romeo and Juliet in my bedroom...so beautiful and romantic! ♥

Jenny said...

Pat, how totally charming. Love, love, love this.

I think the City of NY should pay you for blogging about them!

Jenny said...

Pat, how totally charming. Love, love, love this.

I think the City of NY should pay you for blogging about them!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?".... is one of the popular ones...

Great post, Pat. I'd love to see that garden. I especially like the fact that the plants/trees, etc. are all marked. SO interesting!!! Thanks for sharing.

We're having a great time at the beach. Wish you were here.
Hugs,
Betsy

black eyed susans kitchen said...

Just beautiful Pat. I like the quotes that you chose to go with the pictures of the gardens, which are gorgeous.
♥, Susan

La Petite Gallery said...

Ahaa... Youth, what a romantic spot to meet a boyfriend..
That is a beautiful place.
Good spot for an out door wedding..
yvonne

Anonymous said...

What a clever idea for a garden! And it looks just beautiful and peaceful. Thanks so much for sharing. RYC: The Wang was an absolutely gorgeous theatre and the show terrific. Just as with their Christmas shows there was a story to go along with the music. ~Jeanne

Sir and Miss said...

What a fabulous garden! What's more, what a wonderful blog! As a teacher of Literature and Theatre Studies who loves English gardens, your post captured my heart.

Parting is such sweet sorrow;)

Holly
x

p.s. Thanks for stopping by 3 Sisters, 365

Trotter said...

Hi Pat! It looks a nice garden to visit; next time I've to pay some more attention to Brooklyn... ;)

What about Ephesus? Blogtrotter Two has it... ;) Enjoy and have a great week!!

Amanda at 32˙North said...

Hi Pat,

It's always such a pleasure to join you on your outings - thank you!

Amanda

Anonymous said...

Wow what a beautiful place. Guess you got plenty of rain. We had about 9 inches in 2 days. Flooding just down the road from us.
QMM

Anonymous said...

I love the photos on your blog! Always a pleasure to pop in and tour!
ciao bella
creative carmelina was here!

GailO said...

Another beautiful BBG series...that place is heavean!

Laura in Paris said...

What a nice garden! Gardens are so refreshing in spring .. I have near my home Poet's Garden, where poems are engraved on brass amidst trees and flower beds .. beautiful.

Gracie said...

How interesting is it? I didn't know of such a beutiful thing. Thanks for sharing. Hope you're having a nice week so far.

Just a little something from Judy said...

My narrow minded thought process of Brooklyn has diminished by all of my visits to this gorgeous and informative blog. I had no idea that it had so many lovely gardens and parks. This Shakespeare Garden is one I would love to visit, and read about each of the plants. Your photography continually amazes me. Thank you for sharing.

Nola said...

There was an article in the gardening section of the Dallas Morning News just last week about "Shakespearean plants"; would be fun to do a themed garden containing them, wouldn't it?

Gardening in a Sandbox said...

For a person who loves gardens I think the first thing you should put on your itinerary in a new City is to look for the Botanical Gardens. Always magical places. Valerie

From the Kitchen said...

I've enjoyed continuing my "stroll through the garden" with you and my morning coffee. More beautiful photos and...a reminder that I forgot to purchase rosemary when I picked up my herbs. How can one forget the herb of remembrance?

Best,
Bonnie

Donna said...

What a beautiful garden!! I wish I was there!

Hugs,
Donna

Mary said...

"I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows..."

Always a favorite, from A Midsummer Night's Dream.

What a beautiful little garden! You always have the best places to visit. Thanks so much for sharing at MM. :)