9. Pros say October is the best month to enjoy the NYBG

The Sweetgum is about 100 feet tall and measures almost 4 feet across.
The Sweetgum is about 100 feet tall and measures almost 4 feet across.

Todd Forrest, Arthur Ross Vice President for Horticulture and Living Collections, calls October his favorite month (though he says May is a strong second). “The garden changes as the light changes,” he says. “You’ll become alert to the many shades and textures of green as the leaves grow more pale before bursting into the glorious mosaic of orange, yellow, gold, brown, and scarlet.” Touring the garden with Forrest is a bit like undertaking a walking seminar with the best science teacher you ever had. “What do you see?” he asks, gesturing towards the dense combination of trees, bushes, and undergrowth in front of us.

We just stare but Vuka Roussakis, a frequent visitor, volunteers, “There are an awful lot of fallen trees.” This turns out to be a correct and excellent answer as Forrest points to the “ancient beech and sweetgums” lying on the ground. Hurricane Sandy inflicted substantial damage in October 2012, destroying some 500 trees. Forrest says he knew many of the trees individually but also notes that death and disturbance are part of regeneration since trunks and branches will decompose, releasing their nutrients back into the soil to feed the next generation of trees. This spurs a discussion of the singular appropriateness of the Friday Kahlo exhibition: death, regeneration, life.

Fallen trees from Hurricane Sandy will decompose, providing nutrients for the next generation.
Fallen trees from Hurricane Sandy will decompose, providing nutrients for the next generation.