Introduction
The botanical garden is one of the most interesting places among the remarkable sights in almost every city. Last month I was lucky to visit the New York Botanical Garden presenting the vast diversity of plants from the different parts of our planet.
The aim of this essay is to tell you about my visit describing the collection of the botanical garden as well as the organization of its functioning.
The Principles of Organization and Educational Value
The characteristic of the principles of organization of the New York Botanical Garden should be started from the statement of its mission which is expressed as “being an advocate for the plant kingdom” (“Mission and History,” par. 1). The realization of the mission is accomplished by achieving the Garden goals.
“The Garden pursues its mission through its role as a museum of living plant collections arranged in gardens and landscapes across its National Historic Landmark site; through its comprehensive education programs in horticulture and plant science; and through the wide-ranging research programs of the International Plant Science Center” (“Mission and History”, par. 1).
The garden occupies a space of 250 acres, and it is divided into 50 distinct parts, each of which is devoted to the certain species collection. Besides the exhibited collections, there is a research laboratory which represents a scientific center of the Botany study. There is also a specialized library serving the needs of researchers and students. The maintenance of the garden is fulfilled in the frameworks of the overall program of sustainability promoted by the Botanical Garden.
Certainly, the New York Botanical Garden has an educational value as it gives an excellent opportunity to see the rare species of the plant kingdom, to know more about the plants healing properties and the utility of some species in the industry. Moreover, the Garden periodically issues the reports summarizing the results of the scientific research on the problem of global warming, thus, contributing to the environment protection.
The Exhibited Species and Areas of Interest
At the time of my visit to the New York Botanical Garden, there were several ongoing exhibitions. I decided to go to the one presenting the healing plants from all over the world. The exhibition took place in one of the gardens reconstructed in the style of the Italian Renaissance.
Among the species seen, the following ones were especially interesting for me: the foxglove, a beautiful bloomy plant the extract from which is used to treat heart diseases due to its content of certain poisonous substances, saw palmetto, which is broadly used in the medical industry as well as coconut palms, the products of which provides us with the some of the best sources of antioxidants.
“Antioxidants are our first line of defense against free radical damage and are critical for maintaining optimum health and wellbeing” (Percival 1). The exhibition made me think that, probably, all that we need for our health can be found in nature.
Conclusion
To sum up, all the above mentioned, it should be said that the New York Botanical Garden exhibits one of the most admirable collections of plants in the world. The time spent in the Garden allowed me to get additional knowledge of the healing plants while enjoying the special atmosphere of the place. Unarguably, it is worthy of visiting the New York Botanical Garden for not only the students majoring in Botany or Biology but for everyone fond of nature and its beauty.
Works Cited
Dr Percival, Mark. “Antioxidants.” Clinical Nutrition Insights 96.1 (1996): 1-4. Print.
“Mission and History”. New York Botanical Garden. n.d.