The LuEsther T. Mertz Library is one is the world s great plant science libraries. Assembled over the past century to support research and study in the fields of botanical science, horticulture, and garden design, it now boasts more than 1.26 million print and non-print items and is one of the most comprehensive libraries in this field in the United States. Online as well as on paper, its catalog can be reached on the Internet at librisc.nybg.org. With six million plant specimens, the Herbarium is the largest in the Western Hemisphere. One of the most active and most comprehensive herbaria in the world, the Herbarium makes up the foundation of the Garden s botanical research program and is widely recognized as a research resource of international importance.
Herbarium specimens on line.
The New York Botanical Garden has always been committed to educating the public about the beauty, science, and importance of plants, offering one of the nation s largest continuing education programs in gardening and plant studies . Each year thousands of adults participate in over 600 offerings, ranging from courses in landscape design and commercial flower arranging to master classes in garden photography and design . The New York Botanical Garden offers a wide range of classes and activities for children, toddlers to teenagers. In addition, tens of thousands of school children visit the garden each year to tour The New York Botanical Garden and participate in classes about plant sciences . Bronx Green-Up helps neighborhood residents turn vacant lots into beautiful vegetable and flower gardens.