New York Botanical Garden Announces 25th Antique Garden Furniture Fair

While it still remains very much the “winter of our discontent” — to quote the poetic; climate change notwithstanding there have been a few winter wonderland magical storms.

Nevertheless, February – that holiday-rich month (think Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year 2016/Lunar New, President’s Day, Mardi Gras – and more, all eyes are looking ahead to Spring.

So getting news of this year’s NYBG’s 25th Anniversary Antique Garden Furniture Fair and its Kick Off with Exclusive Benefit Preview Party and Renowned Collectors’ Plant Sale on the Evening of April 28, 2016 was a lovely seasonal hug. If you love gardens – and being inspired to design garden room indoors and out – this is the event you must attend. Plus, you can rub shoulders with the likes of Martha Stewart, Bunny Williams, and Virginia Newman – Pennoyer Newman Distinctive Garden Pots

NYBG news says it’s “Featuring 30 of the Country’s Leading Exhibitors Showcasing the Finest Garden Antiques for Purchase, The Fair Continues All Weekend, April 29–May 1.

The New York Botanical Garden’s 2016 Antique Garden Furniture Fair: Antiques for the Garden and the Garden Room opens with a Benefit Preview Party and Collectors’ Plant Sale on Thursday, April 28, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Do not miss this rare opportunity to secure the best plants to take home — and rub elbows with the horticulture and design world’s hoi polloi.

According to the Garden, “The country’s original, largest, and most important venue for authentic garden antiques, this year’s Fair features playful bee-inspired designs by celebrated interior and event designer Ken Fulk. As Designer Chairman for the 25th Anniversary Fair, Fulk will create a showpiece featuring items from exhibitors that will inspire and enlighten visitors about marrying antiques and modern design with their everyday aesthetic.

Amid 600 guests from the philanthropic, interior and landscape design, architecture, and art worlds, Preview Party attendees can indulge in a Silent Auction and NYBG’s renowned Collectors’ Plant Sale, which features hard-to-find beauties, beloved varieties, and horticultural treasures propagated from NYBG collections, all chosen for their rarity and charm.

Lilacs, Japanese maples, and herbaceous peonies, selected to celebrate the recent expansions of these historic NYBG collections, are among the unique offerings that will be available exclusively to Preview Party guests.

The Preview Party presents enthusiasts and collectors the opportunity to examine the plants, peruse thousands of garden antiques from more than 30 leading exhibitors from across the United States offering their finest pieces for sale, and to make early purchases, while enjoying cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, in advance of the Fair’s opening to the general public. For Preview Party tickets and information, please call 718.817.8773 or e-mail cbalkonis@nybg.org

All proceeds benefit NYBG’s Fund for Horticulture, directly supporting the work of the curators and gardeners.

The Antique Garden Furniture Fair continues at NYBG from Friday, April 29 through Sunday, May 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Named “Best in America” by experts and long held as the most distinguished stage for authentic garden antiques and rarities, the Fair is a must for leading collectors and designers, as well as purchasers seeking advice from professionals. Included are outdoor sculpture, fountains, sundials, bird baths, gates, garden benches, antique wicker, urns and planters, botanical prints, and architectural ornament, displaying centuries of classic design inspiration gathered from America, Europe, and Asia. These antiques are not only great for the garden, but also for the garden room.

Weekend visitors to the Antique Garden Furniture Fair can browse and purchase unique items of the highest quality and provenance and enjoy a program lineup that includes talks, tours, and eclectic live musical sets. There will be exhibitors offering an array of interesting ways to bring the outdoors inside by creating garden rooms in your home. Experts will be on hand to answer questions on current decorating styles. They will also discuss trends in the acquisition and appreciation of garden ornament, as well as assist buyers looking for the perfect piece to complement a garden, landscape, or interior. On-site shippers are available to facilitate Tri-State New York and New England deliveries during the Fair and other shipping needs in the weeks following.

At the entrance to the Antique Garden Furniture Fair, a Specialty Plant Sale features an extensive selection of unusual, colorful plants representing some of horticulture’s finest growers. A variety of shrubs and trees, perennials, annuals, and herbs will be available. Visitors may purchase refreshments here as well.

The year 2016 marks The New York Botanical Garden’s 125th Anniversary. The Antique Garden Furniture Fair, taking place in a tent amid flowering trees, plants, and shrubs, with the institution’s landmark Enid A. Haupt Conservatory as its glorious backdrop, is one of many public celebratory events commemorating this historic milestone.

The Antique Garden Furniture Fair is the ideal venue for learning about garden antiques and building personal collections. Admission to the Fair on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, April 29 through May 1, is included with the All-Garden Pass, which also provides access to the Botanical Garden grounds, seasonal gardens, attractions such as the Haupt Conservatory, and Tram Tour. Advance tickets for the Fair are available for purchase online at nybg.org