Alyssian Reporter-at-Large and Defender of Imagination Lynne Henderson recently took a trip to Wonderland via the Bronx. Here is her full report on the New York Botanical Garden’s magical Wonderland: Curious Nature. For more information on this enchanting exhibit, check out my interview with NYBG VP of Exhibitions and Programming Joanna Groarke on the All Things Alice podcast or visit their website.

“Alive, but not talkative, quelle dommage…”

Running through October 27, Wonderland: Curious Nature at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx is an exhibit you can glide through one “golden afternoon” or evening and easily imagine yourself in Wonderland. Spread throughout NYBG’s 250 acres; the immersive displays guide you through a cornucopia of Victorian flora with an Alician twist. While on a recent “staycation,” I took the Metro North commuter railroad 20 minutes from Manhattan to the NYBG and wandered through this gorgeous expanse of rich greenery and colorful flowers. The dirt and noise of the city seemed a world away as I lost myself in the quiet and beauty. I almost forgot I was in a city and not the countryside.

I certainly got my steps in for the year as I wandered the grounds. White Rabbit footsteps and meter-high color cutouts and ground decals of the Tenniel engravings usher you to displays that delight the mind as well as the eye. A lovely topiary garden has giant floral playing cards and caterpillars. In the center are giant mushrooms from FoldHaus that light up in different colors at night. Nearby is the Victorian-style Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, with a display inspired by the verdancy of the Oxford Botanic Garden, which Lewis Carroll and Alice Liddell probably lost themselves in on many a day. To the Victorians, flowers were not only valued for their beauty but used as a coded language to convey messages to friends, lovers, and even enemies!  More Tenniel cutouts are hidden among the plants to surprise and delight (I even saw the White Rabbit scurrying towards his hole!).

The LuEsther T. Mertz Library near the Garden’s entrance has a wonderful collection of Alice in Wonderland memorabilia that shows the impact and influence Alice had on her society as well as ours. The Victorian Era was one of great changes and exploration in the United Kingdom, especially in science, and much of the collection explores the medicinal and recreational properties of plants common to Brits in the 19th century. Various editions of Carroll’s stories and art, traditional and surreal, showcase how Alice inspired and continues to inspire imaginations (the Heart Crystal still lives!).

Of course, no foray into Wonderland would be complete without food and drink. The Garden’s food venues offer a delicious range of treats from al fresco food trucks to a full afternoon sit-down tea (if you’re lucky, you may be joined by the Hatter or White Rabbit). The obligatory gift shop has various editions and interpretations of Carroll’s stories as well as magnets, T-shirts, and other collectibles such as invitations and cocktail menus. I bought a set of “flash cards” with ideas for an Alice-inspired celebration.

Even though Fall is here, the days are still warm enough to comfortably enjoy wandering the grounds and losing yourself in the quiet and serenity of nature for a few hours. If you live in or plan to visit New York between now and the end of October, come up to the Bronx and enjoy the magic of Wonderland in our world-famous garden. 

In Queendom Speramus!  Long Live Alyss!