Also check out my blog on the blooming of the Gardens throughout the year and the many special events: Day Two Hundred and Sixty Two on MywalkinManhattan.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/11875
I went the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to see the solar eclipse that started at 2:10pm and was finishing up by 4:00pm on April 8th, 2024. It was a day of a lot of excitement all over New York City to sites sponsoring events.
It was a mixture of clouds and sun that afternoon.
Originally, I was supposed to go to the Clermont State Historical Park in Germantown, NY for the event but we had a speaker at NYU that evening so I decided to change my plans when I saw that the Brooklyn Botanic Garden was having a similar event so I signed up there as well and would decide depending on the weather. It ended up being a very sunny morning and I wanted to go into the City to see the Eclipse. The first thing I wanted to do was eat lunch.
840 United Deli Corporation at 840 Washington Avenue
My review on TripAdvisor:
Because the gardens would not allow outside food to the event, I stopped at 840 Deli Corp. for a quick lunch when the other two take out places I go to in the neighborhood were both closed. One of the local construction workers suggested a Cheesesteak on a hero roll so that is what I ordered. What a good suggestion! It was delicious.
The selection of sandwiches and snacks here are extensive and you can get sandwiches in both roll and hero rolls, and they are sizable.
The gardens were not opening until 1:00pm so I took my lunch to the steps by the Brooklyn Museum right around the corner from the entrance of the gardens. The sandwich was delicious and had such a nice flavor. Not quite a Philly sandwich but the guy did a really good job.
The Brooklyn Museum Cherry trees were in full bloom.
https://www.brooklynmuseum.org
I just relaxed, enjoyed the sunshine and really enjoyed the cheesesteak. It was great. Not quite Philly (no Cheese Wiz) but still good. I ate and just people watched. It was so nice to just sit outside and enjoy lunch and people watch. It is so underrated.
This was the best lunch. It was nice to have a cheesesteak again.
The Cheesesteak was great!
After lunch I got back to the gardens and got in line which went on and on after me. I got in line at the right time and into the gardens quickly and received my solar glasses (Thank you Warby Parker). Since I had about an hour, I walked around the gardens. Everything was starting to bloom, and the gardens looked dazzling.
The crowds entering the Cherry Blossom lawn as it just started to bloom. It will be in full bloom in about three weeks.
The Cherry Trees by both the Cherry Blossom Lawn and the Japanese Gardens were in full bloom and looked spectacular that afternoon. There was such a variety of colors.
The Japanese Garden was in full bloom with cherry trees and spring flowers surrounding the pool. The sunlight gave it a colorful appearance when it reflected off the water.
The Japanese Gardens made quite a show that afternoon and Mother Nature really shows here stuff at the beginning of the Spring.
Right around the corner from the Japanese Gardens is Daffodil Hill where hundreds of yellow trumpet Daffodils were in full bloom and the contrasts of green and yellow made quite a sight.
The beauty of Daffodil Hill at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Before I staked out a place to see the eclipse at 2:10pm, I decided to walk around and see more of the gardens and take more pictures. Daffodil Hill was in full bloom and was just peaking since I was here last time. Hundreds of beautiful trumpet daffodils swayed in the window. I never get tired of staring at it.
My next stop was the Fragrance Garden. All the tulips were in full bloom, and it was a colorful show of various hues looking an elegant design.
The Fragrance Garden in full Spring bloom and was a rich variety of colors and scents.
Then I walked through the Magnolia Garden which was just coming into bloom. The forty-degree weather recently really affected the trees. Some of them looked like they got hit with frostbite. Still, it was magnificent display of pinks, purples and dark rogues.
The Magnolia Garden in bloom with Daffodil Hill behind it.
The Magnolia Garden were vibrant in their colors and played beautifully off one another.
Some of the season smaller flowers were in bloom too and these are usually only blooming for about a week, similar to the crocuses. I love the contrasts of the large old oaks and the small delicate flowers.
The Virginia Bluebells were in full bloom when I visited and with their deep purple hue make quite a statement against the large oaks that have not quite opened yet.
The Virginia Bluebells just around the corner from the Cherry Blossom lawn.
The edge of the Rose Garden’s fountain was still not in service (the weather was still in the 40’s recently) but the tulips were in full bloom with their colorful statement.
The flowers were fully open on this warm Spring Day. The colors contrasted so nicely. The crowds started to grow around this part of the garden and the Cherry trees were just starting to open.
The crowds growing for the Eclipse by the Cherry Blossom lawn.
The crowds started to grow all over the gardens and families talked while their children ran around the lawn.
The walk through the gardens is delightful.
I came across these vibrant little yellow flowers that lined the lawns and hills right near the entrance to the Children’s Garden.
This beautiful yellow blanket lined the sides of the hill and was such a nice contrast to Daffodils Hill.
These tiny yellow flowers lined the hills just past the Magnolia Garden.
The Children’s Gardens were in full swing with activity that afternoon. The gardens are always busy with families on the weekend, but it looked like the staff was preparing more beds as the weather was finally starting to warm.
Flowers right now dominate this garden which by the middle of the summer will be filled with fruits and vegetables.
Families were here to see the eclipse and it was mostly staff working here that afternoon.
I finally settled in and sat in a small incline across from Daffodil Hill so I could admire the flowers in between the glimpses of the solar eclipse. We lucked out and it started off as a sunny day. We had some cloud coverage during the show but with the glasses on, it was an interesting show.
The problem with the eclipse was that we were too far away from the path to really see the show so you could only see it through the glasses. The sun still looked like it was shining.
The clouds kept rolling in and out, but it was not as gloomy as they thought the weather would be that afternoon.
Only through the glasses could see the passing which took a little over two hours to finish and it was not a complete eclipse from our viewpoint. It was still interesting to see.
In between the moon crossing the path of the sun (you could not look at this all the time), I admired the flowers blooming around us.
It was a nice break from looking at the sun. I picked the best location in the garden to both view the eclipse and the flowers.
The sun was totally covered by about 3:20pm and then started its movement away from the sun.
By 4:20pm, the eclipse was over, and most people left the gardens by that point. Others just relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful sunny afternoon that we were finally having. It had been such a cold early Spring (so much for Phil’s prediction). with temperatures in the low 40’s until just recently.
I left the gardens around 5:00pm after most of the crowds left and enjoyed one more walk around the gardens. Some of the flowers were at their peak and would not be in bloom when I returned the next time. I wanted to enjoy them now.
Passing the Japanese Gardens when the crowds were gone, I finally got to enjoy the paths.
The Magnolia trees around the corner from the Frangrance Gardens.
The Cherry trees in the Japanese Gardens were in full bloom and were quite a show themselves. It was so colorful reflecting off the pool.
The paths around the Japanese Gardens pool were crowed.
The Japanese Gardens at their peak bloom.
I took the subway back to Greenwich Village that night for our talk on campus. Even in Greenwich Village, the flowers put on quite a show. I love the contrasts of urban gardens against the old brownstone apartments. These flowers were a block from the NYU campus.
Walking around the Village on that late afternoon was a nice way to cap off this unique afternoon. There will not be another eclipse in about a decade, but we can wait for it.
West 12th Street by our campus building is always a treat to walk down in the Spring, Summer and the holidays.
Greenwich Village is very unique in its own way with nicely landscaped properties and lots of potted plants. Until the next eclipse there is still a lot of Manhattan to explore!
Places to Visit:
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
990 Washington Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11225
(718) 623-7210
Open: Sunday and Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm/Monday Closed/Tuesday-Friday 8:00am-6:00pm
Admission: Depending on the time of year/please check the website
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2785
Places to eat:
840 United Deli Corp.
840 Washington Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11238
(718) 789-9250
Open: 24 Hours
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com
mywalkinmanhattan 