A short ferry ride away from Manhattan's powerful downtown financial district sits one of New York City's best kept secrets, The Staten Island Botanical Garden. Nestled within the grounds of the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, The Staten Island Botanical Garden with its Victorian charm and stately elegance is a "must visit" that should be on every tourists' list.

Founded in 1977, The Staten Island Botanical Garden is constantly evolving. From its initial plantings of its English perennial border to its newest addition, the New York Chinese Scholar's Garden, this institution is a cultural assimilation of gardens.

As all botanical gardens do, the Staten Island Botanical Garden consists of displays that represent the variety of flora that can be manipulated by man to conform to what is desired, be it aesthetic or functional. Throughout history gardens have reflected some of the tastes of the periods and the ways in which man saw his relationship to nature. Remaining true to this purpose, the Staten Island Botanical Garden has created a number of gardens which include representations from particular periods along with contemporary styles. In presenting them to the public, these gardens are enjoyed for their own qualities, used as educational tools, or as backdrops to events.

In addition to flowering gardens we are home to the first Chinese Scholar's Garden in the United States. This garden with its reflecting ponds and scenic courtyards is an architectural interpretation of nature.

Photo: Michael Falco