纽约植物园本土植物园丨美国纽约丨OvS

3.5 英亩的本土植物园地处纽约植物园的核心区域，它的四个生态系统（林间空地、草甸、湿地和森林）一共种植着近 10 万株植物。布朗克斯河从场地中顺着阶梯式的盆地流向东河，并通过沿途的水生植物物种实现自然过滤和雨水蓄流。在一些由于缺乏控制而使植物多样性减弱的区域，设计团队选择用嵌入的岩层作为一系列户外空地的焦点；无障碍的主路蜿蜒于这些空地之间，既为参观者带来近距离观察稀有物种的机会，又提供了多个贯通更新后的花园的广阔视野。

– 2020 年评审委员会

Central to the New York Botanical Garden is its 3.5-acre Native Plant Garden, which boasts nearly 100,000 plants across four ecosystems (glade, meadow, wetland, and woodland). The Bronx River flows through the site, and, with this revitalization effort, stepped basins along an articulated curve provide natural filtration and rainwater surge retention through aquatic species on its way to the East River. Where unchecked growth had rendered the garden’s plant diversity illegible, the designers chose embedded rock formations as focal points within more selectively curated outdoor rooms; an accessible primary pathway winds between these, offering both closer looks at rare species and broader vistas across the refreshed garden.

– 2020 Awards Jury

ASLA

OvS

项目概述 PROJECT STATEMENT

纽约植物园的本土植物园展示了美国东北部的美丽且多样的生物物种，提供了一个借助景观设计将原生生态融入花园场景的范例。这座新的花园拥有近 10 万株本土植物，包括 450 个分类单位，突出展现了本土物种的美学和生态价值，在捕获径流的同时提供了生物栖息地，同时鼓励游客通过体验和观察来探索自然。花园的主题提取自东北地区的原生生态系统，参考了当地地形和水文，并通过对现有生境和微气候的分析获得设计依据。完全无障碍的路径环绕在一系列花园空地和岩层周围，将游客与该场地独特的地貌历史连接起来。雕塑般的水景成为一处繁忙的景观机器，向人们展示了它在生物过滤与现场雨水管理方面的潜力。精心构建的景观类型体现了本土植物群落相互依存的关系：它们共同构成了一个重要的、具有生态反应力的城市庇护所，为本地的濒危物种如蜜蜂、鸟类和蝴蝶等提供了生存环境。

Showcasing the beauty and biodiversity of the Northeastern United States, the native plant garden at the New York Botanical Garden is a model for how landscape architects can weave native ecologies into garden settings. Bursting with nearly 100,000 native plants representing 450 taxa, the new garden highlights the aesthetic and ecological value of native plants, capturing runoff, providing habitat, and inviting visitors to explore nature through experience and observation. Distilled from native ecosystems found throughout the Northeast, garden themes derive from the site’s natural topography and hydrology, informed by a careful analysis of existing habitats and microclimates. A fully accessible path hinges around a series of garden rooms and rock outcroppings, connecting visitors to the site’s unique geomorphological history, while a sculptural water feature doubles as an industrious landscape machine, demonstrating the potential of biofiltration and on-site stormwater management. The interdependence of native plant communities is made visible through the garden’s thoughtfully composed landscape typologies, which together form an important and ecologically responsive urban refuge for imperiled native bee, bird, and butterfly species.

▲场地平面图。3.5 英亩的本地植物园彰显了北美东北部的植物之美。近 10 万株本土树木、灌木、野花、蕨类植物和草被种植在精心规划且充满现代感的花园中，与自然景观建立了和谐的关系。Site Plan. The 3.5-acre Native Plant Garden celebrates the beauty of plants native to northeastern North America. Nearly 100,000 native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, ferns, and grasses were planted in a carefully planned contemporary design that harmonizes with the natural landscape.©OvS

项目说明 PROJECT NARRATIVE

重构本土花园

纽约植物园建立于 1891 年，是美国国家历史地标，其中的本土植物园是全国最早的本土植物展览地之一。本土植物园面积为 3.5 英亩（约 14164 平方米），由园艺师 T. H. Everett 在 1930 年代设计，占据了纽约植物园（250 英亩）中心的一处碗状场地。其倾斜的山脊两侧有着截然不同的风景：一边是古老的橡树和山核桃林，另一边则是裸露且凸出的哈特兰片岩景观——同样也是纽约市区的基岩。

多年来，本土植物园已经变得“潦草难辨”。人工溪流沿线的植物掩盖了看向整个场地的视野，同时由于花园有限的规模，曾经的一些试图复制非常见生态系统（如新泽西松树瘠地）的计划均未能实现。在该项目中，景观设计团队受托将这一具有历史意义的景观重新打造为充满活力的当代本土花园，其侧重点是将东北地区的植物多样性与完备的园艺学原理联系起来。

重新设计的目标包括：让游客了解和学习本土植物的美学和生态价值；借助多样化的本土植物群落来创造全年的盛景；提升交通便捷度和游客体验；以及通过实施可持续的雨水管理策略来改善布朗克斯河的健康状况。

场地分析

对场地土壤、植被、地形和排水系统的广泛调查成为了设计方法的依据。尤其重要的一点是对花园现有的树冠和最显著的地质特征进行全面的分析，除了片岩层之外，还包括被称为“裂岩”的标志性的冰川漂砾——其独特的裂缝是由于冰川的运动而形成。这些自然特征成为了植物选择和交通路径设计的关键，它们作为视觉节点，将游客与场地的地貌历史连接起来。

层次分明的道路系统包含一条主要的无障碍通道，为游客带来广阔的视野和与稀有植物亲密互动的机会，营造出丰富的感官体验。在整个植物园内，道路和硬景观元素的位置和建造都经过了谨慎的考量，以绕开既有的橡树、山核桃木以及鹅掌楸的根部区域；为了减少碳足迹，其选用的材料均来自距离场地 100 英里的范围以内。花园中珍贵的大花延龄草是一种独具魅力的春季短生植物，在纽约州被列为易危植物，它们在施工期间被小心地移植，随后被重新栽种。

为花园提炼自然

根据不同的地形和水文，场地被自然地划分为不同的景观类型——从干旱的山脊到潮湿的沼泽。每种景观类型都提供了独特的植被、艺术和体验主题，其设计灵感源于美国东北地区常见的生态系统：森林、草甸、湿地和林间空地，它们共同构成了一系列花园空地的基础。每个栖息地的微气候为展示本地植物群落创造了更多的机会；大型水景的引入则带来了更多水生植物的栖息地，例如湿草甸、湿林地和挺水湿地。

为了创造连贯的花园体验，设计团队对每个原型生态系统进行了视觉上的提炼，以凸显出它们各自的色彩、对比、纹理和季节特性，其目标是抓住本土植物群落的精髓而非简单地复制。在草甸区域，拥有复杂色彩和纹理的植物编织成一张宽阔的地毯，按照季节的变化从培养基探出场地。草本植物构成了一个新的层次，呈现出点彩画般的色彩和视觉趣味。穿插的荒地与草地看上去就像是设计大胆的马赛克饰面，使岩层的轮廓得到进一步突显。林间空地被当做野外大教堂，在蕨类植物和春季短生植物组成的缤纷铺地上搭建出一系列“拱顶”；入口区域更是一派“乱花渐欲迷人眼”的景象，不断吸引着游客前往花园深处探索。

通过与园艺工人的密切合作，景观设计师从最初的 3000 多个样本中挑选出了 450 多个独特的分类群。近 10 万株新的本地树木、灌木、蕨类植物、草甸、莎草、春季短生植物和野花共同创造出沉浸式的体验，充分展示了东北地区丰富的生物多样性。花园中还包含 7 个受保护的物种（如 Helonias bullata），它们是作为世界上最大的珍稀植物活体收藏“国家濒危植物名录”的一部分进行培育和繁殖的。

城市庇护所

对生境之间的过渡区（生态区）给予了特别考虑。我们精心挑选植物，以创造体验和功能上的无缝过渡。对地上和地下的结构和组成给予了同样的关注，确保各种植物群落的长期健康和生物多样性。

栖息地之间的过渡区（交错群落）被给予了特别关注。设计团队精心挑选出合适的植物，以实现体验与功能的无缝衔接。地上和地下的结构及组成元素也得到了同等的重视，确保不同的植物群落能够长期健康生长并维持生物多样性。

通过尽可能地提高生物多样性，花园得以为稳定、平衡且多样化的食物网提供支持。这些本土生态系统位于布朗克斯的中心地带，是本土野生动物的重要庇护所。绿花马利筋、红花山梗菜、喇叭泽兰和许多其他植物物种可以吸引蜜蜂、蜂鸟、黑脉金斑蝶和燕尾蝶等传粉者；花园中种类广泛的栖息地也已成为各种鸟类、昆虫、两栖动物和爬行动物的家园——这是判断生态系统是否健康运作的指标。

“勤劳的”水景装置

该项目的初期目标之一是通过现场的示范和基于景观的雨水管理来改善布朗克斯河的健康。布朗克斯河是纽约市唯一的淡水河，从肯西科水库向南流，穿过植物园后汇入东河。布朗克斯河的水质在富营养的径流和水道溢流的影响下逐渐恶化。为了减少污染物负荷，项目团队专门设计了一处具有创新性的中央水景，利用自然水文系统来补给和培育整个生物系统。

这处 230 英尺（约 70 米）的月牙形水景由一系列阶梯状的盆地构成，取代了既有的溪流，并清除了花园中几乎所有的饮用水消耗。顺应场地的自然地形，流水从汉密尔顿青石板的巨大体块上层层跌落，带来令人感到宁静的声音和律动。受到 Martin Puryear 的雕塑作品的启发，水景被赋予了简练而清晰的轮廓，边缘部分使用了钢材，两侧是用窑内烘干的美国刺槐铺设的弯曲步道。

该水景从表面上看是一片宁静的池塘，而实际上在其下方则隐藏着一个复杂的水文机器。该系统采用了与水景顾问团队合作设计的复杂的生物过滤装置，可以储存并回收 30 万加仑雨水。水的流经顺序是：湿地——此处，水生物种和有益细菌能够提供自然过滤；然后是上游盆地；接着是主盆地——此处，袋式过滤器和紫外线装置将起到净化作用；最终，过滤后的雨水将被储存在三个地下蓄水池中，总容量为 50,000 加仑。多余的水会通过沙石过滤系统被抽回湿地过滤区。在雨量过大的情况下，水会溢出到邻近的“三菱湿地步道”，然后在经过额外的生物过滤后汇入布朗克斯河。

成果

于 2013 年开放的本土花园是为期五年的密切合作的成果。作为一处诱人的、沉浸式的景观艺术杰作，它重新定义了 21 世纪的本土植物园，为充满雄心的公共事业提供了支持，同时也成为了纽约植物园世界著名植物学研究项目的组成部分。本土花园每年为超过 130 万名游客提供了多种类型的体验。来自当地的小学生时常在花园的亭子下聚集，学习有关水和本地生态系统的知识和重要性。于春季苏醒的森林已成为每年的标志性景点：大片的野花会在此时迅速绽放，为景观涂上一层包含蓝色、紫色和白色的鲜亮色调。本土花园不仅彰显了东北地区的自然美景，更证明了景观拥有为生态进程赋予活力和直击人心的美的力量。

▲区域背景：花园位于布朗克斯公园，被笼罩在纽约高耸的天际线的阴影下。花园中包含超过 450 个分类群、86 个植物科、192 个属。从照片可以看见山脊、草坪、水景和成熟已久的森林。Regional Context. Located in Bronx Park, in the shadow of the New York City skyline, the Garden features over 450 taxa, 86 plant families, and 192 genera. The Ridge, Meadow, water feature, and old-growth forest are shown. ©Ivo Vermeulen

▲城市庇护所：秋季的水景。它可以阻挡和处理雨水，同时还整合了湿地的生物过滤功能。刺槐步道与水景相邻，入口凉亭成为了花园的门户。An Urban Refuge. An autumn view of the water feature, which detains and treats stormwater and integrates Wetland biofiltration. A black locust promenade borders the water feature (R) The Entry Pavilion serves as a gateway to the garden (L).©Ivo Vermeulen

▲林地铺满了春季短生植物，包括滨紫草、心形叶黄水枝和飞燕草等。每年，这些春季短生植物都会成为本地植物园的一大亮点。在夏季可以欣赏到开放的黄花艾叶芹和加拿大耧斗菜。The Woodland. The Woodland is carpeted with spring ephemerals such as Mertensia virginica, Tiarella cordifolia, and Delphinium tricorne. The annual emergence of spring ephemerals is a large draw to the Native Plant Garden. Summer brings Zizia Aurea and Aquilegia canadensis.© Left and Upper Right – OvS; Lower Right – Ivo Vermeulen

▲草地。步道边缘的湿地水生植物能够净化雨水。湿草地逐渐过渡为中湿草地，生长于此处的植物（如柳叶马利筋）能够吸引传粉者、昆虫和鸟类。远处可以看到教学凉亭。The Meadow: At the promenade’s edge, Wetland aquatic plants cleanse stormwater (L). Beyond, the Wet Meadow transitions to the Mesic Meadow, where species such as Asclepias tuberosa attracts pollinators, insects, and birds. The Education Pavilion is seen in the distance (R).©Ivo Vermeulen

▲四季之趣：拥有丰富色彩和纹理的植物会在所有季节出现。设计团队对每个原型生态系统都进行了视觉上的提炼，以凸显出它们各自的色彩、对比、纹理和季节特性。Four Seasons of Interest. The Meadow’s tapestry of color and textures emerges dramatically throughout the seasons. Each of the Native Plant Garden’s archetypal ecosystems are distilled into their visual essence, emphasizing color, contrast, and texture.©Ivo Vermeulen

▲仲夏的湿地和草地：从湿地望向湿草地、中湿草地和山脊。在开园当天，花园里已经有 73456 株植物，包含 450 个分类群、86 个植物科、192 个属。Mid-Summer in the Wetland and Meadow. A view over the Wetland, toward the Wet Meadow, Mesic Meadow, and Ridge. On opening day, the Garden consisted of 73,456 individual plants, 454 total taxa, 86 plant families, and 192 genera.©Ivo Vermeulen

▲山脊：“裂岩”是一种冰川漂砾，它们作为视觉节点，将游客与场地的地貌历史连接起来。帚状裂稃草、金顶菊和山薄荷共同构成了一幅大胆的马赛克，使岩层的轮廓得到进一步突显。

The Ridge: Split Rock, a glacial erratic, is a visual node connecting visitors to geological history. (L) The interplay of Schizachyrium scoparium, Euthamia tenuifolia, and Pycnanthemum tenuifolium forms a bold mosaic that accents the rock outcrops in the Ridge (R).©OvS

▲林间空地：从小径可以通往绿地中的教学凉亭，它被视为一座“野外大教堂”。拱形的天花板上印有丰富的植物图案，包括苔草、饰冠鸢尾、长柔毛矾根和黄花耧斗菜等。The Glade. Paths lead to the Education Pavilion in the Glade, which was treated as an outdoor cathedral. Canopies form arched ceilings over a richly patterned ground plane that includes Carex plantaginea, Iris cristata, Heuchera villosa ‘Autumn Bride,’ and Aquilegia chrysantha.©Ivo Vermeulen

▲孩子们在教学凉亭学习花园传粉物种的重要作用。从凉亭出来后，经过一棵茁壮的本地橡树，可以看见无障碍的坡道和观景台。The Education Pavilion. Children in the Education Pavilion learn the role of garden pollinators (L). An accessible ramp and overlook lead from the Education Pavilion, past a mature, native oak (R).©Ivo Vermeulen

▲“本土边界”以美国的视角对传统英国花园边界进行了本地化的诠释。此处种植的特色植物有草原鼠尾粟、联毛紫菀、柳枝稷、泽兰、美国薄荷和斑点老鹳草等。The Native Border. The Native Border is an American native interpretation of the traditional English Border. Sporobolus heterolepis, Symphyotrichum latiflorum, Panicum virgatum, Eupatorium purpureum, Monarda ‘Purple Rooster,’ and Geranium maculatum f. albiflorum are featured in the Native Border.©Ivo Vermeulen

▲“勤劳的”水景装置采用了复杂的生物过滤装置，可以储存并回收 30 万加仑雨水。水的流经顺序是：湿地、上游盆地和主盆地——此处，袋式过滤器和紫外线装置将起到净化作用。A Hard Working Water Feature. The water feature stores and recycles 300,000 gallons of rainwater, using aquatic wetland as a filter, from which water flows into an upper basin into a main basin, where it is treated using a bag system and UV sanitation.© OvS

▲复杂的生物过滤策略：在平静的水面下方，一个复杂的水循环系统为围堰上的水流提供了补给。湿地，包括茂盛的红花山梗菜，以及林地均显露于水面之上。A Sophisticated Biofiltration Strategy. Beneath the water’s tranquil surface, a complex water recirculation system supplies water flow over the weirs. The Wetland, including hearty Lobelia cardinalis, and the Woodland are shown beyond.© Robert Benson Photography

▲成熟的植物围绕着水景。鲜艳的红花山梗菜俯瞰着水景、围堰和湿草地。一片被称为“覆盆子酒”的美国薄荷铺满了水景的边沿。Mature Plantings Embrace the Water Feature. Lobelia cardinalis overlooks the water feature, weir, and Wet Meadow beyond (L). A sea of Monarda didyma “Raspberry Wine” embraces the water’s edge (R).©Ivo Vermeulen

▲本土植物园被设计为一处诱人的、沉浸式的景观艺术杰作。凭借全年活跃的景观，花园不仅彰显了东北地区的自然美景，更证明了景观拥有为生态进程赋予活力和直击人心的美的力量。A Tribute to the Natural Beauty of the Northeast. The Native Plant Garden is designed as an immersive and inviting work of landscape art. Offering year-round spectacle, the Garden is a tribute to the natural beauty of the Northeast and a testament to ecological processes.©Ivo Vermeulen

PROJECT NARRATIVE

REIMAGINING A NATIVE GARDEN

The Native Plant Garden at the New York Botanical Garden—a National Historic Landmark established in 1891—is one of the oldest displays of native plants in the country. Developed by the horticulturist T. H. Everett in the 1930s, the 3.5-acre garden occupies a bowl-shaped site near the center of the botanical garden’s 250 acres. Its sloping ridges are characterized on one side by an old-growth oak-hickory woodland and throughout by prominent outcroppings of Hartland schist, the bedrock of the New York City region.

Over the years, the native plant garden had grown illegible. Dense plantings alongside a manmade stream obscured views across the site, and attempts to replicate less common ecosystems, such as New Jersey’s pine barrens, had failed due to the garden’s limited size. The landscape architects were brought on to reimagine the historic landscape as a vibrant, contemporary native garden, with an emphasis on linking the botanical diversity of the Northeast with sound horticultural principles.

The goals of the redesign included educating visitors about the aesthetic and ecological value of native plants, creating a year-round spectacle through a celebration of diverse native plant communities, enhancing circulation and the visitor experience, and improving the health of the Bronx River by demonstrating sustainable stormwater management strategies.

SITE ANALYSIS

Extensive surveys of the site’s soils, vegetation, topography, and drainage guided the team’s approach. Particularly important was a thorough analysis of the garden’s existing tree canopy and its most prominent geological features, which in addition to schist outcroppings, included an iconic glacial erratic known as Split Rock, whose dramatic fissure was created by glacial movement. These natural features became pivotal to both planting and circulation, serving as visual nodes that connect visitors to the site’s geomorphological history and creating microclimates that support unique plant communities.

A hierarchy of path systems, including a primary ADA-accessible route, provide visitors with a range of sensory experiences, from sweeping views to intimate interactions with rare plant species. Throughout, paths and hardscape elements were carefully sited and constructed to avoid the root zones of existing mature oak, hickory, and tulip poplar trees, while materials were sourced from within 100 miles of the site to reduce their carbon footprint. The garden’s prized collection of Trillium grandiflorum, a charismatic spring ephemeral that is listed as “exploitably vulnerable” in New York State, was carefully transplanted during construction, then replanted.

REFINING NATURE FOR THE GARDEN

Through its varied topography and hydrology, the site naturally divided itself into a series of landscape types, from xeric ridge to wet swale. Each typology offered distinct vegetative, artistic, and experiential themes and together served as the basis for a series of garden rooms inspired by ecosystems common to the Northeast: Woodland, Meadow, Wetland, and Glade. Within each habitat, microclimates created additional opportunities to showcase native plant communities, while the introduction of a large water feature enabled the creation of more hydric habitats, such as a wet meadow, wet woodland, and emergent wetland.

To create a coherent garden experience, the team distilled each archetypal ecosystem into its visual essence, emphasizing color, contrast, texture, and seasonality. The goal was to capture the spirit of native plant communities without replicating them. In Meadow areas, a complex tapestry of colors and textures emerge seasonally out of a base matrix while a pointillist second layer of herbaceous flowering material creates color and visual interest. The interplay of heath and grasses forms a bold mosaic that accents the rock outcrops. Glade and Woodland sections are treated as outdoor cathedrals, with canopies forming arched ceilings over a richly patterned ground plane of ferns and spring ephemerals, while at the entrance, a dazzling array of native wildflowers beckons visitors to explore the garden beyond.

Through close collaboration with the garden’s horticulture staff, the landscape architects selected more than 450 unique taxa from an initial list of more than 3,000. Nearly 100,000 new native trees, shrubs, ferns, grasses, sedges, spring ephemerals, and wildflowers generate an immersive experience that showcases the rich biodiversity of the Northeast. Maintained in the garden are seven plant species, including Helonias bullata, that are propagated as part of the National Collection of Endangered Plants, the largest living collection of rare plants in the world.

AN URBAN REFUGE

Special consideration was given to transition zones (ecotones) between habitats. Plants were carefully selected to create transitions that are experientially and functionally seamless. Equal attention was paid to structure and composition aboveground and below, ensuring the long-term health and biodiversity of the various plant communities.

By maximizing biodiversity, the garden supports stable, balanced, and diverse food webs. Located in the heart of the Bronx, these native ecosystems serve as a vital refuge for native wildlife. Asclepias viridis, Lobelia cardinalis, Eutrochium dubium, and numerous other plant species attract pollinators such as bees, hummingbirds, and monarch and swallowtail butterflies, while the garden’s wide range of habitats have become home to an abundance of birds, insects, amphibians, and reptiles—indicators of a healthy and functioning ecosystem.

A HARD-WORKING WATER FEATURE

An early objective of the project was to improve the health of the Bronx River by demonstrating on-site, landscape-based stormwater management. The Bronx River, the only freshwater river in New York City, flows south from the Kensico Reservoir, through the botanical garden, and into the East River. Its water quality has been degraded by nutrient-rich runoff and combined sewer overflows. To reduce pollutant loads, the team developed an innovative central water feature that uses natural hydrologic systems to replenish and nurture the overall bio-system.

The 230-foot-long, crescent-shaped water feature comprises a series of stepped basins that replace the existing stream and eliminate nearly all potable water use in the garden. Following the site’s natural topography, the water cascades over massive slabs of local Hamilton bluestone, creating sound and motion that provide a feeling of tranquility. Inspired by the sculpture of Martin Puryear, the water feature is crisply defined, edged in steel and flanked by an angled promenade made out of kiln-dried American black locust.

What appears as a tranquil pond is, below the surface, a complex hydrologic machine. Employing sophisticated biofiltration strategies designed in collaboration with a team of water feature consultants, the system stores and recycles 300,000 gallons of rainwater. From the wetland, where aquatic species and beneficial bacteria provide natural filtration, the water flows into an upper basin and then into the main basin, where it is treated using a bag filter and UV sanitation and stored in a series of three underground cisterns with a capacity of 50,000 gallons.

Excess water is pumped back to the wetland filtration zone via a sand and gravel filtration system. In the event of heavy rain, the water overflows to the adjacent Mitsubishi Wetland Trail, where it undergoes additional biofiltration before entering the Bronx River.