Dried leaves, fallen branches, and broken sticks are among the many natural elements we walk by during the winter months. We often don’t stop to notice their beauty—or, for the New York Botanical Garden, their potential. Unlike the typical art exhibit, the annual Holiday Train Show takes those simple, organic materials and transforms them into an enchanting miniature New York City. Upon entry, visitors are greeted by the scents of pine and oak, the hum of electric trains, and almost 200 meticulously crafted recreations of iconic landmarks. And the most incredible part? Each one is made entirely out of the same leaves, bark, and twigs we might let go unnoticed on a walk through the streets.
Preparation for the show is no simple task. Because of its scale and the perishable nature of its materials, the New York Botanical Garden staff begins creating months in advance. Sometimes they will even start as early as the summer, meaning that they will need to put extra care into the preservation of their fragile medium before the holiday season. Artists need to study each building’s architecture, create mini blueprints, and decide which natural materials are best suited. Cinnamon sticks might become brownstone steps, acorn caps may transform into walkways, and small pieces of bark may become roof tiles.
Every structure, from the train-active George Washington Bridge suspended overhead to the Empire State Building standing tall at the center, is made to scale, often requiring weeks of patience through the layering and building process. An additional challenge is added with transportation, as many structures need to be moved to the Bronx from their place of creation. In the Bronx, the next stage begins. Staff begin to form the landscape, arranging tracks throughout. Trains will make their rounds in many places throughout the show, into tunnels of evergreen branches, across miniature flowing rivers shining with lucky coins, and around glowing city trees. The result of this hard work and dedication truly pays off in creating the magnificent Holiday Train Show.
What makes this show so spectacular is its ability to spark childlike wonder and curiosity in visitors of all ages. I have been visiting the New York Botanical Garden’s Train Show annually for years, and it has never once disappointed me. Children eagerly press interactive buttons to hear the trains whistle while searching for Thomas the Train and his friends. Adults, meanwhile, stand in awe of the remarkably lifelike, plant-built cityscape that transforms nature into a bustling “concrete jungle”. Everyone can appreciate the “little apple” the New York Botanical Garden has created around them. Each visit serves as a reminder that art doesn’t always come from paint or pencil; sometimes, the most astonishing creations grow from the most unexpected materials.
Beyond its beauty visually, the exhibit also carries a message about sustainability and imagination. In an age dominated by synthetic materials and technology, the NYBG Train Show demonstrates how nature can provide beauty through resourcefulness. For example, the energy powered trains running through the whole thing show how nature and technology can live in harmony—if done with thought-out care.
To the many artists, architects, botanists, and gardeners who bring the annual show to life, I thank you for the years of entertainment. You have provided me with many memories, pictures, and creativity, which I have imagined you have provided for many others. After all, as snow flurries around the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory’s glass dome, and the holiday spirit grows stronger, the Holiday Train Show carries the nostalgia and love of the holiday seasons we look forward to annually.
