If you’re looking for a safe, outdoor destination this summer, then join the 225 species of pollinators, including lots of different bees and butterflies, and head to the Public Square and Gardens for a floral display that’s sure to delight. The area is free and open to all visitors, and right now, home to more than 28,000 plants and 150 mature trees—many native to New York’s Hudson Valley. These plantings, which are also part of the area’s smart park design, provide a crucial landing for the pollinators, who are threatened by habitat loss and climate change. Hudson Yards’ horticulturist John Keul shares a sampling of what’s in bloom.
This bright and colorful perennial flower makes a great backdrop for selfies and really draws in the pollinators, including most recently, the silver-spotted skipper butterfly.
The purple perennial flower also attracts bees and butterflies—it’s especially loved by eastern and brown-belted bumble bees.
Hudson Yards’ campus is home to 700 hydrangeas plants, consisting of four distinct varieties, and if you look closely, you can probably see some ladybugs and green lacewings on their leaves to minimize the presence of those sap-sucking aphids.
These shrubs provide a great place for birds to rest after flying around the skyscrapers—and they love to feed on the berries. Come back in autumn and winter to watch their leaves turn red.
Head to these tall trees along the edges of the plaza for some much-needed shade—all the more delicious if you pick up some lunch—perhaps gazpacho and Spanish tortilla—from Mercado Little Spain and eat under the canopy.
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