Impressionism leaps off the canvas and into the Bronx

Ever wanted to step inside an Impressionist painting? This summer, at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, you can. The institution has organised a two-part exhibition that pairs around 20 paintings by US Impressionists such as Childe Hassam and John Singer Sargent with a period garden. The organisers studied dozens of Impressionist works to identify—and recreate—gardening trends of the past. Tens of thousands of plants, including roses, irises and phlox, were specially cultivated for the show, which also includes a composite 19th-century New England cottage façade. Mounting a living exhibition brings its own unique challenges. As Todd Forrest, the garden’s vice president for horticulture, says: “Paintings are not subject to the whims of the weather and do not need to be fed, watered, pruned or deadheaded to look their best.” The show, Impressionism: American Gardens on Canvas, runs until 11 September.