Gardener turns 100

Queens Botanical Garden (QBG) in Flushing has many amazing features, like the city’s “greenist” building, but not many can compare with a “double gold” member.
Elise Laney joined QBG over 40 years ago and has remained active ever since. On September 21, Laney, the longest-standing member of the garden, turned 100-years-old.
About three dozen well-wishers, including QBG Executive Director Susan Lacerte gathered to celebrate Laney’s birthday at Savoy, an assisted living facility located at 55-15 Little Neck Parkway in Little Neck.
Laney took her first class at QBG in the 1960’s and continues her support of what is the garden spot of the whole borough to this day.
“Members of the Queens Botanical Garden are part of an ever-widening circle of friends who are helping the garden to realize their dream of a sustainable future,” Lacerte said.
Located at 43-50 Main Street in Flushing, the 39-acre garden was originally part of the 1939 World’s Fair. The organizers then proclaimed it a “classic Western European garden.”
Over the years however, through the efforts of the staff and volunteers like Laney, QBG has become a symbol of Queens unique diversity, featuring not only an immense rose garden, but peonies, the national flower of China, Rose of Sharon, important to Koreans and bougainvillea, a favored plant in Latin America.
“Memberships help to support collections, programs, and operations, as well as keep the Garden beautiful for generations to come,” Lacerte pointed out.
For more information about QBG membership, call Annette Fanara at 718-886-3800, Ext. 202, or visit the web site at www.queensbotanical.org.