Bronx Botanical Garden: The Haunted Pumpkin Garden

From onsite pumpkin sculpting to a display of Guinness Book-size autumn vegetables, Halloween is a month-long celebration at the Bronx's New York Botanical Garden, with exciting weekend events scheduled for October 18-19, as well as the 25-26.

Easily accessible by subway (B, D and 4 trains) and Metro-North's Harlem Line (the garden has its own stop), "The Haunted Pumpkin Garden" runs through October 31. This weekend's event features live pumpkin carving by internationally renowned sculptor (and Long Island native) Ray Villafane, who will be creating planned and improvised works on both Saturday and Sunday.

"We've had Ray for four years for the same weekend. We feel it brings people back throughout the day and throughout the weekend," said Karen Daubmann, associate vice president for exhibitions and public engagement at the garden. "They'll visit other sections of the garden and then come back to check on Ray's progress. They love to follow his live carving."

Daubmann describes Villafane's unique approach. "It's not the pumpkin carving technique we're used to as kids. He doesn't carve with a knife creating triangular shapes. Instead, Ray uses clay loop tools to shave away at the pumpkin."

Villafane carves monsters, ghouls and zombies as well as frightening tableaux featuring multiple pumpkins, while also taking time out for Q&A sessions, answering questions from the kids, she says.

It's the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth (Charlie Brown)! If history is any indication, world records may be set the following weekend, when the largest pumpkins, gourds, watermelons and other vine-grown vegetables from across North America converge on the garden, with growers from across the U.S. and Canada accompanying their enormous vegetables to New York.

Hundreds of pumpkins -- some topping the scales at over 200 lbs. -- will be on display. The vegetables are weighed and their integrity verified by The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth, which cultivates the hobby of growing giant pumpkins throughout the world.

"There have been world records set the last couple of years; last year, we had the world's largest watermelon. This year we may have an enormous sunflower," Daubmann said.

"For the growers, the seeds are the most important part," added Daubmann. Last year, after Halloween, the garden staff tore into world's largest watermelon, and took a taste while they harvested the seeds. The "taste" wasn't as big as the melon. "It was edible, but not the tastiest watermelon I've ever eaten."

If you're not a Halloween enthusiast, other events coincide with "The Haunted Pumpkin Garden," including "Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Garden," featuring hundreds of these Japanese fall-flowering plants as well as weekend spotlights on "bonsai" and "ikebana."

"We also have beautiful roses this time of year," said Daubmann.

"The Haunted Pumpkin Garden," runs through Oct. 31, at The New York Botanic Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10458. For information, visit http://www.nybg.org/