This spring, the horticulture team is celebrating all things math! Fibonacci was the guiding inspiration for the Geometry of Flowers exhibition. Our friend Fibonacci spent time pondering the concept of Pi. With its constant being 3.14159, it is represented by the greek letter “𝜋”.  The wonder of Pi is seen all over the natural world, and anywhere you see a circle. You can always count on the fact that dividing the circumference of a circle by its diameter will equal this magical constant.

With its limitless digits, Pi is a cycle much like the orbiting of the earth around the sun. The horticulture team finds many cycles through the blooming seasons, the maintenance of machinery, and our never-ending circles around the park on a hot summer day. As horticulturalists, math is constantly around us. The calculations of the amount of grass seed required for each lawn, the number of plants it takes to fill a space, and the equations used in the design of our exhibitions. The cross-section of a plant stem showcases perfect circles of vascular tissue. This has been shown to be the most efficient way for a plant to get the water and nutrients it needs. Math helps explain some of the cycles and patterns we see naturally and frequently. 

There are so many fun [and delicious] ways to celebrate Pi Day! At Madison Square Park, the Conservancy is celebrating with our partners, the Simons Foundation and the National Museum of Mathematics. Join us in the park to explore math all around us on April 11th!