The teas began in the Waldorf Garden with attendance eventually being so large, both the Empire Room and at times, the Rose Room, had to be opened during the hours of four and six pm to accommodate the number of guests.
At the New York Botanical Garden, holiday season attendance used to dip below 20,000, said John E. Rorer, the garden's executive vice president and chief operating officer.
Edible gardens are the fastest-growing trend at botanical gardens, consistently increasing attendance, experts say, along with cooking classes.
This truth is based on attendance at countless garden parties on both shores and middle island, and on the scars remaining from the bites of giant insects.
Prince Harry was also in attendance, touring a garden created for Sentebale, the charity he co-founded.
For the fourth year in a row, Dumbarton Oaks has seen attendance in the gardens grow, from 16,171 to 23,428.
The Daily Express focuses on Prince Harry's attendance to show off the garden created for his Aids orphan charity Sentebale.
But experts say that because of social trends and changing demographics, attendance is at risk if gardens do not change.
The garden had more than 600,000 visitors in 2003, and attendance has been up by 30percentt over the last seven years since the restored Enid A. Haupt Conservatory reopened.
FAO provides technical assistance to member countries implementing school gardens and school-feeding programmes, which can encourage school attendance and bring direct nutritional benefits to children.
