Perhaps the most magnificent stand of extant "vintage" crabapple trees in New York City parks grows here in the Conservatory Gardens of Central Park. Here, two all'es (tree-lined paths) form boundaries between the formal gardens, each panel with a distinctive style and heritage. The trees are nearly thirty feet tall and form an arching canopy above the stone walkway and benches beneath. In the winter and early spring, the branches reveal their twisted, craggy, encompassing architecture. In the spring and summer, the space beneath the trees is like a tunnel, where sound and light are muted; where air is stilled by the surrounding blossoms, flowers, and leaves. It is thought that these trees are the originals planted in the first existing Garden in 1937.

Whatever their pedigree, these stands of trees form one of the most idyllic scenes to be found anywhere in Central Park; especially in mid-summer, when the benches that line them can be found occupied by any number of park visitors who, while only scant yards from Fifth Ave., are surely miles away in their minds.