Landscaping & Gardens -Top 10 New York City, Manhattan Financial District, Chelsea & Brooklyn
UBMI Publications
January 11, 2010
Article by Sasha Newman-Ladjen of Little Miracles Designs
(201) 669-1706
www.littlemiraclesdesigns.com
As a gardener when I travel I wish there was a list of ´must see´ gardens for the city I´m visiting. Have you ever thought on NYC as a gardening destination? Here is a list of New York gardens you will not want to miss.
1. The Battery Park: In the past 10 years an incredible effort has been made to improve Big Apples green spaces. Starting at the very south of the island of Manhattan is the Battery Park. The view of the harbor, Ellis Island, Verrazano Bridge and the Statue of Liberty are absolutely picturesque. It´s a relatively small space by NY standards, however the park is being worked on right now and soon we will get to see the results. Judging by the quality of recent public projects New Yorkers will not be disappointed.
2. Following the Hudson River and walking north Battery Park continues on. Parts of this magnificent promenade were installed over a period of time. Different planting schemes were designed by some of the world´s top designers and plants people. The portion designed by Piet Oudolf is particularly interesting. Walking north you will soon come upon an open plaza and a marina. This is a very popular spot with Financial District crowd.
Winter Garden Atrium is good place to take a break from all that walking, have a cup of coffee and take in a view. Inside the Winter garden, which is part of the World Financial Center complex, you will find 16 40-foot Washingtonia robusta palm trees. It is hard to describe the feeling of being in this spot. Steeped in history, tragedy of 9/11 and unstoppable optimism of this neighborhood make this a must see on the places to visit in Lower Manhattan.
3. The promenade (Hudson River Greenway) continues north along the west side highway. One wouldn´t usually associate walking along a highway as a tourist destination, but then again, this is New York. West side Highway has had a checkered past. In its many reincarnations it went from a congested (and collapsing) elevated roadway to a green space welcoming pedestrians and bikers. The stretch between the financial district to 14th Street is particularly popular with joggers or just New Yorkers going for a walk. The gardens along that stretch are getting better and better every year. The imagination shown in the plant schemes here really takes full flight. The sheer scale of ornamental grasses, perennials, roses and various shrubs and trees is spectacular. Although the promenade does continue north, I would recommend shifting gears a bit. On the corner of 14th street and 10th ave is The Highline.
4. The Highline. is a bit hard to explain, it´s an old elevated railroad track that has been turned into a garden. Few gardening experience can prepare you for this. This park (in the most radical sense of the word) is particularly interesting in the evening. Night lighting transforms this space into a very unique experience. By this time you should be pretty tired, but luckily for you, the highline sits in the middle of the NY meatpacking district, Chelsea Market is steps away and restaurants galore in every direction.
5. Bryant Park. Sooner or later you will find yourself in the Times Square. And when you had enough of crowds, noise and neon go to this wonderful park. Located between Six and Fifth ave and 42nd and 40th street in midtown this park offers everything a visitor could wish for. From a lovely café, to ice skating in winter to clean bathrooms. The tulip and Spirea display in spring is gorgeous. The colonnade of plane trees makes it feel more like Paris then New York. On Fifth ave is The New York Public Library with its larger then life lions in the front. From here you may want to take a stroll up 5th Ave. St Patrick Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, The Plaza Hotel and Central Park are a short walk away.
6. Paley Park. Lovely small park to take a break from the hustle and bustle of midtown. Located just a few blocks from the St. Patrick Cathedral on East 53rd.st between 5th and Madison Ave is a typical NY little green secret. The waterfall in this little gem of a garden is absolutely stunning and definitely not what you´d expect to find in the middle of Manhattan.
7. Gardens come in all shapes and sizes and New York public ones are no exception. Traveling a bit further east you will come upon another little hidden secret. GreenAcre Park is located on 51st street, between 2nd and 3rd Aves. There are chairs and tables and a food stand, but it´s the waterfall that´s drowns out the noise of the city. Overlapping braches of the Honey Locust Trees provide a southing almost a shady private garden feel.
8. Central Park. Perhaps the greatest public park ever built in history of western civilization. I doubt that I can do the justice it deserves in a few short paragraphs, but if you only have enough time to see one thing in New York I would pick the Central Park. This masterpiece was designed Frederick Law Olmstead, not one tree, shrub or detail is an accident. Every hill has been sculpted, every pond has been carved out and result is, well Central Park. Here you will find a Formal Parisian Alley, numerous water futures from small ponds to grand lakes. It´s wonderful to get lost in the vast park, only within few short steps to reemerge on one of many large roadways running through the park. There is something for every age, and interest. On the east side of the park, on 5th Ave is the Metropolitan Museum. The roof garden is open from May to October and it offers a great view of the skyline of Manhattan and the Park.
9. Frick Collection is not far from the Metropolitan museum, also on Fifth Ave corner 70th street. This charming Beaux Art Mention is now home to one of the finest private collections of European paintings. The garden surrounding the museum is a true formal garden. It is important to be reminded of what a classical garden looks like. This is a perfect example of gardening perfection, symmetry, balance, proportion and restraint. Although this garden doesn´t rely on color to carry it though the seasons visiting it in spring when the Magnolias are in full color is probably the most memorable.
10. Cloisters at Metropolitan Museum. New York has a lot of different gardens to explore. Styles range from modern to classical to Prairie. One style of garden you will not want to miss is the Cloister Garden at the Metropolitan museum. A guided tour will provide you with far more accurate details about the history of these gardens, but here is the quick history. The museum was built using parts of various medieval monasteries from Europe. There are 3 small medieval gardens inside the museum. Great effort has been made to present these gardens as accurately as possible down to every detail. For a truly diverse gardening experience in New York this garden should not be missed. It is a bit out of the way. Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art website for more information.
So here we are, just a few of the must see gardens in New York. The hardest thing about coming up with this list was deciding what gardens to leave out. I hope you will have a fun gardening visit in New York.
To learn more contact our team at:
Little Miracles Designs
www.littlemiraclesdesign.com
(201) 669-1706
(201) 669-1706
www.littlemiraclesdesigns.com
As a gardener when I travel I wish there was a list of ´must see´ gardens for the city I´m visiting. Have you ever thought on NYC as a gardening destination? Here is a list of New York gardens you will not want to miss.
1. The Battery Park: In the past 10 years an incredible effort has been made to improve Big Apples green spaces. Starting at the very south of the island of Manhattan is the Battery Park. The view of the harbor, Ellis Island, Verrazano Bridge and the Statue of Liberty are absolutely picturesque. It´s a relatively small space by NY standards, however the park is being worked on right now and soon we will get to see the results. Judging by the quality of recent public projects New Yorkers will not be disappointed.
2. Following the Hudson River and walking north Battery Park continues on. Parts of this magnificent promenade were installed over a period of time. Different planting schemes were designed by some of the world´s top designers and plants people. The portion designed by Piet Oudolf is particularly interesting. Walking north you will soon come upon an open plaza and a marina. This is a very popular spot with Financial District crowd.
Winter Garden Atrium is good place to take a break from all that walking, have a cup of coffee and take in a view. Inside the Winter garden, which is part of the World Financial Center complex, you will find 16 40-foot Washingtonia robusta palm trees. It is hard to describe the feeling of being in this spot. Steeped in history, tragedy of 9/11 and unstoppable optimism of this neighborhood make this a must see on the places to visit in Lower Manhattan.
3. The promenade (Hudson River Greenway) continues north along the west side highway. One wouldn´t usually associate walking along a highway as a tourist destination, but then again, this is New York. West side Highway has had a checkered past. In its many reincarnations it went from a congested (and collapsing) elevated roadway to a green space welcoming pedestrians and bikers. The stretch between the financial district to 14th Street is particularly popular with joggers or just New Yorkers going for a walk. The gardens along that stretch are getting better and better every year. The imagination shown in the plant schemes here really takes full flight. The sheer scale of ornamental grasses, perennials, roses and various shrubs and trees is spectacular. Although the promenade does continue north, I would recommend shifting gears a bit. On the corner of 14th street and 10th ave is The Highline.
4. The Highline. is a bit hard to explain, it´s an old elevated railroad track that has been turned into a garden. Few gardening experience can prepare you for this. This park (in the most radical sense of the word) is particularly interesting in the evening. Night lighting transforms this space into a very unique experience. By this time you should be pretty tired, but luckily for you, the highline sits in the middle of the NY meatpacking district, Chelsea Market is steps away and restaurants galore in every direction.
5. Bryant Park. Sooner or later you will find yourself in the Times Square. And when you had enough of crowds, noise and neon go to this wonderful park. Located between Six and Fifth ave and 42nd and 40th street in midtown this park offers everything a visitor could wish for. From a lovely café, to ice skating in winter to clean bathrooms. The tulip and Spirea display in spring is gorgeous. The colonnade of plane trees makes it feel more like Paris then New York. On Fifth ave is The New York Public Library with its larger then life lions in the front. From here you may want to take a stroll up 5th Ave. St Patrick Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, The Plaza Hotel and Central Park are a short walk away.
6. Paley Park. Lovely small park to take a break from the hustle and bustle of midtown. Located just a few blocks from the St. Patrick Cathedral on East 53rd.st between 5th and Madison Ave is a typical NY little green secret. The waterfall in this little gem of a garden is absolutely stunning and definitely not what you´d expect to find in the middle of Manhattan.
7. Gardens come in all shapes and sizes and New York public ones are no exception. Traveling a bit further east you will come upon another little hidden secret. GreenAcre Park is located on 51st street, between 2nd and 3rd Aves. There are chairs and tables and a food stand, but it´s the waterfall that´s drowns out the noise of the city. Overlapping braches of the Honey Locust Trees provide a southing almost a shady private garden feel.
8. Central Park. Perhaps the greatest public park ever built in history of western civilization. I doubt that I can do the justice it deserves in a few short paragraphs, but if you only have enough time to see one thing in New York I would pick the Central Park. This masterpiece was designed Frederick Law Olmstead, not one tree, shrub or detail is an accident. Every hill has been sculpted, every pond has been carved out and result is, well Central Park. Here you will find a Formal Parisian Alley, numerous water futures from small ponds to grand lakes. It´s wonderful to get lost in the vast park, only within few short steps to reemerge on one of many large roadways running through the park. There is something for every age, and interest. On the east side of the park, on 5th Ave is the Metropolitan Museum. The roof garden is open from May to October and it offers a great view of the skyline of Manhattan and the Park.
9. Frick Collection is not far from the Metropolitan museum, also on Fifth Ave corner 70th street. This charming Beaux Art Mention is now home to one of the finest private collections of European paintings. The garden surrounding the museum is a true formal garden. It is important to be reminded of what a classical garden looks like. This is a perfect example of gardening perfection, symmetry, balance, proportion and restraint. Although this garden doesn´t rely on color to carry it though the seasons visiting it in spring when the Magnolias are in full color is probably the most memorable.
10. Cloisters at Metropolitan Museum. New York has a lot of different gardens to explore. Styles range from modern to classical to Prairie. One style of garden you will not want to miss is the Cloister Garden at the Metropolitan museum. A guided tour will provide you with far more accurate details about the history of these gardens, but here is the quick history. The museum was built using parts of various medieval monasteries from Europe. There are 3 small medieval gardens inside the museum. Great effort has been made to present these gardens as accurately as possible down to every detail. For a truly diverse gardening experience in New York this garden should not be missed. It is a bit out of the way. Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art website for more information.
So here we are, just a few of the must see gardens in New York. The hardest thing about coming up with this list was deciding what gardens to leave out. I hope you will have a fun gardening visit in New York.
To learn more contact our team at:
Little Miracles Designs
www.littlemiraclesdesign.com
(201) 669-1706
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