This is the tale of a new garden fostered by an old garden. Both lie within St. Luke’s Chapel, close to Greenwich Village.
A two-year apprenticeship in the old garden behind the chapel Vicarage made possible a measure of success in the new one.
New Garden in New York
The site for the new garden was the adjacent 80 x 80 corner lot which included four unoccupied houses and an assortment of trash.
Almost any garden in New York lies over a kitchen midden (accumulated refuse from dwellings), and St. Luke’s was no exception.
Major plantings proceeded slowly until the assorted collection of refuse, builder’s bricks, and stones were hauled away and topsoil brought in. Areas of hardpan were prevalent and had to be broken up.
Leaving these major obstacles for a later date, the first new plantings were begun that May.
New Plantings
Alyssum, annual phlox, portulaca, and early asters were set out to add a touch of color to the project.
Castor beans and sweet corn were planted next to the brick wall of one building, where they benefited from radiated heat and made an excellent backdrop.
Later they were replaced with forsythia, mock orange, blue spirea, fig, and silk trees. Finally, the Iris, hosta, and lily of the valley, untouched for years were divided and replanted.
During the summer, I studied gardening earnestly and spent many hours reading and gathering information in the public library.
Garden magazines and numerous periodicals supplied a wealth of information I absorbed through the summer and early fall.
By Labor Day, a border for lilies and roses had been double-dug to 3′ feet, and the soil enriched with generous quantities of peat moss and well-rotted manure.
To ensure adequate drainage, the builder’s sand was incorporated into the soil. Hybrid Teas, Perpetuals, and Shrub roses were chosen for their resistance to cold and disease and were then planted—luckily, none were winter-killed.
Regal and Madonna’s lilies did well, as did the crocus and daffodils, which showed color the following spring.
Partial Plantings
But it took me two seasons to find plenty of sand, and no fertilizer was the proper medium for tulips.
A mild winter aided my first efforts, and the following summer, the quadrangle of houses was razed to make way for the complete garden.
The partial plantings of the previous year looked healthy and were a constant source of encouragement.
The remaining debris was removed, and a 4-inch layer of rich topsoil was added. The garden assumed a new perspective.
Success of the Garden
To ensure the privacy and success of the garden, an eight-foot red brick wall with an iron gate midway was built along one side of the lot.
A chain link fence was set up along the other side, and rows of buckthorn were planted three deep next to the fence to provide a windbreak.
In the garden’s center, a diamond-shaped bed was constructed and outlined with flagstones.
The center of the bed and the outside perimeter of flagstones were planted with Deutzia gracilis, Abelia grandiflora, and Fairy roses.
Flowering crabs were set on both sides of the iron gate in the wall, and directly across the garden, a long-established ailanthus tree was allowed to remain and cast feathery patterns on the brick wall behind.
Four wide flagstone walks interlaced with sod strips radiated from the central bed and met the walk that circled the entire area. Grass sown between the walks gave a country air to the city setting.
Every summer, the garden is mulched with grass clippings and in the winter, with salt hay and excelsior.
Growing Season
The hedges are pruned in March and trimmed twice during the growing season. The accumulation of rocks gleaned from the original site holds the promise of a rock garden in the future.
Each season has seen the addition of more shrubs and perennials. Until now, there is an impressive representation of peonies, iris (bearded, Siberian, and Japanese), yucca, and dianthus.
Additional shrubs include buddleia, kerria, Tamarix, Viburnum carlesii, and oakleaf hydrangeas.
Occasional sunflowers and tall cosmos give high background color, and nicotiana wafts a soft fragrance at night.
Plants for Frost-Enduring Season
Portulaca is allowed to flower and self-sow where it wants. Japanese and Chinese wisteria climb the chain link fence while Primus triloba and giant hardy hibiscus color the buckthorn hedge in April and August.
The center triangle now boasts a weeping cherry tree big enough to support colored lights at Christmas. Japanese holly interplanted with yard-high breeder tulips circles the base.
The season now begins with the first crocus and ends with the last frost-enduring chrysanthemum.
Each year, the new garden becomes a more refreshing touch of Nature amidst the concrete and brick of the city.
44659 by Barbara E. Leighton