Re: [gardeners] Sunday in a Brooklyn garden
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Mon, 15 Apr 2002 14:46:09 -0500
I used to run with some swabs from Brooklyn and Queens when I was in the Navy a lifetime ago. It
always amazed me that people who lived in the big city would have gardens, including veggie gardens.
These folks mostly lived in brownstones and their families had been there for generations so they
had worked the soil up really good. Miniscule gardens in front with lovely flowers and small shrubs,
etc.
I grew up on 10 acres that didn't have that much garden to it so it was quite interesting. Been so
long ago I can barely remember those folks names. Do remember they "tawked" funny to a Texas boy
away from home for the first time but they were just as hospitable as any Texan you ever met. Seems
things haven't changed much in NYC in the 44 years since that time.
George
Spydergrl wrote:
>
> Yesterday I had the whole day to get myself down and dirty in my garden.
> The boys were dropped off at my in-laws at 8am. After a trip to the local
> HomeDepot, my husband had the hardware needed to create the framework for my
> Oregon Beans which I sowed against the fence a couple of weeks ago.
>
> He kept busy adjusting this set-up most of the day. His job was complicated
> because he had to step around the Shallots that I planted in the fall
> (Margaret, your shallots have multiplied and are doing splendid).
>
> I finally transplanted the Tomato seedlings outdoors: Black Krim,
> Brandywines, Yellow Pears, Caspian Pink, Persimmons, and a new introduction,
> seeds of which I got from Krasnodar, Russia last year.
>
> The Radicchio seedlings are sitting comfortably in-between the Vadalia
> Onions, the Kale got transplanted and I got some more potato tubers in. The
> Radishes and Carrots are doing great, I got a chance to thin them a bit.
>
> New York City is expected to be at mid 70's this entire week so I decided
> not to cover the veggies.
>
> The Front Yard:
>
> We dug out a walking path which we filled with wood mulch. Got the
> Caladiums and the Hibiscus shrub into the ground. These plants I got in
> Orlando's K-Mart just about 2 weeks ago and drove them all the way to NYC
> <g>. Got all the Dhalia tubers in the ground, the Foxglove seedlings are in
> the soil, as are the Hollyhocks, the Mums, Miniature Callas and Lupines.
> The Pappvers are coming up nicely, next weekend I'm going to be thinning
> them. I created a border around the rest of the plants which consists of
> French Marigolds, which I started indoors a few weeks ago and purple
> Primulas, the combination is absolutely breathtaking.
>
> Under the bow window, the Paeonies which are in the pots are doing
> spectecular, as are the Cannas. The bleeding hearts which I purchased as
> bare roots are in the soil right next to the white Caladiums.
>
> As I was tending to my front yard, I was asked for permission to take
> pictures of it. And that my friends, was the absolute best compliment that
> I've heard in a very long time, it made my week.
>
> Fell asleep completely exhausted, but the good kind of exhaustion, the type
> that makes you feel great!
>
> So there you have it, a gardening report from someone in the heart of New
> York City :)
>
> Raven