Events for a Brooklyn Gardener-Blogger

[Updated 2007.05.01 21:00 EDT: Added Merchant's House Museum Plant Sale.]

Some quick notes on upcoming events, most of which I've previously written about.

This Weekend

Today and Tomorrow, April 28 & 29, 10am-6pm
Sakura Matsuri at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

The single most popular annual event at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, tens of thousands of people turn out for the Cherry Blossom Festival every year. Entrance lines and waits are long. BBG's Blossom Status Map shows that the only cherry trees not in bloom at BBG right now are those that have already finished their show. This will surely pump up the crowds even more.

Rain is predicted both Saturday and Sunday this weekend. This morning started out beautiful and sunny, with blue skies, but it's already clouding over. The rains will keep the crowds down. I have other commitments this weekend, or I would be there right now.

Next week

May 1-3, hours vary
Brooklyn Botanic Garden Plant Sale

This may be BBG's second most popular annual event. The Garden closes early on Tuesday, May 1, to re-open for the Members-Only Preview Sale from 4:30-8pm. This is a feeding frenzy of plant fanatics. If you're not already a BBG member, you can purchase a membership on-site. I'm going to try stopping by there after work on Tuesday if I can get out early enough. Anyone can visit the public sale on Wednesday, May 2, from 9am to 7pm, or Thursday, May 3, from 9am to 12noon.

Thursday, May 3, 11am-5pm
Second Annual Battery Plant Sale, The Battery, Downtown Manhattan

After September 11, the Gardens of Remembrance were planted along The Battery, at the southernmost tip of Manhattan. The plants and gardens are now entering their fifth year. As in any mature garden, the plants need to be divided and replanted. The extra divisions go into their plant sale.

The post card says the plants are "organic, pest-free, and hardy." They have to be "hardy". They're growing more or less on the shore of downtown Manhattan, subject to winter winds and salt spray. Judging from the plant list for last year's sale, selections are varied and interesting. Most of the plants, all perennials, require or prefer full sun. I could use some in the developing sunny, mixed border along the south side of the house. The only chance I have to get there is on my lunch break.

Following Week

Sunday, May 6, 10am-12noon
Merchant's House Museum Annual Plant Sale

Located in Manhattan at 29 East 4th Street, between Lafayette St. and the Bowery, the Merchant's House Museum plant sale benefits the Museum's Garden Fund. Selections include divisions and seedlings from their historic garden, such as astilbes, hostas, and epimediums.

Thursday, May 10, 8pm
Second Annual Brooklyn Blogfest

This will be at the Old Stone House in J. J. Byrne Memorial Park at 5th Avenue and 3rd Street in Park Slope. I'm really looking forward to meeting some of the other Brooklyn bloggers I read. And I should have my Flickr cards in hand to give out. Collect the whole set!

Gothamist interviews BBG's Patrick Cullina and Anita Jacobs

Skunk Cabbage, Native Flora Garden, April 14, 2007


Patrick Cullina is Vice President of Horticulture and Facilities and Anita Jacobs is director of Public Programs at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Some samples:

[Jen Carlson of Gothamist:] What's it like working in a garden in an urban area?

PC: I love it. We get enthusiastic visitors from the many different surrounding the Garden, from across New York, and from around the world. The City itself lends both vitality and emphasis to the Garden, and the Garden returns the favor by serving to ease the encroachments that can come with urban life. ...

AJ: When my friends complain about battling rush hour crowds in the city I end up rubbing salt in their wounds by mentioning that I often have to yield to a red-tailed hawk or a line of baby ducklings…I am a real nature addict, so being able [to] throw open the door and be surrounded by dozens of blooming magnolia trees is a dream.

Both of them mention the Native Flora Garden - one of my favorite gardens in the Garden - as one of their favorite spots:

What's your favorite spot in the garden? And what's a less-noticed part of the garden you think garden visitors should definitely see?

PC: ... too many people miss the magical qualities of the Native Flora Garden—particularly in the fall. ...

AJ: One of my favorite spots in the Garden is the Native Flora garden. It's a little off the beaten path, I guess, so it's always very quiet and peaceful and you can see a lot of spectacular migrating birds there. ...

Vote! (Again!)

I voted on my way to work this morning. If you're a registered voter in Brooklyn's 40th City Council District, please vote today for your next City Councilperson.

Una-Gene made their first appearance in my neighborhood this morning. Both Mathieu Eugene and Una Clarke were on the sidewalk of P.S. 139, my polling place, in Beverley Square West.

RANT

Eugene looked scared. He seemed genuinely baffled as to why people in my neighborhood were angry with him for wasting our votes and hundreds of thousands of dollars by refusing to prove he was eligible to take the seat for which he was elected and calling for a second special election. Like Senator Charles Palatine in the film Taxi Driver, throughout both campaigns Eugene has vapidly parroted the words "the people." He should not be so surprised that not all "the people" are grateful to him for mentioning us.

Not to mention the questions surrounding funding for his community organization. Or the validity of calling himself a "Doctor," clearly something he learned from Yvette Clarke.

Of course, we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place if Yvette Clarke hadn't thought she could do more damage make more money as a U.S. Congresswoman.

They can't respond to a written questionnaire. They can't show up at a local candidate's forum; even Sharpe - whom Eugene had removed from the ballot at the time but was just last week reinstated by a judge - showed up for that.

But they can show up to intimidate voters hobnob with their fellow wizards at the steps of the polling place. That's where Una and her cronies were this morning: on the sidewalk in front of the entrance to the polls. I'll post the photographic evidence when I get home late tonight.

They seem to believe that residency laws don't apply to them. Maybe electioneering laws don't apply to them, either.

Or maybe the only reason they showed up this morning is to create yet another election crisis to manipulate in their favor. Electioneering and voter intimidation at the polls ... might that be enough to invalidate the election altogether, or at least the results from a polling place where votes are likely to go largely against them?

Masters of Chaos they are, Thing One and Thing Two.

/RANT

Related posts:

• Extra-Special Election for Brooklyn's 40th City Council Seat, Yesterday
  
• Eugene and Schiffman sole candidates for 40th District, April 11 & 12 [Note: Wellington Sharpe was reinstated last week and is on today's ballot.]
  
• Eugene challenged on grounds he refused seat, April 10
  
• Where's Eugene?, March 23
  
• Vote!, February 20
• Landscape and Politics in Brooklyn's City Council District 40, February 14
• 40th District Forum on Preservation and Development, February 8

Tomorrow, April 24: Extra-Special Election for Brooklyn's 40th City Council Seat

I saw these taped to the lamp posts on Beverly Road on my way to the subway this morning. Thanks to whatever neighbor took it upon themselves to remind everyone about this!

News, NYC: 1M Trees in 10 Years

A million trees in NYC's forecast
BY EMI ENDO, Newsday Staff Writer
emi.endo@newsday.com

April 21, 2007

They cool down streets, remove tons of air pollution, boost property values and can even reduce asthma rates.

That' why trees -- a million of them -- will be a part of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's sweeping plan to prepare the city for future population growth. The mayor Sunday is expected to call for reversing years of deforestation in the city.

"Every single place where it is possible to plant a street tree, by 2017, we will plant a street tree," said Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff, who has been overseeing the sustainability initiatives.

Currently, about 5.2 million trees dot the city, creating a tree canopy of about 24 percent of the city, said Joshua Laird, assistant commissioner for planning and natural resources for the parks department.

The city estimates that trees have been planted in about 74 percent of the places where trees could be planted.

In his upcoming executive budget, the mayor will call for spending an additional $37.5 million a year, on top of the current $11 million budgeted, for forestry programs, and an additional $8 million a year for maintenance and tree care.

City officials estimate that for each $1 spent on a tree, the value of the benefits from that tree are $5.

Under the plan, to begin in July, the city will reforest its parks and plant saplings in forests. On the streets, the city will plant 23,000 trees a year to add a total of 210,000 new trees, and require new construction projects to plant trees.

Via AM New York

I couldn't resist

What classic actress am I?

Katherine Hepburn.

I couldn't be more pleased.

What Classic Actress Are You?

Katharine Hepburn.She is an icon but beyond that, she was one of the most highly respected and talented actresses in film history.

Unconventional, Independant, Intelligent, Feisty

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via Blue Gal.

Reminder - Call for Submissions for Festival of the Trees #11: Trees in the Concrete

Dueling Maples, 1422 Beverley Road, November 2006. I pass these two trees when I walk to and from the subway.


Just a reminder that we're still inviting submissions for Festival of the Trees #11, which I'll be hosting here on Flatbush Gardener in May.

Although I haven't gotten to acknowledge any of the entries yet, I want to thank everyone who's submitted entries so far. The pace has been quickening the past few days. With over 30 submissions as of this afternoon, it's shaping up to be a terrific carnival.

Many of you are finding connections with the theme of "Trees in the Concrete": street trees, trees in cities, urban forestry, and so on. Do you have a favorite street tree? Trees in city parks? Tell us about them! This is not a restrictive theme, so anything which fits the FotT submission guidelines is welcome. And you don't need a blog or Web site of your own. You can send in a link you find on the Web. If you have a doubt, send it.

The publication date will be May 1st, 2007. The deadline for submissions is April 29. You can submit entries via the Festival of the Trees Submission Form on BlogCarnival. You can also send an email to festival (dot) trees (at) gmail (dot) com with "Festival of the Trees" in the subject.

News, NYC, April 20: The Daffodil is now our official flower

[Updated, 2007.02.22 10:00 EDT: The Parks Department finally posted the Press Release on their Web site.]

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced today [April 20] that the daffodil has been honored as the official flower of New York City.

"I am pleased to announce that the daffodil has been selected as the official flower of the City of New York," said Mayor Bloomberg. "This flower has earned the distinction, the Daffodil Project makes the City a more beautiful place every year, and bring us all together by serving as a living memorial to the victims of September 11th."

- The Daffodil Named The Official Flower Of The City Of New York, Parks Press Release

I wrote about the Daffodil Project last fall as part of my series of posts about Grief & Gardening. 2006 was the first year that Daffodils were made available to NYC residents through neighborhood associations and other community organizations. In previous years, the daffodils were planted in parks, along parkways, and in other public areas by the Parks Department.

In October 2001, the Parks Department teamed up with New Yorkers for Parks (NY4P) and landscape architect Lynden Miller to launch the Daffodil Project, a citywide initiative to create a living memorial of hope after the tragedies of September 11. Since the inception of the Daffodil Project, over 20,000 volunteers and Parks staffers have planted over three million bulbs in 1,200 parks, playgrounds, schools, community gardens and patches of green space throughout the City.

"One of the most brilliant and dependable harbingers of spring is the annual re-emergence of three million daffodils," said Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe. "Thanks to the energy and generosity of our many partners, communities throughout the City have been united through the act of planting this hope-bearing flower. As the official flower of our City, daffodils will continue decorating our landscape with fields of gold."

"After the attacks of 9/11, New Yorkers for Parks was honored to work with the City of New York to create the Daffodil Project," said Christian DiPalermo, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Parks (NY4P). "The blooming daffodils represent a living memorial of hope and we are delighted that Mayor Bloomberg is recognizing the its significance as New York City's official flower."

The Daffodil Project is the largest volunteer planting effort in New York City’s history. The Daffodil Project is made possible in part by the generosity of Dutch bulb supplier, Hans van Waardenburg of B&K Flowerbulbs. He has pledged to donate 500,000 daffodil bulbs to the project each year as long as there are volunteers willing to plant them.

- The Daffodil Named The Official Flower Of The City Of New York, Parks Press Release

Just in time for spring, the city has a new official flower.

The city announced Friday that the daffodil has been chosen as the city's official flower.

The flower took on a special significance after the September 11th attacks, when the city launched the Daffodil Project.

To remember those who lost their lives, volunteers have planted more than three million bulbs in parks and playgrounds across the five boroughs.
- Daffodil To Bloom As The City's Official Flower, NY1 News

Meta: Spammers will be shot on sight

[Update 2007.04.18 12:30 EDT: Corrected typos. Masked "language".]

This comment was left on Ths Transetorey Life an hour ago [midnight, 2007.04.18]:

Hi, I like to read alot [sic] of random blogs daily. I average about 15 blogs
everyday. Your blog is among the best that i [sic] have visited today, aside
from some of the other mindless blogs i've [sic] read. Keep up the good work!
I run my own site. It pretty much covers online auctions [link to #$!) here].
Come and check it out if you get time.

How considerate of you to to spam me with a comment on a post in which I share my thoughts and feelings on the 5th anniversary of September 11.

$&#* you, too.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden, April 14, 2007

[Updated 2007.04.19 21:30 EDT: Added Fragrance Garden, Magnolia Plaza, Daffodil Hill, and Lily Pool Terrace.]

Magnolia Flower, Magnolia Plaza, Brooklyn Botanic Garden


We visited the Brooklyn Botanic Garden last Saturday. So did a lot of other people. It was a perfect day, the day before the Nor'Easter hit and dumped a record rainfall on New York City.

As before, two ways you can explore. The title of this post links to the Flickr set of photos. Or, you can explore the Google Map of my visit.



Rock Garden



Caucasian Wingnut

Best. Name. Ever. For a tree. This may be the most photographed non-flowering tree in the Garden. I'll honor it with its own post some day.



Compost Demonstration Area

Another feature of the Garden deserving of its own post. Just a couple of shots here. Check the Flickr set for all the signage. I liked the homemade styles; either one would work in my garden, now that I have enough space. Yes, I'm a geek.



Native Flora Garden



Japanese Garden

I walked the south path of the garden. I don't remember ever walking this way before. It's a different perspective. And it's also where the turtles like to hang out.



Fragrance Garden

This has the most beautiful stonework in the whole garden. It lies between the Shakespeare Garden and the recently landmarked Laboratory Administration Building which faces Magnolia Plaza.



Magnolia Plaza

They were at their peak when we visited. They'll be just passing their peak right now.



Daffodil Hill

Originally known as Boulder Hill, there's still a marker for the old name.



Lily Pool Terrace

The Annual Borders are about to explode with Tulips. I didn't get any shots of the Mixed (Shrubs and Perennials) Border, which has year-round interest and is lovely right now. Next trip.

Related content

Flickr photo set