Don't know why I'm only just hearing about this. This is only the second garden-only tour in Brooklyn that I've heard of. There should be scores of them.
Seventeen private gardens may be visited on this self-guided tour through the three historic Brooklyn neighborhoods of Ft. Greene, Clinton Hill and Prospect Heights. Free shuttle van service will be provided, circling between the three neighborhoods. This may be your last chance to see a pair of adjacent gardens in Prospect Heights. These two gardens occupy the western edge of Brooklyn's first botanic garden, Parmentier's Horticultural & Botanic Gardens. They currently fall within the footprint of Bruce Ratner's proposed 22-acre Atlantic Center and are threatened with condemnation through use of eminent domain.
Highlights of the tour include a triple lot garden with several cascades & ponds, a double lot garden with brick cottage & mature trees. Both of these gardens evolved over a long period of time created by individuals, avid gardeners,long time residents of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, who owned adjoining properties and instead of filling space with building additions, used the empty spaces to create garden oases.I'm hoping I can make it, weather cooperating.
The Brownstone Brooklyn Garden District, sponsor of the Garden Walk, is a coalition of three Downtown Brooklyn neighborhoods, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and Prospect Heights, with a common interest in improving quality of life through greening of the urban environment. Garden Walk ticket sales support the Annual Fall Bulb Give-Away for planting flowering bulbs in public spaces throughout the Garden District.
Via Brownstoner.
Xris,
ReplyDeleteIs it possible that a growing force of gardeners and bloggers might propose to Mr. Ratner that, when the Parmentier's location is condemned, a select group of people representing neighborhood gardens might be allowed, for a day or two, to harvest plants, trees etc. of historical or heritage value. These would be transplanted to (agreed upon) other neighborhood gardens.
Even a multi-millionaire should go along with rescuing plants which would soon be covered in broken debris. Decades of care went into those gardens and generations of strong, healthy stock should not be killed.
You could even talk Mr. Ratner in to believing it was his idea and a great publicity stunt. Meanwhile the coordinated efforts of all you good folks could steer this largess in the right direction.
Lwt me know what you think. Dad