Flatbush Gardener: St. Mark's Avenue Community Garden, Prospect Heights, Green With Envy Tour, II.2

The Green With Envy Tour at the St. Mark's Avenue Community Garden in Prospect Heights, July 26, 2008.

Green With Envy, St. Mark's Avenue Community Garden, Prospect Heights

Biking was definitely the preferred mode of transportation on this tour. I don't have a bike, so my feet and legs got a workout.

As soon as we arrived, our hostess proudly informed us that the garden was not only a butterfly sanctuary, but a praying mantis sanctuary.

Emptied egg case on the front gate

In the flesh.

This photo illustrates a pattern realized by many of the community gardens we visited: a common area, just inside the entrance, comprised largely of ornamental plantings. This is part of the "community" aspects of these gardens: putting your best face forward makes both the street and the garden more inviting, and helps keep good relations with the neighbors.

Seating in common areas.

I was charmed by this child-scaled seat composed of salvaged building materials.

Stepping past the threshold you come to the raised beds with vegetables.

Here's a detail of that window visible in the photo above. A church is next door.

The ubiquitous composting area was located at the rear of this garden, furthest from the street, another common pattern. I wonder what all the rear-yard neighbors think of this arrangement.