2011-06-07

The Years Have Been Kind

This Spring has been a season of garden anniversaries for me. Six years ago, my partner and I bought our home in Flatbush. In the first month after closing, I began weeding, composting, and envisioning the gardens. Five years ago, I started this blog to document what I was doing and record my explorations.

It's also been a season to celebrate the gardens. Last month, for New York City Wildflower Week (NYCWW), I opened my native plant garden for a garden tour for the first time. This Sunday, June 12, the gardens will be opened again, this time for the Victorian Flatbush House Tour, to benefit the Flatbush Development Corporation (FDC). And in May, I registered my garden as a Certified Wildlife Habitat (#141,173) with the National Wildlife Federation.

My original vision for the backyard native plant garden is largely realized. I'm close to completing development of the planting beds. The shrubs and perennials have grown and spread; there is little bare ground. Unlike me, the garden looks better than it did six years ago. Take a look, and let me know what you think.

Slideshow


By view of the garden

Entrance from the driveway.
Backyard, view along the back path
Arbor Entrance

View West, toward the back of the house.
Backyard, view toward the house
View West

View North, toward our next-door neighbor.
Backyard, view away from garage
View North

View East, toward our back neighbor.
Backyard, view away from the house
View East

View South, toward our garage. The entrance from the driveway is to the right.
Backyard, view toward the garage
View South

Related Content

My Garden

Links

NYC Wildflower Week
Victorian Flatbush House Tour, Flatbush Development Corporation
Garden for Wildlife, National Wildlife Federation

6 comments:

Gina Calderone said...

it looks fantastic! i remember all too well the 1st time i saw the backyard and wondered how you would transform it. the jury is in! you have done a wonderful job making a beautiful urban retreat to relax in on a beautiful day. thanks for all you have done.

Cindy, MCOK said...

Kris, it looks like a wonderful spot for you and BlogWidow to sip coffee in the morning or wind down at the end of the day. Y'all did a great job!

Dig Brooklyn said...

Wow, that was both amazing and inspirational. Congratulations and keep it up

Chelle said...

I hope my garden flourishes as much as yours has!

Annie in Austin said...

What a dramatic change, Xris - and how wise you were to take photos right from the start.
I guess we started blogging around the same time - June 2006? The blog world sure has expanded, hasn't it?
May all your Flatbush years be Happy Years!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

JGH said...

Congratulations! I always like to see before and after shots-- I think it trains your imagination.