Part of Garden Bloggers Buffa10, Buffalo, NY, July 2010
The Allentown Association Community Garden provides a gateway from Buffalo’s Main Street to the quiet side streets and lush gardens of the Allentown neighborhood.
2010-07-19: Added foliage section.
Part of Garden Bloggers Buffa10, Buffalo, NY, July 2010
Echeveria setosa, Mexican Fire Cracker, in the Desert House of the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens
What a treasure these conservatories must be during Buffalo’s winters. Or on a rainy day like we had Friday. But we visited Saturday, with beautiful, if uncharacteristically warm, weather.
The perennial and shrub gardens outside were also beautiful. We didn’t have time to visit the arboretum.
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Garden Bloggers Buffa10, Buffalo, NY, July 2010
Flickr photo set
2010-07-23: Added Garden Stumbling
2010-07-17: Added Erie Basin Marina Trial Gardens
2010-07-16: Added Twentieth Century Club
2010-07-14: Added Allentown Association Community Garden and 35 North Pearl Street
2010-07-12: Added links to articles in The Buffalo News
Links and placeholders for all the places I visited and saw during my stay in Buffalo.
Hidden Treasure (Cary Street)
Hope Blooms (The Victorian, 200 South Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY)
Gardens of Allentown:
Cottage District
Urban Roots
Japanese Garden, Delaware Park, Buffalo, NY
Bird Avenue
Erie Basin Marina Trial Gardens
Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens
Lockwood’s Greenhouses
Hosta Heaven
Lancaster Avenue Gardens
Brunch at Jim’s
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Flickr Collection of Sets of photos from my trip
Garden writers and bloggers LOVE Buffalo gardens , Garden Walk Buffalo
Buffalo’s Gardens Speak for Themselves, Buffalo Rising, 2010-07-13
The Buffalo News:
Part of Garden Bloggers Buffa10, Buffalo, NY, July 2010
Today’s Garden Bloggers Buffa10 visit to the Japanese Garden in Buffalo’s Delaware Park coincided with a Celebration of the reopening of the Garden.
The siting of this garden is unfortunate. NY State Route 198 slices through the Park, crossing Mirror Lake, on the bank of which the garden is situated. Even when you can direct your gaze to block out the bridge and movement of cars and trucks, the rush and roar of traffic crossing the lake is constant.
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Hope Blooms, 2010-07-09
Hidden Treasure, 2010-07-09
Part of Garden Bloggers Buffa10, Buffalo, NY, July 2010
Hope Blooms, The Victorian, 200 South Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, New York
Like Cary Street, The Victorian, at 200 South Elmwood Avenue, is also located just around the corner from the Buffa10 hotel. It’s one of the headquarters for Garden Walk Buffalo. It’s also one of the homes of AIDS Community Services of Western New York. Hidden behind the building is Hope Blooms, “a garden by, and for, people living with HIV/AIDS.”
A complete volunteer effort, “Hope Blooms” was built as a unique garden “by and for” those living with HIV/AIDS. Having been featured in a full page photo in the Garden Walk Buffalo Book, it is recognized as one of Buffalo’s significantly beautiful gardens. Christopher Voltz, ACS’ Director of Marketing and Special projects volunteers his weekends, all summer long, to build and maintain this garden.
Clients and patients help plant the garden and its flowers are used to supply fresh bouquets of flowers to client services areas in our offices every week.
This simple gesture is greatly appreciated by ACS’ clients and patients. It is ACS’ belief that a warm and welcoming environment for its clients is of great importance. Whether one is living with cancer, diabetes or HIV disease, everyone deserves to be treated with the utmost respect. These bouquets and this garden are simple ways to demonstrate this to the thousands of individuals and families we serve.
Hope Blooms, AIDS Community Services of Western New York
Garden Walk Buffalo
Garden Bloggers Buffa10
Part of Garden Bloggers Buffa10, Buffalo, NY, July 2010
63 Cary Street, Buffalo, NY
Right around the corner from the Buffa10 hotel, the Embassy Suites Buffalo, is a cul-de-sac named Cary Street. I discovered it by accident when I was trying to find the entrance to the hotel when I drove into Buffalo yesterday. I missed the entrance, and pulled into the first street I found to turn around: Cary Street.
The homes are detached cottages of modern construction, but in Buffalo’s vernacular brick Victorian style. No two houses are alike. And most of them have beautiful front-yard gardens.
Today I’m driving from Syracuse to Buffalo, New York, to attend Garden Bloggers Buffa10, the third annual meetup of North American (U.S and Canada) garden bloggers. The first was two years ago in Austin, Texas. I attended last year’s Chicago Spring Fling and had a blast.
Buffa10 runs from tomorrow, Thursday, July 8 through Sunday, July 11, in the middle of Buffalo’s all-garden blowout, Garden Walk Buffalo, the largest garden tour in the U.S. With more than 350 gardens on display, we’ll only get to visit a handful in our four days.
I have my new business cards, made from my Flickr photos, in hand to give out to my gardening tweeps and bluggies. All but four of the images come from Brooklyn. I collected the set of 20 photos, so those of you getting one of my cards can identify the image.
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Chicago Spring Fling, 2009-05-29
Garden Bloggers Buffa10
The Garden Writers and Bloggers Are Coming!, Garden Walk Buffalo
The New York Sate Department of Environmental Conservation announced a new initiative to encourage the use of sustainable gardening and yard care practices.
Be Green(sm) Organic Yards NY will provide training and licensing. Businesses complying with their practices will be able to display the Be Green logo. DEC is also enlisting course providers to deliver the training.
I hope their program includes eliminating leaf-blowers.
From the July 2010 issue of NYS DEC’s online magazine, Environment DEC:
DEC’S “Be Green” Initiative Taps into Organic Yard Care
Having a truly “green” lawn will get easier with the help of “Be Green Organic Yards NY,” a new initiative recently announced by Commissioner Pete Grannis of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
Homeowners and business owners in many areas of the country are choosing organic yard-care management, which can range from a simple regimen of planting and pruning to the “big picture,” including plant selection and soil structure. The organic approach focuses on preventing problems before they occur and building a sustainable, healthy landscape. The goal of “Be Green” is to help create an organically managed environment for people, pets, wildlife and plants.
With Be Green Organic Yards NY, DEC offers a way for consumers and organic-yard businesses and course providers to participate in a “green” yard management initiative. When businesses provide Be Green services to manage lawns, plants and trees organically, they agree to meet DEC’s Be Green conditions. The conditions include prohibitions against certain pest management practices, such as the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.
How “Be Green Organic Yards NY” Works
In the first phase of the Be Green initiative, DEC encourages organizations that provide organic-yard management training to offer courses needed by companies interested in becoming Be Green businesses. The next steps in the initiative will unfold this year for businesses and consumers. Here’s how the Be Green Program will work:
DEC’S “Be Green” Initiative Taps into Organic Yard Care
Be Green(sm) Organic Yards NY, NY State Department of Environmental Conservation:
Chelidonium majus, Lesser Celandine, growing in my garden, June 2006.
The plan will create the first-ever official lists of invasive species, both plant and animal, and create the legal authority to enforce controls as state regulations.
h/t @BuggedDoc
Monday, June 28, 2010
Contact: Jessica Ziehm
518-457-3136
jessica.ziehm@agmkt.state.ny.us
COUNCIL RELEASES PLAN TO COMBAT INVASIVE SPECIES IN NYS
Report Identifies New Process to Categorize Non-Native Invasive Species
The New York State Invasive Species Council today submitted its final report to Governor David A. Paterson and the State Legislature. The report, titled “A Regulatory System for Non-Native Species,” recommends giving the Council authority to develop regulations for a new process that will prevent the importation and/or release of non-native invasive species in New York’s waterways, forests and farmlands.
The report, prepared by the nine-agency Council and co-led by the Department of Agriculture and Markets and the Department of Environmental Conservation, introduces a new process for assessing each invasive species for its level of threat, its socioeconomic value, and for categorizing them into distinct lists for appropriate action.
State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker said, “In recent years, we have struggled with the economic and environmental impacts of non-native species such as Plum Pox Virus, Emerald Ash Borer and the Asian Longhorned Beetle, but we have also acknowledged the positive aspects associated with some, such as timothy, Norway maple and lady bugs. With the adoption of this report, New York will now have a process by which the merits of various invasive species will be evaluated and their level of harm and/or benefit will be reviewed to ensure unacceptable ecological or health risks are not purposefully introduced as pets, nursery stock, food or other uses.”
State Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis said, “New York needs to take action now to curb the many pathways that invasive species use to make their way here. With this new regulatory approach, we can do just that. The system the Council is proposing strikes the right balance of minimizing the major threats to our ecology and economy while allowing for the careful use of those plants and animals that pose lower risks.”
The new assessment process would allow the state to categorize invasive species – such as zebra mussels, Sirex wood wasps and Eurasian milfoil – as “prohibited,” “regulated” or “unregulated.” As a result of this classification system, regulatory control where necessary, would help restrict movement of potentially harmful plants and animals.
Species in the “prohibited” category would be the most restricted as they pose clear risks to New York’s economic, ecological and public health interests, and, therefore, would be banned from commerce entirely. “Regulated” species would be restricted, but not prohibited from commerce, and require practical and meaningful regulatory programs. “Unregulated” species would be identified as those non-native species that do not pose a threat and therefore could be used freely in commerce.
Two “tools” would be used in assessing risks from non-native plants and animals. One evaluates the inherent, biological “invasiveness” of each species, i.e., some species are better “weeds” than others. The other tool looks at socio-economic values to help the Council decide whether the social benefits of a plant or animal outweigh the potential harm. For example, earthworms have often been shown to have positive effects on soil structure and fertility in agricultural and garden ecosystems; however, glacial ice sheets that covered most of New York some 11,000 to 14,000 years ago left New York worm free. Thus, today’s worms are actually European invaders and considered a non-native invasive species, but are clearly valuable.
The process of categorizing invasive species and other report recommendations were developed with the assistance of a 17-member steering committee comprised of representatives from state and federal agencies, conservation, academic and industry groups including agriculture, pets, nursery and landscape. In addition to Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Agriculture and Markets, the Council is made up of the Commissioners of Transportation, Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and Education; the Secretary of State; the Chairperson of the New York State Thruway Authority; the Director of the New York State Canal Corporation; and the Chairperson of the Adirondack Park Agency.
The New York State Invasive Species Council’s final report is available online at http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/63402.html.
New York State is engaged in efforts to reduce the impacts of existing invasive species, such as the Asian Longhorned Beetle and most recently, the Emerald Ash Borer. Department of Agriculture and Markets’ horticultural inspectors have successfully treated 549,856 trees in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island as part of efforts to eradicate the Asian Longhorned Beetle and protect our forests and urban trees. The Emerald Ash Borer was found in Randolph, Cattaraugus County, in June 2009. The Departments of Environmental Conservation and Agriculture and Markets responded quickly and removed affected trees. Since that time over 387 compliance agreements have been written to prevent the human spread of the Emerald Ash Borer.
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My blog posts on invasive species
New York State Invasive Species Council Releases Plan to Combat Invasive Species in New York State, Press Release, NYS Department Of Agriculture And Markets, 2010-06-28
Invasive Species List Report, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Native Rhododendrons blooming in BBG’s Native Flora Garden, May, 2009
Celebrating Our Backyard: Brooklyn Botanic Garden Presents Native Plant Month, July 2010
Brooklyn, NY—June 29, 2010—This spring, the results of a 20-year study of the flora of the New York metropolitan region by Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) found many native species locally extinct or in precipitous decline. During the month of July, BBG will highlight the region’s native flora, displaying its beauty, explaining its importance, drawing attention to its plight, and providing simple ways to help in its restoration. BBG’s knowledgeable horticulturists and scientists will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the power of the native plant through field trips, workshops, and other insightful classes and lectures.
In 1911, the “Local Flora Section” was the first garden to open to the public at BBG. Since then, the Garden has maintained its commitment to the study and conservation of locally native plants, most recently through its multiyear New York Metropolitan Flora project (NYMF), in which nearly every species growing within a 50-mile radius of the city was cataloged and mapped. Many of the native plants in the study—which found a significant number of species in perilous decline—are propagated in the Native Flora Garden, as the Local Flora Section is known today, in an effort to conserve them.
JULY 2010: NATIVE PLANT MONTH PROGRAMMING AT BBG
TALK: Bringing Nature Home
Thursday, July 8 | 6:30 p.m.With as many as 33,000 species imperiled in the U.S. alone, it is clear that citizens must change their approach to gardening and landscaping if they hope to share space with other living things. Join ecologist and author Doug Tallamy to learn about the key role native flora must play in the restoration of our landscapes. Only by supporting a large, healthy diversity of insects that coevolved with native plants can we keep herbivores in balance and gardens aesthetically pleasing. Fee required; advance registration is recommended but seats may be available at the door. Call 718-623-7220 or go to bbg.org/classregistration.
CURATOR’S TOUR: The Native Flora Garden with Uli Lorimer
Thursday, July 8 | 5–6 p.m.Limited space: register now! Curator Uli Lorimer will lead this tour of BBG’s 99-year-old Native Flora Garden, which represents nine local plant communities, including the distinctive kettle pond and pine barrens habitats. Get behind-the-scenes insight into this extraordinary garden and how it has evolved since 1911. Learn about the visionary work of BBG’s founders in researching and documenting native plant life, both in the Garden and the greater metropolitan area. Fee and registration required; call 718-623-7220 or go to bbg.org/classregistration. Registration deadline: Wednesday, July 7.
FIELD TRIP: Native Plants and Restored Natural Areas: A Field Trip to Staten Island
Saturday, July 10 | 8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
It turns out that the city’s smallest borough is big on natives! This day trip, led by restorationist Cindy Goulder, begins with a private guided tour of the Greenbelt Native Plant Center, the NYC Parks Department’s 13-acre nursery and greenhouses on Staten Island. See how hundreds of native plant species are propagated and grown from seed and learn principles underlying native plant cultivation. The Sweetbrook Stream and Wetland Restorations help recover the ecological health and function of urban waters, thanks to the indigenous wetland and upland plant species intentionally placed to increase local plant diversity and wildlife habitat. The Salt Marsh Restorations at Old Place Creek have reestablished many acres of tidal marshes after centuries of displacement by agricultural and industrial uses. Learn how invasive plants were removed and zones of marsh and maritime woody plants reintroduced to this estuarine community. Fee and registration required; call 718-623-7220 or go to bbg.org/classregistration. Registration deadline: Wednesday, July 7.
CLASS: Great Natives for Tough Places
Sunday, July 11 | 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.Discover how to turn tough urban spaces into a natural haven! This workshop, led by garden designer Joan McDonald and based on the BBG handbook Great Natives for Tough Places, identifies gardening challenges caused by city buildings, impermeable surfaces, rainwater runoff, construction, and other disturbances that compact and degrade soil. Students will explore solutions with five spectacular designs using unusual native plants chosen for their ability to thrive in urban environments. Students will receive a copy of Great Natives for Tough Places. Fee and registration required; call 718-623-7220 or go to bbg.org/classregistration. Registration deadline: Thursday, July 8.
WORKSHOP: Gardening with Native Plants
Tuesday, July 13 | 6–9 p.m.
Why are native plants important, and which ones are best for a garden? What does “native” really mean, anyway? Explore these questions with native plant authority Uli Lorimer, curator of BBG’s Native Flora Garden and learn how a garden can reflect the region’s—even a densely populated urban region’s—spectacular natural environment. Fee and registration required; call 718-623-7220 or go to bbg.org/classregistration. Registration deadline: Monday, July 12.
CLASS: Edible Native Plants in Brooklyn
Saturday, July 18 | 2–5 p.m.Limited space: register now! Wild ginger, spicebush, fiddlehead ferns, wild leeks—these are just a few of the delicious vegetables and seasonings native to the region. Unlike conventional crops, many of the northeastern edible native plants are excellent for shade gardens, and most are perennials that will feed people year after year. Learn from local food specialist Leda Meredith which edible native plants will thrive in a garden and how to grow, harvest, and use them. Fee and registration required; call 718-623-7220 or go to bbg.org/classregistration. Registration deadline: Thursday, July 15.
Contact: Kate Blumm, Brooklyn Botanic Garden
718-623-7241 | kblumm@bbg.org
Prunus maritima, Beach Plum, blooming this past April in the Pine barrens section of BBG’s Native Flora Garden
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Where to begin?! Check out my Native Plants reference page, also available from the menu at the top of the blog.
