Native Plant Acquisitions, Gowanus Canal Conservancy Plant Sale

Posted on 2018-04-22 by admin

Today I made my way to my first Gowanus Canal Conservancy Native Plant Sale. Today is Earth Day 2018, and today’s sale was held at their nursery location, the Salt Lot where Second Avenue ends at the Gowanus Canal. They have two more sales this season. The next, on May 19th, conflicts with the NYC Wildflower Week tour of my garden.

A wide range of species are listed are available on their nursery page. Not all of them are still in stock. In compensation, they had other unlisted species available at today’s plant sale.

I used their published list of species to make a shopping list, always a good idea when heading out to plant sales. I cross-checked their list for species that 1) I didn’t already have, and 2) were native to New York City. Since they list the Greenbelt Native Plant Center as a partner, I suspected many of their species would be NYC-local ecotypes. I made a few exceptions for cases where I have the species, but not a NYC-local ecotype, e.g.: Solidago sempervirens, seaside goldenrod.

I had the chance to speak with a few of their staff and volunteers, including Diana Gruberg, their Horticultural Manager for the whole operation. I was pleased when she confirmed that some 90% of their species originated with Greenbelt. They are now successfully propagating many of these species themselves, both vegetatively and from seed.

Today’s acquisitions, listed alphabetically by botanical name:

Carex albicans, white-tinged sedge
Carex comosa, bristly sedge
Euthamia graminifolia, common flat-topped goldenrod
Juncus greenei, Greene’s rush
Monarda fistulosa, bee-balm
Oenothera biennis, common evening primrose
Quercus bicolor, swamp white oak
Schizachyrium littorale, dune blue-stem
Solidago sempervirens, seaside goldenrod, N YC-local ecotype
Symphyotrichum ericoides. heath aster
Veronicastrum virginicum, Culver’s root

I confirmed with Diana that the seaside goldenrod was propagated from a Greenbelt collection, so it’s a local ecotype. I don’t know for sure which of the others also are. Odds are good that it’s most, if not all, of them.

Links

Gowanus Canal Conservancy

Green With Envy, Tour One, Final Stops 9 and 10

Posted on 2008-07-21 by admin

Green With Tour at the Gil Hodges Memorial Garden, Gowanus, Brooklyn.

The last two gardens we visited on the Green With Envy Tour, Tour One, on Saturday, July 12, were the Gil Hodges Memorial Garden in Gowanus and the Greenspace at the corner of President Street and 5th Avenue in Park Slope. Not too many photos from either of these. It was the end of the tour, nearly 5 hours after we had started, in the hottest part of the day. I was exhausted and needed to get home, cool down, and crash.

We do it all again this Saturday starting at 10am. Details below.

President Street Greenspace, Park Slope, Brooklyn

Signs

Te amo, Gil Hodges Garden

EL JARDIN ESTA ABIERTO (THE GARDEN IS OPEN), President Street Greenspace

Glam

Canna leaf, Gil Hodges Garden

Black Grass, Gil Hodges Garden

Zinnia, President Street Greenspace

Tour Two, Saturday, July 26

Pacific Street Brooklyn Bear’s Garden at Flatbush Avenue
St. Marks Avenue Blk. Assn. Community Garden btwn Carlton & Vanderbilt
Prospect Heights Community Farm, St. Marks btwn Vanderbilt & Underhill
Fulton Revival Garden, Vanderbilt at Gates
Hollenback Community Garden, Washington btwn Gates & Greene
Classon Ful-gate Community Garden, Classon btwn Fulton & Gates
Clifton Place Community Garden, Grand btwn Clifton & Greene
Pratt/Clinton Hill Community Garden, Hall St at DeKalb
The Greene Garden, DeKalb at Portland
Carlton Avenue Brooklyn Bear’s Garden between Fulton & Greene

Look for more “GWE” Tours coming up this fall in Bed Stuy and East NY, once again sponsored by the new (and still forming) Brooklyn Community Gardeners’ Coalition. There’ll also be a bike tour in August sponsored by the Brooklyn Queens Land Trust! Lots of opportunities to see Brooklyn’s beautiful gardens!

Green With Envy Tour of Brooklyn Community Gardens, July 12 and 26
Brooklyn Bear’s Garden, Park Slope, Green With Envy Tour, I.1
Hoyt Street Garden, Boerum Hill, Green With Envy Tour, I.2
Wyckoff-Bond Community Garden, Boerum Hill, Green With Envy Tour, I.3
David Foulke Memorial Garden, Boerum Hill, Green With Envy Tour, I.4
Warren-St Marks Community Garden, Park Slope, Green With Envy, I.5
Baltic Street Community Garden, Park Slope, Green With Envy Tour, I.6
Lincoln-Berkeley Community Garden, Park Slope, Green With Envy Tour, I.7
Gardens of Union, Park Slope, Green With Envy Tour, I.8

Green With Envy Tour of Brooklyn Community Gardens, July 12 and 26

Posted on 2008-07-04 by admin

On Saturday, July 12 and 26, visit Community Gardens in Park Slope, Boerum Hill, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and Prospect Heights. On both guided tours, you can join us for a 10am breakfast at the Pacific Street Bear’s Garden on Flatbush Ave, then walk, bike, or drive the routes below. More info: 718-636-4273.

Special thanks to the Brooklyn Community Gardeners’ Coalition, GreenThumb, and Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s GreenBridge.

Tour One, Saturday, July 12

Pacific Street Bear’s Garden at Flatbush Avenue, Park Slope
Hoyt Street Community Garden at Atlantic Avenue, Boerum Hill
Wyckoff-Bond Community Garden, Boerum Hill
David R. Foulke Memorial Garden, Bergen Street between Nevins & Bond Streets, Boerum Hill
Warren St. Marks Community Garden between 4th & 5th Avenues, Park Slope
Baltic Street Community Garden at 4th Avenue, Park Slope
Lincoln-Berkeley Community Garden, Lincoln between 5th & 6th Avenues, Park Slope
Gardens of Union, Union between 4th & 5th Avenues, Park Slope
Gil Hodges Garden, Carroll between 3rd & 4th Avenues, Gowanus
GreenSpace at President Street, corner of 5th Avenue, Park Slope

Tour Two, Saturday, July 26

Pacific Street Brooklyn Bear’s Garden at Flatbush Avenue
St. Marks Avenue Blk. Assn. Community Garden btwn Carlton & Vanderbilt
Prospect Heights Community Farm, St. Marks btwn Vanderbilt & Underhill
Fulton Revival Garden, Vanderbilt at Gates
Hollenback Community Garden, Washington btwn Gates & Greene
Classon Ful-gate Community Garden, Classon btwn Fulton & Gates
Clifton Place Community Garden, Grand btwn Clifton & Greene
Pratt/Clinton Hill Community Garden, Hall St at DeKalb
The Greene Garden, DeKalb at Portland
Carlton Avenue Brooklyn Bear’s Garden between Fulton & Greene

Brooklyn Bears Community Garden, February 13, 2008

NYC Sewer-Stormwater Settlement

Posted on 2008-07-03 by admin

New York City will pay $5,000,000 to settle violations from delays in upgrades to sewer and stormwater systems. Three of the four sites to benefit directly from the settlement are in or adjacent to Brooklyn: Gowanus Canal, Coney Island Creek, and Jamaica Bay.

New York City has agreed to pay a $1 million fine and fund $4 million worth of environmental-benefit projects to settle violations related to delays in making sewer-system and stormwater-system upgrades to prevent overflows into waterways. The violations stem from the city’s failure to make improvements in accordance with a schedule outlined in a 2005 consent order. Under this settlement, the city has agreed to a new timeline for completing those construction projects and will make further upgrades to both its sewer and stormwater systems.
– Settlement Paves Way for Sewer/Stormwater Upgrades and Green Infrastructure in NYC, July 2008, Environment DEC

The issue centered around New York City’s obligation to improve mechanical structures, foundations, substructures, pumping stations and other infrastructure-related systems. The projects are designed to improve the capacity of the city’s wastewater and stormwater systems. During heavy rainfall in New York City and other municipalities, runoff can exceed the capacity of the sewer system, triggering what’s known as “combined sewer overflows.” [Just as attractive as it sounds.] Infrastructure upgrades can diminish the chances of overflows.

The environmental benefit projects will be concentrated in the Bronx River, Flushing Bay, Coney Island Creek and Gowanus Canal watersheds and will assess the use of various green infrastructure to be installed for sewer-overflow and stormwater abatement. Some of the types of projects that will be considered include enhanced tree pits with underground water storage, rain gardens, green roofs, bio-retention basins and swales, porous pavement and blue roofs. Collectively, these projects are intended to reduce the volume of stormwater that enters the sewer system, thereby limiting overflows. These projects, administered through the state Environmental Facilities Corp., will include extensive community input and involvement.

Brooklyn Blogade, June 2008

Posted on 2008-06-22 by admin

The Brooklyn Blogade at Root Hill Cafe

The June 2008 Brooklyn Blogade was hosted by Adrian Kinloch, Brit in Brooklyn, at Root Hill Cafe on 4th Avenue. The theme was photo-blogging, and several Brooklyn photo-bloggers – including myself I suppose! – turned out for the afternoon. About 20 people attended, most of whom of visible in the photo above.

Flickr photo set
Kensington Blogade, March 10, 2008

Links

Miconian

[where: Root Hill Cafe, 262 4th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215]

Brooklyn Blogade this Sunday, June 22

Posted on 2008-06-19 by admin

The next Brooklyn Blogade is this Sunday, June 22, 12noon at Root Hill Cafe, 262 4th Ave, at the corner of Carroll Street. The closest subway stop is Union Street on the M/R.

Adrian, Brit in Brooklyn, is our host this Sunday:

BIB is hosting this month’s blogade so naturally the emphasis will be on photoblogging. Anyone who regularly uses images, photobloggers or bloggers, will find it useful.

If you are thinking of starting a blog you’ll be in great company as there’ll be bloggers around who’ll be happy to chat with you about setting something up. We’ll also talk about copyright, fair use and backing up your work.

There will be the regular ‘shout out’ where eveyone gets to talk a bit about their blog and the chance afterwards to share your blogging experiences, gripes, groans and news. With or without a blog *everyone* is welcome, and we’re especially keen to meet new bloggers in less-blogged turfs!

The Brooklyn Blogades are a monthly meet and greet for bloggers, blog readers, and people who are thinking about becoming bloggers. It’s a great opportunity to network and to learn a thing or two about
blogging. It’s also a great way to learn about new blogs.

Look forward to seeing you there. If you are going to pop in drop me a line so I can get an idea of numbers.

Blogade, Sunday, February 10th

Posted on 2008-01-26 by admin

Creative Times‘ Eleanor Traubman and Mike Sorgatz are hosting the next Blogade, the (tries to be) monthly meetup of Brooklyn bloggers, blog readers, and community members, on February 10. RSVP by “quittin’ time” February 1 (next Friday).

WHERE:
Faan Restaurant
209 Smith Street (at Baltic Street)
Brooklyn, NY 11201

I’m not familiar with the area, but it seems to be located near Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, and Gowanus.

View Larger Map

DIRECTIONS:
Subway: F or G to Bergen Street or Carroll Street. Check the MTA’s weekend service advisories for the latest updates on service.
Bus: B75, B65 or B71.

Cost: $15 at door – covers entree, non-alcoholic beverage, tax & gratuity

RSVP: By Friday, Feb.1st by quittin’ time: ETraubman@aol.com

Sustainable Garden Design in Gowanus Development

Posted on 2007-12-14 by admin

Today on Brownstoner there’s a post and extended commentary (as one expects at the ‘Stoner) about the garden design for a multi-unit residential Project in Gowanus called Third & Bond (presumably located there):

Now that our building design is nearly complete, we’ve turned our attention to what surrounds the buildings: the outdoors. Third & Bond has 38 private outdoor spaces (enough for 85% of buyers to have their own) as well as 7 front yards and a courtyard. We want these spaces to look great, be easy to maintain, and meet our “green” goals. In short, we needed a green landscaping genius.

They choice local garden designer Timothy D. Osborne, who does business as The Organic Gardener. They promise to share “the actual designs in the coming weeks.” In today’s post they describe some design constraints dear to my heart: grass-less (meaning no lawn), native plants and local materials, and butterflies. Some of the points are a bit confused, but the intent is sound.

Grass is a LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] no-no. Lawn grasses like crab grass and Kentucky blue grass are not native to North America and require a tremendous amount of watering compared with native coastal grasses.

I just checked the LEED Version 2.2 Rating System and Credit Checklist for New Construction and didn’t find any references to lawn or grass. Still, eliminating lawn is a brave choice for a developer; I’m surprised and pleased to hear they’re going to try to make it work.

Since we bought our house some 30 months ago, I’ve been gradually reducing the garden space devoted to lawn. I have a small patch of lawn left in the front yard. We no longer use a lawn care service; they all use gas-powered mowers and leaf-blowers, which pound-for-pound are worse than SUVs for their carbon emissions, particulate pollutants, and noise pollution. I use a push-reel mower and rake. I rarely water, and it shows. I’ve seen some beautiful examples of lawn-less front-yard gardens in the area. I expect that within a few years what’s left of our lawn will be replaced with more complex, interesting, and sustainable plantings.

The Organic Gardener’s plant suggestions were almost all native including lavender and dogwood.

Lavender is not native to North America, but it’s a great choice for xeriscaping, low-water-use gardening.

Satisfying the local butterfly population is pretty much our #1 priority at Third & Bond. But seriously, another benefit to choosing local plants is that they are more attractive to birds and butterflies native to the area. We’re hoping our plant materials will be especially attractive to winged wildlife.

If they can follow through with these intentions, I have no doubt they will be.

Although I write about local issues, and go so far as to dive into zoning and land use, I avoid the hard-core, snipe and snark, body-slam arena of Brooklyn real-estate blogging. There’s not much opportunity to return the link-love I get now and then from Brownstoner. It’s nice to be able to return the favor while staying on-point for this blog.

Front garden
Native plants
Sustainability
Mowing the Lawn, June 6, 2006

Links

Third & Bond: Week 17, Brownstoner
The Organic Gardener, Timothy D. Osborne (Note: His Web site is poorly designed. All the information exists only as graphics. Even the menus are available only as image maps, with no labels. There’s no text anywhere on the site.)
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), U. S. Green Building Council

Event, Brooklyn, June 27: Owner’s Night, HPD Advice for Residential Owners

Posted on 2007-06-21 by admin

Homeowners, co-op owners, building owners and landlords from the Brooklyn neighborhoods Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Crown Heights, Prospect Heights, Bedford Stuyvesant, Sunset Park, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, Boerum Hill, Downtown Brooklyn, Stuyvesant Heights and Ocean Hill are invited to attend a Wednesday June 27th Owners’ Night at P.S 20 organized by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). …

The event will provide information on the availability of HPD services such as low-interest loans, correction of housing violations correction and assistance with mortgages and refinancing as well as HPD courses including building management and maintenance, expense reduction strategies and owner-tenant relations. A panel introduction will be followed by a Q&A session.

HPD’s Owner Services Program travels from borough to borough, educating residential property owners about the availability of low-interest loans, free educational classes on subjects such as lead paint, energy conservation and fair housing as well as free owner counseling. Launched in February 2001, Owners’ Nights in neighborhoods have drawn more than 10,000 property owners to events across New York City.

WHAT: Owners’ Night, a program by the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

WHEN: Wednesday June 27th 6:00pm to 7:30pm

WHERE: Auditorium of P.S 20, 225 Adelphi St., Brooklyn, NY 11205 (entrance between Willoughby and Dekalb Ave)

DIRECTIONS: C train to Lafayette Ave. Station.

SEATING IS LIMITED: PLEASE RSVP BY CALLING 212-863-7054 OR 311 BY JUNE 25th

Gowanus Canal at 9th Street, Brooklyn

Posted on 2007-03-17 by admin

Gowanus Canal, looking north from the 9th Street Bridge

Last Sunday, the Historic District Council‘s Walking Tour of Red Hook began with all of us gathering on the “plaza” outside the Smith & 9th Street station. This station is the highest point above sea level in the NYC subway system. The reason: it has to cross the Gowanus Canal.

The Gowanus Canal has had a deserved reputation for polluted, even toxic, waters. Several years ago, a circulation fan at the head of the canal was repaired, returning water flow to the canal for the first time in decades. Almost immediately, water conditions improved, and life began to return to its waters.

Gowanus Canal, North of the Bridge

All along the New York waterfront, bulkheads and piers are failing. For decades, water pollution preserved the wooden pilings. With improved water quality, shipworms have returned and are devastating the wood. You can see a bulkhead failure in the photo below.

I think this planter qualifies as a defiant garden. There were a couple of them along the edge on the northwest side of the bridge. I want to come back in the spring to see what’s growing in them.

South of the Bridge

South of the bridge, the Gowanus Expressway crosses over the canal.

Earlier this week, the Gowanus Lounge noted that the Revere Sugar Dome demolition material was being carted to a scrapyard on the Gowanus. When I was there on Sunday, I noticed activity at the scrapyard south of the bridge. I think it’s the same one. If so, here’s the remains of the Revere Sugar Dome in action.

The Bridge

The Gowanus Canal is a working waterway. There isn’t enough room for the street bridge beneath the subway station to tilt up, so it lifts vertically, straight up. You can see the cables against the column on the left of this photo.