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This article was also written in part by Samantha Sokol
If you thought gardening was purely a white-fence suburban hobby, think again. These gardens scattered through Manhattan feature a diverse range of plants and flowers — one of them even has a pond! Check them out here.
Located on Houston Street, between Bowery and Second Avenue, the Liz Christy Garden was founded in 1973 as the first community garden in New York City. The park has a winding gravel path that extends from Bowery to Second Avenue, hidden alcoves, and a lake 2.5 feet deep. If gardening is your thing, you could volunteer for 20 hours to receive a key to the garden.
Located on West 89th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus, the West Side Community Garden is an oval shaped garden which hosts a variety of movies, workshops and talks that are free to the public. With a cordoned off area for individual plots, the rest of the garden is layered with flowers and trees and offers benches if you want to rest for a while. The garden was founded in 1976 when the trash-filled area was designated for an urban renewal project.
Located on the grounds of church of St. Luke’s in the Fields in the West Village, these gardens are tricky to find because they’re surrounded by high walls. These high walls create a warmer microclimate, allowing for a more diverse selection of flora. These privately owned gardens are open to the public — especially when it starts to get colder!
Elevated above 42nd Street at First Avenue, the Tudor City Greens feel like a true urban refuge. Hidden in the midst of Tudor City, the tall surrounding buildings give the gardens a sense of being uniquely yours. Unlike most parks in New York City, the Tudor City greenspaces are privately owned. In 1976, there was a major court case in which the city attempted to publicize these parks without properly paying the company which owned the parks.
The Elizabeth Street Garden is a true Soho surprise! Located on Elizabeth Street between Prince and Spring Street, this garden was unthinkably on the verge of demise until the community rallied to have it saved. The only truly green space in the neighborhood, come to contemplate the doric columns made of stone, the varied scuplture, and stay for the respite it offers from the neighborhood otherwise laden with restaurants and high end boutiques. JR, famed street artist, also organized a mural in this space last year.
There are 29 plots on the 1/6 acre plot, which sits above a garage. The volunteer gardeners pay dues to the garden, which account for 1/3 of the budget. Community members who have access to the garden pay $20/year–there are 1000 keys in circulation. Original member fees were only $15 for a lifetime, but it quickly became clear it would take more than that to maintain the space for perpetuity (The garden only runs on about $6,000-$7000 per year).
With a fish pond, dense vegetation and a living wall, Lotus Garden is nothing short of a magical escape just above street level.
For more “untapped” respite in New York City, check out these five spots to enjoy some quiet in the city. Also, for more parks, check 13 of the best pocket parks in New York City.
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