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

Call for Volunteers for 2008 Victorian Flatbush House Tour

Wraparound porch at 1306 Albemarle Road in Prospect Park South, one of the homes on last year’s tour.
1306 Albemarle Road, Prospect Park South

Via Flatbush Family Network


It is that time again!! Time for the annual Victorian Flatbush House Tour. I am writing to ask for your help in promoting this year’s event and in getting HOMES and VOLUNTEERS.

The Victorian Flatbush House Tour will take place this year on Sunday, June 8. It will start at 1pm and will run until 6pm. Each year, the tour features about 11 homes from the various neighborhoods that are open for visitation. More than 600 people attend the tour, with participants coming from all 5 boroughs, the greater metro area and beyond!

We are in need of lots of volunteers to help with the house tour. It takes over 100 volunteers to put on a successful tour each year. That includes the 80+ volunteers that are needed the day of the tour to meet and guide guests through the homes AND it includes the volunteers that are needed to plan and organize the tour over the several months preceding the actual tour.

If you, anyone in your association, or anyone you know, are interested in helping with planning or volunteering for this year’s tour, please contact Robin Redmond at Flatbush Development Corporation at (718) 859-3800. Come get involved and help us showcase our beautiful neighborhoods.

We are also in need of homes to be on the tour this year. We have already had a couple of neighbors offer to have their homes be on this year’s tour so we have a start but, there is still a need for more. If you would like to suggest your home, or a neighbor’s home for being included in the tour then please, call Sidney Wormsby at (718) 791-8707.

Thanks for your help and support.


Related Posts

Victorian Flatbush at risk from inappropriate zoning, October 23, 2007
2007 Victorian Flatbush House Tour, June 10, 2007

Links

Victorian Flatbush House Tour, Flatbush Development Corporation (FDC)