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December 3, 2008

Garden of the Day: Bearing Fruit in Bed Stuy

Before

Got a garden space you want to share? Send us a note. And now, your very own DIBS presents his deck and garden project. I purchased the brownstone in Bed Stuy in May of 2007 and began work on the deck and yard in the fall. I used recommendations found here on brownstoner and Susan from Sketch and Hammer did a wonderful job on the deck along with her iron man Manny. Chuck Dorr from Dig and his crew did the yard. I was suspect of Chuck and his crew as they were the first group of contractors I've ever hired who listened to NPR while they were working! Both the deck and the yard turned out fine and although both were on the expensive side I'd heartily recommend both of them.

The yard was your standard 40' X 20' overgrown mess with a concrete slab off the back of the house. They removed all the debris and, as per my design, installed the pebble walk, the fountain and, in the spring, finished the plantings. There was a beautiful fruit-bearing golden delicious apple tree in the middle of the yard and I had that moved to the side. because of the move it did not bear fruit this year but I'm hopeful for next year. There was a 40' catalpa tree in the back left corner which stayed but I susequently had it taken down as the mess from the pods was just too much to deal with. Although I hated to take down a perfectly fine tree you can't understand the extent of the pod problem unless you have one.

The plantings are: a few hydrangeas, an original rose, rhododendrons, rose of sharon across the back, a few winterberrys (both male and female required) and my tomato/onion/lettuce raised bed to the side. The only regret I have that I developed in seeing other posters' gardens was that I did not actually employ more usable hardscape areas. However, I primarily use the deck and really enjoy the view and the fountain.

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Comments

i love the fountain in the middle. and the title of this thread... i seriously you were talking about DIBS' personals screenname. ;-)

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at December 3, 2008 10:57 AM

Very nice DIBS, the deck is lovely as is the landscaping. Wondering what that little extension is? do you rent the garden floor? Has the deck blocked all the sunlight from that floor?

Posted by: gkw at December 3, 2008 11:00 AM

The little extension is nothing more than a "mud room" Don't know why it was originally put on but that's where we keep the garbage pails and the yard tools.

Yes, I do rent out the first floor and they have access to the yard and their own grill below the deck. Not sure how much light it blocks but that exposure (NE) only gets very early morning sun.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 3, 2008 11:06 AM

Gorgeous!

Posted by: mscrochety at December 3, 2008 11:07 AM

Looks fantastic. I'm considering the same thing for next summer. What did the deck cost you? Did you need a permit? If yes, how was that process? Thanks

Posted by: cmontgom at December 3, 2008 11:11 AM

Very nice Dave. Might have to talk to your deck guy to rebuild mine per code.

Posted by: wasder at December 3, 2008 11:11 AM

The garden looks like a great retreat. I love the deck....

Posted by: PHfamily at December 3, 2008 11:13 AM

Somehow messed up and posted my comment to the re-fi thread==oh well!--but, as I said there, I think this garden is beautiful and I would spend every spare minute on that deck, weather permitting.

Posted by: dylanfan at December 3, 2008 11:13 AM

One should always get a permit for any work done on a property ;)

The code basically limits you to 8'deep and the structure cannot be made out of any combustible material within three feet of the side property lines. Can't remember what the rail height and rail spacing requirements are. So basically its a steel structure with wood decking but with metal grate decking to points that are 3' from the property line. You can see a small section of the metal grate decking in front of the planter box. The fencing on the side is steel support with "removeable" latticework and wood framing. The "removable" aspect meets code and it is not a structural element. Cost was $17k last Fall. I'm assuming that if you wanted to stay within three feet of each side property then the entire structure could be wood.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 3, 2008 11:21 AM

I would park my Caddy on your hydrangeas, original rose, rhododendrons, rose of sharon across the back, a few winterberrys.

Seriously, looks great. You'll enjoy meandering on the path to the bench when the greenery fully grows in.

I agree about the hardscape. I'd like more in my yard also (when I get one).

Love your deck furniture - elegant.

Posted by: bayridgegirl at December 3, 2008 11:25 AM

DIBS, great job. Thanks for being courageous enough to share! I can't help but laugh at Mr. B's title to this one. At least it doesn't say "Baring Fruit in Bed Stuy"!

Posted by: Biff Champion at December 3, 2008 11:26 AM

It looks great, too bad about the catalpa, DIBS. They're beautiful trees, I had one at my previous place. What's the light exposure for your garden? I've got two apple trees that I put in last year, one of which bore and one which didn't.

Posted by: Frederick Law Homestead at December 3, 2008 11:28 AM

FLH...I get a lot of sun...as you face the garden from the house, the right side is the southern exposure. I moved the apple tree next to the fence and it doesn't get as much but I think the fruit bearing problem was because of the "shock" of the move. Hopefully in 2009 because they were such incredible apples. My tomatoes on the north wall grew to 6' high because of the sun and in reality I had to take some of the bushes out as the season progressed because they got quite large and were planted too close together.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 3, 2008 11:35 AM

Nice job. Very formal. Miniture Versailles... all you need now are some tiny boxwood spheres. Might consider adding some kind of salvaged architectural element to the rear brick wall to continue the line of sight.

You can always add more hardscape into the mix as you find the need. I prefer more green myself. Didn't mention whether you planted any bulbs. Spring, May and June, are the best flowering times for Brooklyn gardens. Oh yea, I also like the mix of the wood and iron deck. What type of wood is it?

Good time now to get a nice bird feeder. You will be surprised at how many birds stick around for the winter.

Posted by: IMBY at December 3, 2008 11:41 AM

Really beautiful, Dave.

Posted by: 11217 at December 3, 2008 11:42 AM

Thanks all.

NIMBY...I just planted the bulbs..narcissi, iris & muscari

www.johnscheepers.com has incredible selection and great prices. Been using them for years. And the bird feeders just went up!!! The wood is just pressure treated. They did a great job staining. The deck boards are 2X6s which should last for decades and no warping.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 3, 2008 11:47 AM

What window did you block with your planter and lattice? Is it a neighbor's window?

Posted by: dt at December 3, 2008 11:52 AM

It's a steel cage bump out for an air conditioner which was always boarded up from the inside anyway. It looked pretty ugly on that wall.

One of the great things about this yard is the lack of windows to the side and the back.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 3, 2008 11:58 AM

Very nice!

I'm curious about the placement of the Rose of Sharon. Is it against that building in the rear? Years ago, I assume because of their current height, my neghbor planted some next to my foundation and now my cellar leaks (in winter only) right next to the trunk of one of the trees. Is the root spread on Rose of Sharon wide? Did your landscaper furnish any guidelines about distances trees should be planted from foundations?

Posted by: Bessie at December 3, 2008 12:05 PM

"One should always get a permit for any work done on a property ;)"

Haven't I learned the hard way? Getting ready to go to court.

Posted by: wasder at December 3, 2008 12:13 PM

well dont dibs, should be great as it gets more lush w/time. is that you in the black hoodie? why arent you standing posing next to your creation?

Posted by: goldie at December 3, 2008 12:21 PM

This thread better not get more posts than my QOTD thread

Posted by: bayridgegirl at December 3, 2008 12:27 PM

If you really want a productive orchard you have the perfect set up with those walls along 2 sides. You could espallier (sp?) more fruit trees against those walls and get more fruit without taking up space or blocking your sunlight.

Posted by: ownhs at December 3, 2008 12:28 PM

Very nice, we used S&H and Manny too. Hope you had an easy time dealing with former, I won't say more as I do like their work and price, yours is very similar to ours. Like your stairs a lot, we went spiral which I personally prefer, but some friends worry at going down it.

Posted by: cmu at December 3, 2008 12:28 PM

Nice that the catalpa and rhodos bloom at the same time. The photo is very nice. You may want to look at climbing hydrangeas for the sidewalls and a little bamboo for texture. The nice thing about a garden like this is that you can keep adding to it. Perhaps you can train clematis up the trunk of the catalpa, they are fussy so it may not work but if does it will be a wow highlight. I do a bit of gardening myself. It is a life-enhancing hobby.

Cheers!

Posted by: sam at December 3, 2008 12:40 PM

just read that you took down the catalpa, they are a bit ungainly for an urban garden. Dogwoods are nice especially the doubles, hard to find but worth the effort. You have to buy them in bloom to really know what you are getting.

Posted by: sam at December 3, 2008 12:47 PM

Nicely done DIBS.

Posted by: SnarkSlope at December 3, 2008 1:01 PM

Great design! I hope you have better luck with your apple than I did. I planted an apple tree 20 years ago and have had a love/hate relationship with it for the last 15. Since I don't use insecticides, the flies have found a lovely home and the fruit is no longer edible. Except for the the wildlife. I love all the birds that it attracts ( yellow belly sap suckers, orioles, jays, cards etc)the squirrels, no so much. They sit high in a branch and peg half eaten apples at our dogs head. Thus I end up with a catalpa-esque mess and more flies.Still, I will not remove it.

Posted by: cggirl at December 3, 2008 1:04 PM

ownh.....that's a great idea

bessie...i haven't thought about the Rose of Sharon roots but they are against the back wall.

wasder..we can talk off line someday about permits

cmu...yes Susan is a piece of work...as long as you give it right back to her she's managable!!! Manny asked how I wanted something done and I said just do it the way you want to and his son laughed because there apparently aren't many customers that aren't all over them all day long on every little detail!! Manny are a great father and son routine, cursing and swearing at each other all day. But that job got designed fast and erected even faster. I was very happy with all of them.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 3, 2008 1:19 PM

The problem with the catalpa was not only the mess created by the leaves and the long pods but; and I've never seen this before, that the seeds from the pods would start rooting almost immediately and would be 3 feet tall in about two weeks if you didn't keep up with them. I've never seen seeds root so fast and they had a deep tap root that's hard to pull out. I just couldn't keep up with it what with spending so many hard hours at work plus my brownstoner posting schedule and drinking at night!

Another recommendation from brownstoner: Family Tree Service...talk to Joe.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 3, 2008 1:31 PM

Dave--what is your email? I have a question I want to ask you about my situation...

Posted by: wasder at December 3, 2008 1:36 PM

bklynsocialclub@yahoo.com

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 3, 2008 1:48 PM

Wow Dave, very nice. Just lovely.

Posted by: TownhouseLady at December 3, 2008 5:52 PM

Excuse me, but I didn't see the invitation to visit in person. I'll be waiting (for ever) by the mailbox.

Posted by: 11233 at December 3, 2008 6:32 PM

Don't worry 11233; we'll all see it. I'm planning on using the garden for the next 'Stoner gathering. I just haven't told DIBS yet...

Posted by: Biff Champion at December 3, 2008 6:39 PM

I certainly hope we do another 'stoner party before it's garden weather. Biff...did that house ever sell in BH that I said would go below $4.4MM??

11233...i apologize because I also told Barbara that we'd all get together and it never came off.

We need to do drinks with her and some of the other neighbors.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 3, 2008 6:56 PM

"Biff...did that house ever sell in BH that I said would go below $4.4MM??"

DIBS, do you remember which one it was? Truthfully, I don't. I believe it was on Remsen, but I could be wrong.

Posted by: Biff Champion at December 4, 2008 8:08 AM

This is my FAVORITE garden of the day. Its lovely. Please post follow up pictures when it grows in. And I am looking forward to the next brownstoner hang--we got there late and missed the first one.

Posted by: HomeSweetstuy at December 4, 2008 9:05 AM

DIBS - i like how the deck turned out. we also have a steel deck and plan on covering it with wood planks. now, i am really excited, seeing how great your's turned out. what is the length & width of the deck? does it run the full length of the house and out about 8-10 ft?

Posted by: bkny at December 4, 2008 9:45 AM

Pretty Awesome Dave, I like it a lot!

Posted by: BlueBerry at December 4, 2008 10:03 AM

Thanks all.

bkny...by code it can only be 8' deep (except for the stairs). It's actially only about 17' wide instead of 20' like the house for various reasons on each end.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 4, 2008 10:26 AM

DIBS - our's is 8ft also. when i went on the house tour, there was a house with a deck on Stuyvesant that was 10ft and that 2 ft really made a difference. made the deck seem so much bigger.

Posted by: bkny at December 4, 2008 1:02 PM

« Mortgage Delinquencies in NYC to Rise Trimming at the Top End »

December 3, 2008

Garden of the Day: Bearing Fruit in Bed Stuy

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