Garden of the Day: DIY in Bay Ridge
[nggallery id=”21840″ template=galleryview] Here’s our first submission from Bay Ridge: If “gut rehab” applies to back yards, that’s what this was. The original back yard had a rusty chain link fence, a “sidewalk to nowhere”, a bathtub virgin mary, a stand of poplars that were half chewed-up by termites and “lawn” that was basically weeds…
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Here’s our first submission from Bay Ridge:
If “gut rehab” applies to back yards, that’s what this was. The original back yard had a rusty chain link fence, a “sidewalk to nowhere”, a bathtub virgin mary, a stand of poplars that were half chewed-up by termites and “lawn” that was basically weeds holding on for dear life. Pretty typical old Bay Ridge.
After a slash-and-burn of the back yard, my neighbor Betsy and I decided to ditch the fences as well. We got some outrageous estimates from contractors. Since I have a shop we decided to build it ourselves. This was actually a good idea because there are so many large boulders in the ground that each fence section had to be custom built.
After managing to grow a pretty decent lawn, the arrival of two large, digging puppies at BrooklynRowHouse turned the back yard into a moonscape. I pick my battles so I hired Jim Lally of Galway Bay to pave it in. The paver design is one I stole from a scene in the movie, “Arthur”. Jim made it work.
Most of the garden is edible: tomato and pepper plants, herbs, spring lettuce and so forth. There’s more story and progress pictures to go with ithere.
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Garden of the Day: Made in the Shade [Brownstoner]
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Garden of the Day: Crown Heights Verdant [Brownstoner]
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Garden of the Day: PLG Make-Over [Brownstoner]
Submit Your Garden for ‘Garden of the Day’ [Brownstoner]
Thanks for the tips. I’m actually not much of a gardener so the plantings are what they are: a mashup of whatever flowers or growy things struck me at the time. It’s a work in progress.
That pic is two years old so I need to post an updated photo to BrooklyRowHouse. I added a dappled willow to the garden in back, hacked back the roses to lay tighter against the fence and added more perennials and annuals to the left and rear gardens for more color.
The tomato plants along the fence are all in large pots now so I’ll have better control over the soil. I added three more heirlooms to large pots on the pavers. The basil’s been moved to hanging planters on the deck to get them away from the slugs that have already all but killed this year’s crop.
I was concerned about flooding too but Jim did a good job of pitching it so that the water runs off evenly into my gardens and my downhill neighbor’s yard. She and the storm sewer system are actually in much better shape now because the yard was pitched away from the storm sewer-connected drain directly behind her house, which used to clog several times a year from run-off from my yard and the houses above me.
11:12 = master of the tautology.
“I read that plants don’t absorb the lead, anyway.”
Yes, many do. In fact, some absorb so much that they are used to rid the soi of lead. They are planted, harvested and tossed, and replanted for years in order to help eliminate lead.
Didn’t know geophagy was common in Brooklyn. Ya learn something every day.
Hal, my opinions were not based on “personal preference”. There are certain concepts that exist everywhere in garden design. Plus even if were just my “personal preferences” what’s wrong with that? Have you ever visited the Garden Web site? Take a look. You’ll see that the true garden enthusiasts even the most experienced ones always always ask people what they think and what they think “personally” not just objectively if there were such a thing. It’s not just horticulture. It’s design. So there is totally something subjective that comes into play when someone gives their opinion.
I myself LOVE to hear all kinds of “personal preferences” in comments on my garden if I share it with people either online or in-person. Gardens always evolve and grow by nature of what they are, plus it’s a challenging hobby which is why people who love it do it, so there’s no end to the amount of good advice anybody can get.
I read that plants don’t absorb the lead, anyway. Lovely garden!
Love the use of edibles as border plantings. Did you test the soil for lead? I’ve been told brooklyn backyards are generally rather toxic, but I figure people have been eating out of them for at least 100 years.
I think this is the best garden yet, as it is both beautiful and versatile.
Oh and importantly, do some trees in large containers. That would bring the eye up and give you more dimension and greenery other than just around the sides like you have now.