And some vivid Fall color just north of the 91st Street Garden

The first 5 images are from the 'Rock Garden' in remembrance of Ken Weissman who designed and tended that unique section of our 91st Street Garden. Like many things in modern life, these smaller plants are easy to miss when rushing by or when surrounded by splashy attention-getters. In fact, of course, they are treasures to be savored and enjoyed, as they have been by countless people who have admired the results of Ken's dedicated efforts over his many years of gardening.    

Reprinted with permission from the West Side Rag, Sept 9, 2022. All copyrights reserved.

Reprinted with permission from the West Side Rag, 8-19-2022. All copyrights reserved.

Lacecap hydrangeas in the 91st Street Garden. Photograph by Meg A. Parsont.

By Meg A. Parsont
As hot and humid as this summer has been, I’m not ready for fall. Yet, there are certain undeniable signs in our community gardens that their end-of-summer glory is approaching: the blooms of the hydrangea bushes are mellowing into dusty mauve from their earlier blue and pink flamboyance; the purple butterfly bushes have attained their peak height of nine-plus feet and are aflutter with migrating orange-and-black monarch and yellow-and-black swallowtail butterflies; and a host of colorful dahlias are making their garden debut.

Rudbeckia hirta, black-eyed Susan in the Lotus Garden. Photograph by Shanna Forlano. 
​
In the Lotus Garden, perched over a parking garage on West 97th Street, this week’s theme is the color yellow and various varieties of the native rudbeckia plant.  Whether it’s the familiar black-eyed Susan or the spiky version, rudbeckia are the predominant flowers at this this time of year in the garden, and they are scattered throughout various plots, some growing an impressive seven-plus feet tall. You also can’t miss an enormous golden sunflower towards the center of the garden. Sunflowers typically grow to be very tall and this one towers over the center of the garden at nine feet tall.

Sunflower in the Lotus Garden. Photograph by Shanna Forlano.
Fun Floral fact: Origin of the Name “rudebeckia” 
​
In the early 18th century, natural scientist Olof Rudbeck mentored a young student named Carl Linnaeus, who had come to study at Upsala University in Sweden. Years later, when Linneaus developed his system for classifying flora and fauna, he named a wildflower from America “rudbeckia” in honor of his mentor.

Japanese Anemone in the West Side Community Garden. Photograph by Meg A. Parsont. 
​
Another sign of late summer in our gardens is the proliferation of Japanese anemones, and these ethereal beauties can be found now in the 91st Street Garden in Riverside Park and in the West Side Community Garden on 89th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues. (They’ll also bloom in the Lotus Garden, although they tend to make their appearance there a bit later in the season.) These delicate pink or lavender blooms are informally known as windflowers because of the way they sway on their long stalks when a breeze blows or under the weight of a bee.

Zinnia in the 91st Street Garden. Photograph by Meg A. Parsont. 
​
The 91st Street Garden is exploding with color right now: brilliant orange zinnias, amethyst-colored butterfly bushes, yellow and orange lantana, hot pink phlox, and pink and white dianthus (a perennial relative of the carnation), among many others. You can’t miss the yellow nine-foot-tall rudbeckia on the western edge of the rectangle, or the bright red late-blooming roses in the octagon portion of the garden.

Dahlia in the 91st Street Garden. Photograph by Meg A. Parsont. 
​
Dahlias add a vibrant, multi-hued splash to the late-summer canvas. Look for a particularly whimsical-looking dahlia in the plot just south of the gate to the rectangle portion of the garden. With its purple petals, white inner ring, and bright yellow center, it’s not surprising to learn that it came from a mix called “Carnival Mix!”

Cleome in the West Side Community Garden. Photograph by Judy Robinson. 
​
In both the 91st Street Garden and the West Side Community Garden, which spans 89th-90th Streets between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues, look for showy pink cleome (pronounced clee-OH-mee), commonly known as spider flowers because of its clusters of spidery-looking flower heads atop tall stalks. Cleome is an annual, but because it self-seeds prolifically, it can be found in a number of beds throughout both gardens.
Another stunner is the crepe myrtle, with pinky-purple flowers that have wrinkled petals that resemble crepe paper. A small subtropical tree, crepe myrtle is now able to flourish in NYC due to the warming climate.

Elephant ear in the West Side Community Garden. Photograph by Meg A. Parsont. 
​
Near the 89th Street entrance to the West Side Community Garden, the prodigious leaves of the aptly-named elephant ear plant are almost four feet tall.

Creeping zinnia and marigolds in the West Side Community Garden. Photograph by Meg A. Parsont. 
​
Other harbingers of late summer in the garden are beds of yellow creeping zinnia, stunning displays of black-eyed Susans, and vivid fuchsia zinnias.

Reprinted with permission from the West Side Rag, Aug 5, 2022. All copyrights reserved. 

Reprinted with permission from the West Side Rag July 16, 2022. All copyrights reserved.

The 91st Street Garden, photo by Bonnie J. Steves
​
​By Meg A. Parsont
Apologies for the ear worm, but with temperatures over 90 degrees this week and last, the lyrics to the Lovin’ Spoonful classic seem fitting. At times when there “doesn’t seem to be a shadow in the city” our green spaces provide much-needed relief from the relentless heat. The community gardens on the Upper West Side are approaching their peak summer lushness and offer shady seating either in the gardens themselves or on benches around the perimeter.
As one ascends the steps to the Lotus Garden which is perched over a parking garage on West 97th Street, it feels like the temperature drops by several degrees. While sunlight dapples the garden, there are plenty of shaded areas among the plots, and breezes blow even on the most oppressive days.

​Phlox in the Lotus Garden, photo by Shanna Forlano.
Pink and blue hydrangeas continue to flourish here, along with hostas and the pollinator-loving echinacea.

Red echinacea in the Lotus Garden, photo by Shanna Forlano.
​In addition to the familiar pink flowers, look for a stunning crimson-colored echinacea plant towards the middle of the garden.

Stargazer lily in the Lotus Garden, photo by Shanna Forlano.
This week, show-stopping Stargazer lilies (Lilium orientalis ‘Stargazer’) have sprung up all around the garden. With their generous pink and white blooms and heady fragrance, these five-foot-tall lilies can’t be missed. Many lilies tend to face downwards, but the Stargazer is much less self-effacing, having been developed in the late 1970s as a cross between Lilium auratum and L. speciosum to intentionally create an upward-facing flower.
Another splashy arrival this week is the six-foot-tall, bright yellow rudbeckia (aka black-eyed Susan) in the plot at the top of the stairs. The tender of this plot is one of several original gardeners who joined the Lotus Garden in 1983, and she’s cultivated these rudbeckia for nearly 20 years!

Zinnia with bee in the Lotus Garden, photo by Shanna Forlano.
Diagonally across the way is a sea of colorful zinnias: brilliant orange, yellow, pink, and fuchsia annuals that are great pollinators.

Zinnia in the Lotus Garden, photo by Shanna Forlano.
Some zinnias and dahlias resemble each other, but while they are both members of the aster family, zinnias are annuals grown from seed while dahlias are commonly grown from tubers that can be replanted each year. In the language of flowers, Zinnia symbolizes friendship.

Rose in the 91st Street Garden, photo by Meg A. Parsont.
Gardeners in the 91st Street Garden in Riverside Park and passers-by alike have commented that everything in the garden seems to be taller and lusher this year, perhaps due to the hot and humid weather we’ve been having. Look for a regal red rose at the southern end of the garden that is at least eight feet tall.

Butterfly bush in the 91st Street Garden, photo by Meg A. Parsont.
The purple butterfly bushes (Buddleia davidii) scattered throughout the garden are well over seven feet tall. While their spiky clusters of blooms resemble those of lilacs, these plants aren’t related. Also keep an eye on the eight-foot- tall rudbeckia in the southwest quadrant of the rectangle that’s about to burst into boom.

Phlox (foreground) and hydrangea (background) in the 91st Street Garden, photo by Meg A. Parsont.
This is a time of abundance in the 91st Street Garden, when the long-blooming hydrangeas, pink and red bee balm, and russet, yellow, and orange lilies mingle with new arrivals including the perennial amethyst-colored lobelia, magenta phlox, and hosts of daisies.

Coleus and caladium in the 91st Street Garden, photo by Meg A. Parsont.
Beds of coleus and caladium are filling out and their ornamental leaves in shades of pinks and burgundies are as beautiful as any flower in the garden.

Trumpet vine in the West Side Community Garden, photo by Meg A. Parsont.
The West Side Community Garden is brimming with color as well. Trailing down from the trellis on the path leading to the 90th Street entrance, bright orange trumpet vine is starting to bloom. In addition to being beautiful, these blooms attracts hummingbirds.

Petunias in the West Side Community Garden, photo by Meg A. Parsont.
Deep pink hydrangeas are the perfect backdrop for a bed of annuals including orange marigolds, and petunias in shades of pink, purple, and hot pink and white.

Elephant ear with impatiens in the West Side Community Garden, photo by Meg A. Parsont.
The garden is home to several exotic-looking plants including coral-colored calla lilies peeking out from their speckled green foliage, and the elephant ear, a tropical perennial with leaves that can reach two feet long. The elephant ear is in a plot near the 89th Street entrance, with magenta impatiens nestled beneath.

Oak leaf hydrangeas in the West Side Community Garden, photo by Meg A. Parsont.
Along the path leading to the 90th Street entrance, be sure to check out the grove of oak leaf hydrangea. When they first bloomed well over a month ago, these large, conical flowers were creamy white; they are now a lovely peachy-pink color and still going strong.

Plan a visit:
The West Side Community Garden (89-90th Streets, between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues)
Open 7 days/week from dawn to dusk
Mark your calendar: Stag and Lion Theatre presents Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” on July 16, 17, 23, 24 starting at 6 pm.
Note: The West Side Community Garden conducts a compost collection on Sunday mornings from 11 am-noon outside its 90th street entrance, between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues. Please read their guidelines before dropping off compost.
The Lotus Garden (97th Street between West End Avenue and Broadway)
Open to the public on Sunday afternoons between 1-4 pm, from April 10-mid-November
The 91st Street Garden on the Promenade level of Riverside Park
Open 7 days/week from dawn to dusk

Reprinted with permission from the West Side Rag July 1, 2022, all copyrights reserved. 

Bee on Stokes aster in the 91st Street Garden, photo by Meg A. Parsont.
By Meg A. Parsont
Last week was Pollinator Week, an annual event supporting the health of bees, butterflies, birds, and bats that are an essential part of our ecosystem. As they transfer pollen from flower to flower, these creatures help our gardens grow and play a key role in our city’s plant biodiversity.
At a time when pollinators’ habitats have been jeopardized, our parks and community gardens are planting more native plants that are not only beautiful, but that also have a mutually beneficial relationship with pollinators.
Here’s a look at what some of the community gardens on the Upper West Side are doing to support our local pollinators.

Monarch on monarda in the 91st Street Garden, photo by Ellen Lannon.
​In the 91st Street Garden on the Promenade level of Riverside Park, vibrant purple and red bee balm (monarda) are in full bloom and humming with bees. An early monarch butterfly also stopped by to enjoy the bee balm bounty. (Monarch sightings in NYC are more common later in the summer, as they stop over during their annual migration to Mexico.) You’ll see bee balm in plots throughout the garden, including several especially luxuriant swaths of it on the west side of the garden in both the rectangle and octagon.

Bee on coneflower in the 91st Street Garden, photo by Allison Winn.
Other pollinator-friendly plants in bloom now include echinacea, also known as coneflower (a pink perennial in the daisy family with petals that often turn downward); rue (an herb with blueish green foliage and tiny yellow flowers); and catmint (an aromatic herb with delicate purple flowers), which seems to be as irresistible to bees as it is to felines. A bit later this summer, look for other plants that attract bees and butterflies including the six-foot-tall aptly named butterfly bushes (Buddleia davidii) with their clusters of purple blooms, the spiky liatris Blazing Star—also with deep amethyst flowers and milkweed, which has large and distinctive tear-shaped seed pods.

Lilies in the Lotus Garden, photo by Shanna Forlano.
The Lotus Garden on West 97th Street is especially lush right now, brimming with lilies in shades of cream, apricot, and blush pink, roses, and bright purple drumstick allium or round head garlic (sphaerocephalon).

Hydrangea in the Lotus Garden, photo by Shanna Forlano.
Dotted throughout the garden, fluffy hydrangeas are blooming in shades of pink, lavender, and blue, as well as white. The gardener who tends one of the plots near the steps added garden aluminum sulfate to the soil to make it more acidic in the hopes of turning her hydrangea blue. Her variegated blue and white hydrangea is the stunning result of her experiment.

Variegated hydrangea in the Lotus Garden, photo by Shanna Forlano.
​These flowers attract their share of bees and butterflies, but the gardeners also grow echinacea, bee balm, and purple hyssop (an ornamental flowering herb also known as agastache), among other native plants. The herb garden plot is home to pollinator-friendly plants as well, including fennel, thyme, lemon balm, culver’s root, oregano, and chives.

Lilies in the West Side Community Garden, photo by Meg A. Parsont.
​Lilies and hydrangea reign supreme right now in the West Side Community Garden on 89th-90th Streets, with glorious crimson, yellow, orange, and white lilies flourishing in a number of the plots. The path leading to the 90th Street gate is lined with two different varieties of bountiful white hydrangea.

Lilies and bee balm in the West Side Community Garden, photo by Meg A. Parsont.
​In addition to these beauties and some annuals including begonias and impatiens, the West Side Community Garden also cultivates a number of native plants to attract and support pollinators. Several swamp milkweed plants (Asclepium Incarnata) are just beginning to bloom. By mid-summer, the plants will be three or four feet high with showy pink flowers. (“incarnata” means “flushed with pink.”)

Blanket flower in the West Side Community Garden, photo by Meg A. Parsont.
Some of the flower beds host wild geranium, a groundcover with small pinky-purple flowers that is native to US eastern woodlands. These plants are unrelated to the geraniums that typically grace window boxes and planters, and that originate in Africa. Another wonderful pollinator-friendly plant I discovered on my most recent visit to the garden is blanket flower (‘Arizona Apricot Shades’ gallardia). These cheerful bright-yellow flowers with an apricot eye are especially attractive to butterflies.

For the Bees
Olivia Cox Matise, a grad student in Columbia’s Ecology Evolution and Environmental Biology program, is conducting a study of bee movement between urban green spaces (parks, gardens, and green roofs). Both the 91st Street Garden and the West Side Community Garden are among the sites in her study. Her research involves netting bees, applying tiny blue markers to their backs, and releasing them to collect re-sighting data at several sites across Manhattan.

Bee with blue marker.
She says, “Knowledge of how bees are using and moving throughout urban green spaces can be used to inform conservation management plans for these threatened creatures.”

Plan a visit:
The West Side Community Garden (89-90th Streets, between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues)
Open 7 days/week from dawn to dusk
​NOTE: The West Side Community Garden conducts a compost collection on Sunday mornings from 11 a.m.-noon outside its 90th street entrance, between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues. They incorporate the compost into their flower beds. The public is invited to drop off fresh or frozen organic waste including vegetable and fruit peels, coffee grounds and tea bags, eggshells, shredded newspaper, and brown paper bags. The garden cannot accept meat, fish, bones, dairy, fats, pet waste, or compostable bags. Please read their guidelines before dropping off compost.
The Lotus Garden (97th Street between West End Avenue and Broadway)
Open to the public on Sunday afternoons between 1-4 pm, from April 10-mid-November
The 91st Street Garden on the Promenade level of Riverside Park
Open 7 days/week from dawn to dusk