Untitled

[nycsprout]

To continue on this #trees theme, as a certified #treehugger, I was so excited to receive this month’s special issue of @landarchmag and extremely impressed with @bradfordmckeeee powerful and inspirational message...we have a good solution to help combat global warming right at our fingertips. Let’s not mess this up! #tree #plantnerd #plantlove #landarch https://www.instagram.com/jnitzky/p/BupwVZUl_Ib/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1v3bhnia5tqnj

[nycsprout]

#funflowerfriday award goes to Pulsatilla patens - Eastern Pasqueflower is an herbaceous perennial that blooms violet colored flowers in March-April but their distinctive feature shows off after the flower is done blooming with a spiky seed heads that rise above flowers and foliage. These prefer rocky well-draining soil and alpine or cool prairie locations. Size: 6-12” tall, 3-6” wide Zones: 3-7 . #flowers #plants #flowersofinstagram #garden#landscape #texture #plantoftheday #flowerfriday #latergram (at The New York Botanical Garden)

[nycsprout]

#wlam2018 Day 28: Old Westbury Gardens - this 200-acre estate was built as a wedding gift for the bride of John S. Phipps, Margarita Grace Phipps. Completed in 1906 by the English designer, George A. Crawley, the magnificent Charles II-style mansion is nestled amid formal gardens, landscaped grounds, woodlands, ponds and lakes. In 1958 daughter Peggy Phipps Boegner established the Old Westbury Gardens Foundation and opened the grounds to the public, preserving 70 acres of the original estate. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Designed By Guy Lowell More info: https://tclf.org/landscapes/old-westbury-gardens https://www.oldwestburygardens.org/index.html . #thisislandarch #history #longisland #whatsnearby #latergram (at Old Westbury Gardens)

[nycsprout]

#wlam2018 Day 27: Untermyer Park and Gardens - Originally part of the Greystone Estate, built by John Waring in 1865, this garden located just north of Manhattan in Yonkers is a rare jewel of horticulture and historic design. In 1916, Samuel Untermyer who had purchased the estate in 1899, hired William Welles Bosworth, an Ecole des Beaux Arts trained architect and landscape designer, to create the "greatest gardens in the world." Untermyer was passionately interested in horticulture - unlike most wealthy garden-owners, he was expertly knowledgeable about plants. Bosworth designed an orderly assemblage of finely detailed, terraced garden rooms comprising pools, classical architecture, follies, and exotic plantings. The Walled Garden was based on Indo-Persian paradise gardens using waterways to divide the garden into four quadrants, and surrounding the garden with walls anchored at their corners with octagonal towers. The Walled Garden is thought to contain the largest outdoor use of mosaic in America. Leading west and downhill toward the Hudson River, the second feature of Bosworth's gardens is the Vista intended to frame views of the Palisades, inspired by steps at the Villa D'Este in Italy. The Temple of Love, a Greek-style structure built atop man-made rock outcropping was restored in 2016 and there is water running again down its cascades. I highly recommend an afternoon or weekend stroll through this wonderful treasure overlooking the Hudson River. #landscape #garden #landarch #horticulture #plants #history #yonkers #ny #hudson #nationalregisterofhistoricplaces #latergram #gardensofinstagram #plantsofinstagram #exploreyourcity #seeyourcity #whatsnearby

[nycsprout]

#wlam2018 Day 26: Billy Johnson Playground - speaking of giant hill slides, this playground has one of NY’s first and most treasured by visitors of Central Park. Constructed in the mid-1980s to replace a Robert Moses-era playground, Billy Johnson Playground was the first one reconstructed under the administration of the Central Park Conservancy. Designed by M. Paul Friedberg, who created the first adventure-style playground in New York City at the Jacob Riis Houses in 1966, it was the result of a design competition to create a “rustic playground” inspired by the park’s Picturesque heritage. Currently the playground is under construction - the Central Park Conservancy worked very closely with Paul Friedberg to ensure the redesign preserves the unique character of the original site. Designed By: M. Paul Friedberg . #landscape #park #playground #adventureplayground #centralpark #nyc #landarch #exploreyourcity #whatsnearby @tclfdotorg @centralparknyc (at Billy Johnson Playground)

[nycsprout]

#wlam2018 Day 25: Governors Island - Now that the island is officially open for the season, it’s only appropriate to highlight one of my favorite “must-see” destinations in NYC. The 172 acre island just south of Manhattan boasts a tremendous array of history, culture, landscape experiences, art and programming to attract locals and tourists alike. It’s a true playground for all too. Originally an egg-shaped rock covered in nut trees, in early history the island was used as a fishing and ground for the Lenape tribe. Governors Island’s long military history began when the colonial militia constructed an earthen-work fort, later to become Fort Jay, in 1775. In 1811 Castle Williams, the second of three historic forts on the Island, was built. In 1911 fill from the Lexington Ave subway construction was used to expand the island and it was used as an Army outpost and Coast Guard Base until 1996. In 2001 President Clinton designated the 22-acre Governors Island National Monument and thus managed by the National Park Service. In 2014 The Trust for Governors Island opened 30 acres of new parkland, designed by West 8, to the public, including the six-acre Liggett Terrace, ten-acre Hammock Grove, and fourteen-acre Play Lawn. “The Hills” Made of recycled construction and fill materials rising 25 to 70 feet above the Harbor features slides, art, and an amazing 360-degree view of New York Harbor, Lower Manhattan, and the Statue of Liberty - a gorgeous place to watch the sunset! #landscape #island #park #exploreyourcity #whatsnearby #landarch #governorsisland #nyc (at Governors Island)

[nycsprout]

#wlam2018 Day 23: Fort Tryon Park sits high atop northern Manhattan offering spectacular views of the Hudson River and Palisades. In 1917, John D. Rockefeller purchased the Tryon Hill estate and hired Olmsted Brothers to design the landscape. Olmsted Jr utilized the stone and rocky slopes to create several terraces, promenades, wooded slopes, and eight miles of pedestrian paths. He designed an alpine garden on the east side and the Heather garden on a large western terrace which is said to be the city's largest garden with unrestricted public access. In 1983 Quennell Rothschild Associates and horticulturalists Lynden B. Miller and Ronda M. Brands revitalized the gardens with over 500 varieties of plants, trees and shrubs providing year round horticultural interest. Fort Tryon Park is home to Manhattan's largest dog run, complete with a gazebo for dog owners to sit and socialize, as well as two playgrounds, volleyball courts and built in ping pong tables. The pristine views of the Hudson River makes the park the perfect setting for exploring, meandering strolls, and picnics. Designed By Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. Nicholas Quennell Lynden Miller . #landarch #landscape #park #garden #history #Manhattan #olmsted #nyc #landscapephotography #exploreyourcity #whatsnearby (at Fort Tryon Park)

[nycsprout]

#wlam2018 Day 22: Union Square Park - Since it’s opening this park has been home base for countless community events and festivals, from the first Labor Day parade in 1882 to workers' rallies in the 1930s to the first Earth Day in 1970 to the current, wildly popular Greenmarket and has also been the site of numerous political protests and public gatherings. Formerly a burial ground, it was laid out in 1815 as Union Place and opened as a park in 1839 - the name referring to its location at the intersection—or union—of two major roads, Bloomingdale Road (now Broadway) and Bowery Road (now Fourth Avenue). Originally designed by Parks Engineer-in-Chief M.A. Kellogg and Acting Landscape Gardener E.A. Pollard in 1871, it was redesigned the following year by Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr. and Calvert Vaux. The original Kellogg / Pollard plan called for an oval lawn surrounded by iron fence and curvilinear paths. Olmsted & Vaux’s plan was to accommodate more for public gatherings by removing the fence, squaring off the park’s northern end, widening paths and adding a Women’s & Children’s pavilion. It was redesigned after the subway construction, and revitalized in 1985 by NYC Parks, adding the south plaza. Redesigned modern playgrounds designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates were opened in 2009. Designed by: Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr. Calvert Vaux Michael Van Valkenburgh NYC Parks #landarch #landscape #parks #urban #plaza #greenmarket #playground #unionsquare #nyc #exploreyourcity #whatsnearby

[nycsprout]

#wlam2018 Day 21: Battery Park - Located at the southern tip of Manhattan, the 23-acre park takes its name from the “battery” of cannons erected at the strategic juncture of the Hudson and East rivers in the late 1600s. The Dutch constructed Fort Amsterdam as early as 1626, and around 1683, the first of a series of gun batteries was constructed around the shore. In 1790 Following the end of the Revolutionary War, the fort’s remains are demolished, and The Battery is transformed into a public promenade for walking and leisure. In 1855 the waterfront between the battery and Castle Clinton were filled in, expanding the park. The Battery is the location where many immigrants came to New York before Ellis Island facilities were built. Today the park is a lush and pleasurable place to enjoy the waterfront while also reflecting on the past through a series of historic monuments. . @thebatterynyc @tclfdotorg #thisislandarch #park #waterfront #history #batterypark #nyc #landscape #exploreyourcity #whatsnearby (at Battery Park)

[nycsprout]

#wlam2018 Day 20: Heckscher Playground - Opened in 1926 as the first playground in Central Park, this is not only the oldest playground in Central Park, it is also the largest at nearly three acres. located in one of the three areas designated for play in the original 1858 Greensward Plan for Central Park - at that time it was intended as a meadow for game play and sports. In 1969, an adventure-style play area designed by Richard Dattner was constructed in the northern part of the site that included water play integrated into the granite-clad climbing structures. In 2005, the Central Park Conservancy reconstructed the playground, which included rebuilding the adventure-style features, honoring the playground’s larger history with more traditional swings and slides and the restoration of the recreation building. Coolest feature perhaps is the giant natural rock outcropping that the play structure extends into. Kids and adults love to climb on the rock! This playground is named for August Heckscher Sr. - Parks Commissioner under Mayor John V. Lindsay. @centralparknyc @tclfdotorg #thisislandarch #park #playground #play #lifelongplay #adventure #centralpark #nyc #exploreyourcity #whatsnearby (at Heckscher Playground, Central Park, NY)

[nycsprout]

Super great @Mouse Maker Day #earthday event with fellow @asla_ny #landarch @mercedeswardrla teaching how to make a water filter. Inspiring the next generation for #wlam2018 . #thisislandarch #landscape #environment #water #inspiringthenextgeneration (at Mouse)

[nycsprout]

#broadwaybouquet - a fabulous public art installation by @terrain_work Theodore Hoerr is making a lot of buzz for #carfreeday #nyc near @madsqparknyc @flatiron23rdstpartnership - check it out now before it is dismantled today!! #wlam2018 #thisislandarch #publicart (at Flatiron District, NYC)

[nycsprout]

#wlam2018 Day 19: Greenacre Park - Designed by Hideo Sasaki and opened in 1971 — was conceived and developed by Greenacre Foundation, which privately owns and maintains the popular site. The site is another great example of the “Vest pocket park” providing users a peaceful escape from city life. The small park feels larger because of the series of terraced “rooms”, moveable furniture and a dramatic stepped water feature that traverses along the side of the site to the rear framed by lush plantings. The plaza has been threatened by development plans for taller buildings that would ultimately shade the site completely - thankfully earlier proposals were quashed but with increasing population and real estate values, hopefully strong voices will continue to prevail, preserving the lovely character of this treasured park. https://greenacrepark.org/ https://tclf.org/landscapes/greenacre-park #landscape #park #nyc #exploreyourcity #whatsnearby (at Greenacre Park)

[nycsprout]

#wlam2018 Day 18: Paley Park -Created in 1967 by #landarch Robert Zion, it was the first “vest-pocket” park in the city, which was so successful that mini-parks became a standard part of the City Plan. It was conceived as the prototype for a new kind of public space - privately owned, in a 1963 exhibition at the Architectural League of New York. The park offers a quiet urban oasis in the midst of the bustling city by the careful use of falling water, airy trees, lightweight furniture and simple spatial organization. The park is currently under scaffolding on one side but I managed to capture the power of the waterfall to offer “white noise” making the park a peaceful escape from city noises. Learn more: https://tclf.org/landscapes/paley-park . #landscape #pocketpark #plaza #nyc #midtown #friday #citylife (at Paley Park)

[nycsprout]

#wlam2018 Day 17: Wave Hill - this 28-acre public garden and cultural center in the Bronx overlooks the Hudson River and Palisades. Wave Hill House was built as a country home in 1843 by jurist William Lewis Morris. From 1903-1960 the estate was owned by George W. Perkins, a partner of J.P. Morgan who devoted a great deal of time planning the grounds so as to enhance the property's magnificent vistas. The land was graded and contoured, rare trees and shrubs were planted on the broad lawns, and gardens were created to blend harmoniously with the natural beauty of the Hudson River highlands. Today the garden is a wonderful escape to enjoy a peaceful walk through the gardens or watching the sunset in dramatic fashion. #garden #landscape #plants #history #bronx #nyc #hudsonriver #nationalregisterofhistoricplaces #landmark #latergram #whatsnearby #exploreyourcity (at Wave Hill)

[nycsprout]

#plantoftheday Narcissus - daffodils are finally in bloom on my balcony and all over the city can be seen in parks and in tree pits (likely thanks to @ny4p awesome Daffodil Program!). Here’s some fun facts about #spring’s little darlings: 1. In Greek mythology, Narcissus was a beautiful hunter who fell in love with his own reflection in a pond and never left the pond so the gods turned him into a flower. He was the son of the river god Cephissus and the nymph Liriope (another popular plant name) 2. All parts of the daffodil are poisonous- they contain a toxic chemical called lycorine with the bulb containing the highest levels. 3. Because of the toxicity of these bulbs, deer, chipmunks, rabbits and other animals won’t eat them. . #flowers #plants #daffodils #spring #landscape #plantnerd #wlam2018 #flowersofinstagram #instaflower (at Manhattan, New York)

[nycsprout]

#wlam2018 Day 15: St. Nicholas Park - located in Harlem just below City College, this park is named for St. Nicholas of Myra, known as the patron saint of children, sailors, bankers, pawnbrokers, travelers, and captives--as well as the inspiration for Father Christmas or Santa Claus. The park was designed by Landscape architect and Parks Commissioner Samuel Parsons Jr. - he both designed and implemented the park for the city, utilizing his skills for designing with the steep rocky slopes and irregular topography of northern Manhattan. The steep slopes are adorned with some century-old cherry trees, thankfully still in flower after torrential downpours and major flooding this morning. Designed By: Samuel Parsons, Jr. . #landscape #park #cherryblossom #harlem #landarch #thisislandarch #history #spring #flowers #signsofspringnyc (at St. Nicholas Park)