Hydrant water

I have spoken with two people who assured me that the gardeners would not get into trouble for using the hydrants to water our pits. The first person was at the firehouse on 19th and 7th and the other was from Green Thumb, part of the Parks Department. She said she would see about getting us a letter we could laminate in case someone tries to ticket us. In the meantime, I have a hydrant opener so if you need water, let me know and we'll give it a whirl. Email me at cgc.nyc@gmail or call. You know the #. FP Missy

A very grateful and admiring shout out to the pits at 30th Street and 8th Avenue (right now our northern satellite garden). Easily one of the toughest locations to work but the plants and flowers really make a difference and look just lovely. Allen just quietly and with no help took it on and transformed that corner. Another spot/and person I have been loving lately is Kent who took on 23rd and 7th. I walk by there often and instead of feeling sullen and harassed there, I now smile at his beautiful flowers. Same goes for the southside pit with Phil's roses. You make me very proud. A golden cosmo for all of you. Flower Power!

Trees NY Party Thursday!

You are invited
to
Trees New York's Fundraiser Party!
Apr 19, 2012
6:30 PM - 10:00 PM

Collab
304 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10013


Join us next Thursday at Trees New York's fundraiser party! Enjoy good company, drinks, food and fun while you support our programs!

The $40 ticket includes drinks, hors d'oeurves and a raffle ticket. Bring a friend to take advantage of the 2 ticket discount (2 people for $70)!

The raffle is full of great prizes including this beautiful coffee table made from a storm-downed Honey locust NYC street tree!

Since 1976, Trees New York has worked to plant, preserve and protect New York City's urban forest. Please come and support our programs!

We hope to see you there!

Warmly,
Susan, Cheryl, Nelson, Sam, Maeve & Lucian

Guerilla Gardeners

Luis sent me a notice of the annual meeting of the
Green Guerillas
(a community of NYC gardeners, farmers, composters and food advocates)
April 24th from 6 to 8 pm
Community Church of NY,
40 East 35th Street in Manhattan
RSVP at am@nycgreen.org

It sounds like our kind of people and a fun event.
Go to www.greenguerillas.org

Rough weekend

Sunday afternoon the pigeon lady showed up as I was helping Robert cut some netting (to keep her out!). As I stood on the curb and told her to leave the pit alone, she started whacking my legs with the bamboo backscratcher she was using to clear the plants. Well one thing led to another (no violence on my part) and the police showed up then all sorts of people appeared saying how awful the woman was. By that time she had stopped cursing and pinching me (hard) and started playing the "I'm old and confused" card to the police. She walked away, probably to another pit.

Earlier on Saturday as I was working on my pit, a couple of Williamsburg-type yuppies with a Llasa Apso, started screaming at me saying that I was vandalizing public property by putting netting up and that I had no right to garden in a public space and why didn't I just get a house upstate and garden there.

Aye carumba! All for a few flowers. But I'm attaching a picture that reminds me why it's worth it.
Flower Power!

Our neighborhood flower haters

As the daffodils peek through with the promise of Spring, the garden club is already facing threats from dogs and others out to damage the pits. The south pit on 21st Street and Ninth Avenue has become the go-to place for dogs, and along Eighth Avenue starting at 17th Street, a woman regularly sweeps away plantings to make room for her pigeons.

So if any of you see this type of activity, please ask the person (nicely) to stop. Take a picture and I will post it.

Also I have some deer netting we can put up to protect the pit. Just email me.

I have posted Chisholm Gallery's plea below:

Dear Chelsea Gardeners,
We need help and some advise. You might have noticed this “pigeon lady” around the neighborhood. For the last six months, daily, religiously, she has been tearing up the garden, so she can throw out food for the pigeons. After we politely pointed out to her that the pigeons will go anywhere to eat, and she doesn’t need to do it in the garden, she comes back with a vengeance. Annoyed that we would even ask, she has taken to pulling up the plants, when ever they might get in the way of the pigeons. She has even come up to our Gallery and pulled the small boxwood out of there pots and thrown them on the ground. Another time she threw on of the pots into the doorway. We have tried the police, but they never come in time, if at all. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Robert Chisholm
Chisholm Larsson Gallery
**** Now the jonquils are coming up in the garden and the hordes of pigeons just love their tender tops.

Less than 3 months until we see blooms!

I'd like to get everyone together in March to start planning our next season so start thinking about what we want to accomplish this year. Perhaps, fences, benches, plaques and grants? And don't forget composting!

Lots to do! Pencil in the first or second weekend in March. I might try and get an expert to come and give us some advice on plants and planting. If you have anyone in mind, let me know and I can collar them.

Flower Power!
Missy