Green & Serene: 6th St Botanical Garden
September 23, 2009 by admin
Filed under Green & Serene
The East Village is sprinkled with hidden gardens, but one of my favorites is the serene, lush garden on 6th Street between Ave A and Ave B. This sweet little spot boasts an abundance of summer wildflowers, manicured bushes, and even a calming waterfall to ease away all the stress of the day.
The garden is maintained through volunteers, and today I can hear the distant sound of someone doing a little handy-work in what looks like the garden’s tree house (in fact it is a solar electric installation- very cool. Check out http://greenhomenyc.org/bldgs?id=7 for more info).
6th Street Botanical Garden is a true delight, and a refuge for any one seeking a little solitude and peace and quiet. It has plenty of places to sit and relax, including cozy hidden spots with adorable rock tables and chairs. It also has a japanese goldfish pond, complete with a calming waterfall, lily pads, goldfish, and the occasional snapping turtle.
This is one of my favorite East Village parks, but there are plenty of others nearby to enjoy. The Miracle Garden on 3rd between A and B; the Creative Little Garden on 6th between A and B, the 6th Street Garden on 6 and B, El Sol Brillante on 12th between A and B; and the Liz Christie Garden on Houston and Second Avenue are just a few.
Here’s a little interesting history for you about the creation of these gardens. Many of these gardens came about in the 1970s when a huge part of the East Village burned to the ground after the city’s fire fighting budget closed many of the local firehouses. Village residents soon reclaimed many of the neglected, empty lots left, and turned them into what are now some of the prettiest places in the East Village. However, this all was not without a fight! There was a battle early on when the city wanted to cash in on these pretty spaces, and replace them with valuable, sellable real estate (surprise, surprise). Fortunately, through the persistence of residents, many of the gardens still remain today.
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