West Side Community Garden facts for kids
The West Side Community Garden is a special park in Manhattan, New York City. It's not owned by the city, but by a private group! You can find it between West 89th Street and West 90th Street. It sits right in the middle of the block, between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue. This garden is a green space where people can grow plants and enjoy nature in the busy city.
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How the West Side Community Garden Started
The West Side Community Garden began in 1975. Before it was a garden, the area was a big empty lot. It was full of trash and old cars, and people called it "strip city." This empty lot was part of a big city plan to renew the West Side area.
Becoming a Permanent Garden Space
In 1983, the West Side Community Garden became a non-profit organization. This meant it was officially recognized as a group that helps the community, not one that makes money. They got help from an organization called the Trust for Public Land. Around the same time, the city decided to let developers build on the lot.
This led to long talks between the garden group, the developers, and the local community board (Community Planning Board 7). In 1985, the garden won a big vote! They got the right to have a permanent garden in that spot. This decision was then approved by the NYC City Planning Board, the City Council, and the Mayor. This important step set aside about 16,000 square feet (1,486 square meters) for the garden forever.
Building the New Garden
The new garden would be about one-third the size of the original empty lot. The garden members worked with the developers to design the new space. They came up with the idea for a public flower park and an outdoor stage called an amphitheater. A landscape designer named Terry Schnadelback helped bring their ideas to life.
Construction on the new garden started in the fall of 1987. By the summer of 1988, the garden was ready! The land was officially given to the WestSide Community Garden Inc. in 1989. This was a complicated process that involved many lawyers and took a whole day.
What You Can Find in the Gardens
The West Side Community Garden has different areas for plants. About two-thirds of the garden is for flowers. The other one-third is for growing vegetables and herbs.
Flower and Plant Care
Gardeners at the West Side Community Garden use a greenhouse at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine to grow almost all their flowers. They work together and even share plants with other gardens nearby. These include the Cathedral gardens, the Broadway Mall Gardeners, Riverside Park gardeners, and the 111th Street garden.
The Vegetable Garden Area
Near West 90th Street, there's a special gated area for vegetables. This part of the garden has 87 individual plots where people can grow their own vegetables. There are also 6 plots for school classes to use. You can find a berry patch and a rose garden here too.
There are community compost bins where neighbors can drop off things like coffee grounds and vegetable scraps. Along the west fence, there's a community herb bed. You can also see fruit trees that are trained to grow flat against the fence. More fruit trees are planted along 90th Street, including a large persimmon tree that gives fruit every autumn.
Pathways and Public Spaces
Outside the vegetable garden fence, there's a walkway that goes between West 90th Street and 89th Streets. This path is a popular shortcut for people in the neighborhood. Along this path, near 90th Street, is a garden with perennial flowers (plants that come back every year).
A shade garden has trees like river birches and Chinese cedars, along with other shrubs. In the middle of the path, between 89th and 90th Streets, is a large rock garden designed by Nadia Zamichow. There are also trellises with seating areas. All the plants in these public areas are cared for by volunteers and garden members.
Near 89th Street, you'll find a beautiful tiered flower amphitheater. It has 26 flower plots, each cared for by a member of the Flower Committee. In the center of the amphitheater is a sunken grassy area. This lawn is used for the yearly children's Shakespeare Festival. It's also a seating area for the "Music in a Garden" concert series held on summer Sundays.
