Yesterday, we held our traditional June Garden Party. As for all previous events this year, the weather looked rather iffy with thunderstorms in the forecast. Also, the previous days were so unseasonably cool that we feared we would need a warm sweater. But it all worked out beautifully: The fog lifted, the temperature warmed up quite a bit, and a light rain only came when we were already packing up.
The Party started with a short general meeting. First, we discussed a few items of usual garden business, including an update on our delicate water system (which is holding up nicely).
Then, to our surprise, the mayoral candidate Jim Walden paid us a visit. Jim Walden is running as an independent in the upcoming election. He is a lawyer and a big champion for community gardens. In 2013, Jim had been part of the team that supported our garden in the lawsuit against the NYU expansion plan, which threatened our very existence. The lawsuit was not successful, but hey, we are still here! And Jim is still advocating for better protection of all community gardens.
Above on the left, our chair Ellen talks about composting, and on the right, Jim Walden explains his program to protect green spaces in NYC.
After this official part, it was time for the potluck party. As always, the food was varied and delicious.
It is really nice when so many gardeners get together in the garden instead of on Zoom like during most of our other meetings.
Finally a photo of a plant that looks particularly stunning right now: Acanthus mollis or bear’s breeches. The plant originates from the Mediterranean and is best known for its leaves, which feature prominently at corinthian capitals. Here are the flowers.
