Hatton: Even those who live among steel and concrete yearn for gardens
“There are several ways to lay out a little garden; the best way is to get a gardener”, Karel Capek. But what is a gardener? Where do you find one? What constitutes a garden?
I enjoy seeing beauty as I go about daily activities around town even if it is only a few annuals in an old wheelbarrow. I especially enjoy beauty where I spend most of my time – at home. Even if only reading or watching TV, being surrounded by living plants enhances the activity and elevates the mood. There is also reward for the soul and the body by nurturing something - in my case, plants. Remember that I believe anyone who simply tends to a house plant is a gardener and has a garden. Thus, most of us can find a gardener by looking in the mirror.
While working and exploring in Manhattan I was amazed at the amount of gardening that was done in this sea of skyscrapers and concrete. From street level one can see all types of gardens from single pots to vegetable gardens in vacant lots or small areas where there was not concrete or steel. When high in buildings there were rooftop gardens to be seen all around.
Since I have moved back to Amarillo, a unique raised garden has been developed in Manhattan on an abandoned elevated railway – the High Line. Out of use since 1980, the railway bed was left to nature and trees and wildflowers began to grow. Nature will ultimately reclaim almost anything.
Plans were discussed to tear the structure down. A non-profit group called Friends of the High Line was founded whose purpose was to turn it into a public park. This group, thousands of volunteers, celebrities, and the City of New York joined together to make it a reality.
Ground was broken in 2006 and the first section was opened in 2009. The most recent section was opened this year on June 23. It has been turned into a much appreciated and sought after greenway 1.45 miles long and 30 feet above the ground having more than 500 species of plants and trees. City dwellers now get back to nature in their elevated community back yard.
With over 500 community gardens and countless private gardens on the ground, balconies, rooftops, and in other places, the five boroughs of New York City show that even the most unlikely areas can be made into productive, inspirational places.
Yes, even those among us who live in steel, concrete, and glass communities with little or no soil to turn, yearn for plants and the therapeutic benefits they convey. Gardens and gardeners are everywhere.
From gardens in pots to botanical gardens with hundreds of acres; gardens in the desert, on rooftops, and in Texas caliche; gardeners who spend their days gardening and those who spend less than an hour a week all share a kinship rooted in the desire for beauty, relaxation, and meaning. With one pot or shovel, you can create a new garden today.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Garden Guy column: The importance of making a garden
