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Section 2: Trees Arrive in the Chelsea Thicket
August 17, 2010 | Author: Kate Lindquist | Categories: , ,

pipe American holly trees (Ilex opaca) were lifted onto the High Line, where they are being planted in the Chelsea Thicket.
Chelsea Thicket South in memory of Janice H. Levin.
 

Earlier this morning, American holly trees (Ilex opaca) — the first trees to be planted in Section 2 — were lifted from the street onto the High Line near West 21st Street.

These pictures shots illustrate one of the challenges of building and maintaining a garden in the sky: lifting moving large, heavy plants from the street onto the High Line.

The trees range between 5 and 15 feet in height, and weigh between 500 and 1,000 lbs. Crews use a crane to lift the trees, one by one, off the back of a flatbed truck and onto the High Line. Then they use a dolly to transport the trees along the path to their final location in the park.

Next spring when Section 2 opens to the public, you will be able to see the trees throughout the Chelsea Thicket, where the path will wind through dense plantings before opening up to the Seating Steps and Lawn.

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July Blooms
July 09, 2010 | Author: Auzelle Epeneter | Categories:

pipe Claire Grace bergamot (Monarda fistulosa 'Claire Grace') with wild quinine (Parthenium integrifolium) and prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya) in the Chelsea Grasslands. Photo by Friends of the High Line
 

Summer's long, sunny days make it one of the most vibrant and diverse blooming seasons on the High Line. Each area of the park features a unique array of plants, making July a great time to take a walk and enjoy the landscape.

EnlargeCompass plant.

Of the plants in the bloom right now, one of our favorites is the compass plant (Silphium perfoliatum), pictured to the left. You can see the plant's tall stalks looming among the dancing prairie grasses throughout the park.

"Compass plant received its name from pioneers," Patrick Cullina, Friends of the High Line's Vice President of Horticulture & Park Operations, says, "who believed that its sail-like foliage always pointed north-south. It doesn't always work like that, but can indeed happen, so come out for a walk on the line and see for yourself."

EnlargeHandsome Harry.

We're also enjoying the handsome Harry (Rhexia virginica), pictured on the right, in bloom right now in the wetland planters near the Diller-von Furstenberg Sundeck. Handsome Harry is a native wetland species with yellow-centered fuchsia flowers that tend to stay in bloom for a long time.

You can also see prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya), which features tall purple spikes that bend and twist as they mature, and a number of other unique plants. Check out the complete list of July Blooms on our Web site.

Last Month: June Blooms: A Flourishing Landscape.

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June Blooms: A Flourishing Landscape
June 03, 2010 | Author: Auzelle Epeneter | Categories:

pipe Goatsbeard (Aruncus 'Horatio') in bloom. Photo by Joan Garvin.
 

Every time we walk the High Line, we overhear a park visitor marveling about how established the plants look after having a year in the park. The grasses are thicker and lusher, the flowers are blooming with more gusto — even the trees have a hearty at-home-ness about them.

"Many of the species selected for the High Line are vigorous, but the ultimate charm of a well-conceived landscapes stems from the shape it takes once it matures," said Patrick Cullina, our Vice President of Horticulture & Park Operations. "It may be hard to believe, but most of those plants were installed only one short year ago. We will continue to monitor the emerging patterns, and make refinements that will further strengthen our dynamic landscape." When High Line Planting Designer Piet Oudolf last visited the park, he, too, had enthusiastic things to say about how well the plants have taken root.

As the warm weather keeps coming, the gardens will continue to thrive. June's bloom forecast promises many spectacular days to view the High Line's ever-changing landscape. This month's bloom list (available here on our Web site) is rich with variety and intrigue. Many of the plants, like the Allegheny serviceberry pictured below, showcased a different kind of attraction earlier this year, and have now developed into a fresh sight.

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Romantic Gardens: Panel Discussion at the Morgan Library
June 02, 2010 | Author: Julia Boyer | Categories: , ,

EnlargePatrick Cullina, Friends of the High Line
Vice President of Horticulture & Park
Operations.

As part of the launch of a new exhibit entitled Romantic Gardens: Nature, Art, and Landscape Design, Patrick Cullina, our Vice President for Horticulture & Park Operations, will join a panel discussion tonight at the Morgan Library on park landscape design. How Romantic is Now? Spotlight on Contemporary Landscape Design will examine the influence of the romantic period on contemporary landscape design.

Joining Patrick will be: Douglas Reed, Partner, Reed Hilderbrand; Michael Van Valkenburgh, Principal, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (Brooklyn Bridge Park); and Thomas Woltz, Partner, Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects. Elizabeth Barlow Rogers, president of the Foundation for Landscape Studies and founding president of the Central Park Conservancy, will moderate the discussion.

Event Details
Wednesday, June 2
6:30 - 8:00 PM
The Morgan Library & Museum
225 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10018

Tickets are $10 for members of the Morgan Library and $15 for non-members. The exhibition will open early at 5:30 PM for program attendees to view before the panel discussion. For more information, please call (212) 685-0008 ext. 560 or visit the Morgan Library's website.


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New Plants for the 14th Street Beds
May 24, 2010 | Author: Auzelle Epeneter | Categories: ,

pipe High Line gardeners Howard Wai and Maryanne Stubbs at work in the planting beds near 14th Street.
 

The High Line has been open for nearly a year. After observing the plantings over the past 12 months, we were able to assess where improvements could be made, and one of these spaces is a small bed on the east side of the High Line at 14th Street . Previously a quiet gathering of herbaceous perennials, the bed did not stand up to the traffic patterns there, so we decided to add plants of greater stature.

EnlargeNewly-planted Carolina allspice.

We chose to anchor the bed with five 'Michael Lindsey' Carolina allspice plants (Calycanthus floridus 'Michael Lindsey'), a shrub species native to the southeastern part of the United States. Michael Lindsey is a cultivated variety that is typical of the best species example — it has deep burgundy flowers from spring into early summer that offer a sweet, fruity fragrance that is hard to pin down (some people say strawberries; others pineapple). In autumn, its glossy green leaves turn a brilliant yellow, and the flowers will give way to gourd-like seed pods filled with chestnut-brown seeds.

EnlargeKyla and Maeve installing new plants.

We surrounded the shrubs with an alternating carpet of 'Blue Ice' bluestar (Amsonia 'Blue Ice'), hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra), and Indian physic (Porteranthus stipulatus) — all plants that echo those in the nearby beds. We also planted small groups of Himalayan sweetbox (Sarcococca hookeriana v. humilis), a small, mounding evergreen shrub with little fragrant white flowers.

The High Line's landscape is a living thing that will constantly evolve, and this is just one example of a number of refinements to come. Many visitors stopped to chat with the horticulture staff as the plants were installed, eager to learn about the new things coming to the High Line. Revamping areas like this offers the opportunity to introduce High Line visitors to plants they might not already know — something which is in line with the overall approach to plant selection for the park. Keep an eye out for more soon.

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Got a question about a plant? Ask a High Line Gardener.
May 18, 2010 | Author: Auzelle Epeneter | Categories:

pipe 'Rhapsody in Blue' sage (Salvia nemorosa 'Rhapsody in Blue'). Photo by Yoon Kim.
 

If you have a specific question about the High Line's plantings or its ecosystem, gardeners (Andi, Johnny, Kaspar, Kyla, Maeve, and Maryanne) are a great resource. They regularly answer questions sent to the Ask a Gardener page on our web site.

Here's one of our recent favorites:

QUESTION (via Jean, Hopewell, New Jersey):

    I have not known any indigenous birch trees anywhere in NYC. Was there ever a time when they were native to the City?

ANSWER (via High Line Gardener Andi Lawton):

    Betula populifolia, or grey birch, which grows on the High Line, is native to the north eastern United States along with several other species of birch. Researchers with Brooklyn Botanic Garden's New York Metropolitan Flora Project, have sighted Betula populifolia growing in King's County before and since 1980, though not in large populations. I also checked the Mannahatta Project web site. According to their research, birch trees, including Betula populifolia, were probably growing on the island of Manhattan in 1609, before Europeans ever set foot here.

    Other birch trees native to the area include Betula lenta (sweet birch) and Betula papyrifera (paper birch).

    Thanks for your question. I always love an excuse to do some plant-related research!

pipe High Line Gardeners. Visit Ask a Gardener for all your plant-related questions.
 
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May Blooms: Sage, Stonecrop, Shooting Star, and More!
May 07, 2010 | Author: Auzelle Epeneter | Categories: ,

pipe 'Mount Everest' onion (Allium 'Mount Everest') in bloom in near the 10th Avenue Square. Photo by Joan Garvin.
 

May promises to be an excellent month to view blooms on the High Line. With all the mild, sunny weather, expect to see a variety of different blooms taking off every week.

Check out the entire list of this month's blooms here: May Bloom List.

Enlarge'Pink Delight' sage.
Enlarge'Mars Midget' pincushion plant.
Enlarge'Red Cauli' stonecrop.



Previously: Spring has Sprung! April Blooms on the High Line.

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Tour the High Line during NYC Wildflower Week
May 03, 2010 | Author: Auzelle Epeneter | Categories:

pipe The High Line's Northern Spur Horticultural Preserve in bloom. Thanks to Christy and John Mack Foundation.
 

Most New Yorkers don't expect their city to be a place for wildflowers. Our friends at NYC Wildflower Week aim to change that perception, and we're proud to have the High Line included in the events this year.

NYC Wildflower Week began on Saturday. Throughout the week in all fives boroughs there will be free events like horticulture walks, garden and green roof tours, planting opportunities, edible native tastings, and children's fairs.

As part of the week's events, our gardeners will lead a guided walking tour of the High Line's unique horticulture design tomorrow. The High Line has already changed the way many people think about nature in New York City, and this is an excellent opportunity to discover how.

Third Annual NYC Wildflower Week: May 1 — May 9

Wildflower Week Walking Tour with High Line Gardeners
Tuesday, May 4
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Spaces are filling up, so RSVP soon!

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Spring Cutback in Review
April 26, 2010 | Author: Auzelle Epeneter | Categories: , ,

pipe Daffodil blooms emerging on the High Line.
 

The first spring has arrived on the High Line. If you have visited the park recently, you may have noticed that the landscape looks completely different than it did two months ago. The sun and mild temperatures have charmed the spring blooms out of their buds, leaving our planting beds awash with vibrant colors and fresh growth.

The transformation of the High Line from winter to spring was no easy feat. Section 1 contains more than 40,000 grasses and perennials, most of which need to be cut back in order to make room for new spring growth.

The cutback process began in February. Since then, our High Line gardeners, administrative staff, and neighborhood volunteers have spent more than 1,200 hours preparing the planting beds for spring.

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Spring Has Sprung! April Blooms on the High Line
April 16, 2010 | Author: Auzelle Epeneter | Categories: ,

pipe Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) beginning to bloom in the Gansevoort Woodland.
 

With all the plants in bloom right now on the High Line, it's hard to believe there was ever a period of dormancy. From the redbud's bold lipstick-shaped blooms, to the dainty, sunshine-colored miniature daffodils, the whole park is beginning to take on a renewed feeling of wildness.

EnlargeAllegheny serviceberry
EnlargeBottle-brush
EnlargeIndian rhubarb
 

Earlier this month, the unseasonably warm weather encouraged some of the High Line's plants to bloom earlier than expected, and the forecasted rainfall will surely give the leafy plants a fresh, lush green. As the weather continues to change, expect to see even more blooms.

For a complete list of plants blooming this month, check out our April Blooms List.

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