The High Line Blog

  • Gardening in the Sky: Cutting Back on Winter

    By Erin Eck March 23, 2017
    We normally think of cutting back last season's perennial growth as a preparation for spring, but this year spring began before we even started our annual Spring Cutback. In New York City, plants were about twenty-five days ahead of their normal schedule and many scientists believe spring's ea... read more

  • Plant of the Week: Christmas fern

    By Rachel Hokanson March 22, 2017
    Polystichum acrostichoides provides green ground cover through winter. The evergreen plant is adaptable and hardy. Its common name, "Christmas fern," denotes its year-round greenery. It is easy to grow and requires little care. P. acrostichoides grows best in full to part shade and prefers wel... read more

  • Plant of the Week: Graceful cattail

    By Rachel Hokanson March 16, 2017
    One of my favorite memories of Spring Cutback on the High Line occurred two seasons ago. Our team was working in the bog with our annual group of Google volunteers. As we cut back the area, the densely packed seed heads of the cattails exploded everywhere, mimicking snowfall on that sunny Marc... read more

  • Spring Cutback Volunteer Spotlight: Alfredo Taylor-White

    March 13, 2017
    Our annual Spring Cutback wouldn't be possible without the hard work and dedication of our horticulture volunteers and gardeners, who help trim back more than 110,000 plants along our 1.5-mile-long park. Meet High Line volunteer Alfredo Taylor-White, who is participating in Spring Cutback for ... read more

  • Santina: Spaghetti Arrabiata Recipe

    March 13, 2017
    Like spaghetti arrabiata? Check out this delicious recipe from Santina, a coastal Italian restaurant owned and operated by Major Food Group. Santina is located underneath the High Line at Gansevoort Street and Washington Street. Ingredients○ Spaghetti (3 ounces)○ Strattu (Sicilian tomato paste) (... read more

  • Gardeners & Volunteers Kick Off Spring Cutback

    March 10, 2017
    Photo by Liz Ligon Did you know that spring cleaning happens on the High Line, too? In keeping with planting designer Piet Oudolf's vision, High Line plants are not trimmed back at the onset of cold weather as they are in most gardens. Instead, when spring arrives High Line gardeners... read more

  • Plant of the Week: Indian hemp

    By Kaspar Wittlingter March 8, 2017
    On bright days in early March, with a low yet strengthening winter sun, it's often preferable to walk the High Line from south to north to avoid glare. The crimson of open dogbane fruit throughout the Western Rail Yards, however, only reveals itself when lit from behind as one heads south towa... read more

  • Plant of the Week: Corsican hellebore

    By Rachel Hokanson March 2, 2017
    Hellebores are among the first plants to bloom in spring. On the High Line, our species of choice is Helleborus argutifolius, or the Corsican hellebore. The species is from Europe and Asia, and is suitable for growing zones 5a-8a in the United States. It prefers the dappled light or shade of a... read more

  • High Line Magazine: Creating a More Equitable High Line

    By Danya Sherman March 1, 2017
    In this issue of the High Line Magazine, we're focusing on data. But data, at its heart, tells stories—and sometimes the stories of individuals can be just as rich and meaningful as a set of numbers. When Friends of the High Line (FHL) asked me to contribute a piece for this magazine about... read more

  • Plant of the Week: Golden Bunch crocus

    By John Gunderson February 21, 2017
    Do you want a break from the winter? Come take a stroll on the High Line to experience the delicate yellow blooms of Crocus ancyrensis 'Golden Bunch', commonly referred to as the Golden Bunch crocus. This yellow beauty is our earliest blooming crocus here on the High Line, and one of our most ... read more