In New York City, unless you have a fabulous terrace to loll about on, the gardens are areas that everyone shares. In Tribeca we have this sweet little garden that is part of our local park. In late winter, you can sign up to have a plot in it and grow your own vegetables, flowers, or whatever you feel. It’s fun to see this patchwork quilt of our neighbors’ gardening devotion.
A few weeks back, in late June, we visited the garden with my family who was in town for Mira’s birthday. We blew bubbles, which kept Mira entertained for a good long while, but for Gigi it was the dirt and the plants that really called to her. She sat on a bit of cement with small rocks and smidges of earth that held her attention for much longer than any toys would have. She was even talking to these little things, babbling on about some important things to them.
That day, we had dressed her in this little smocked top (a riff on Heather Ross’s smocked sundress) and bubble bloomers (my own pattern) that I made for my niece three years ago and that my niece loaned to us for Genevieve to wear. Running around with her hands happily in the dirt and her little fingers caressing the flowers, she looked to me like some sort of flower fairy, there to spread magic to whatever she touched.
(This is my Corner View, part of a collective weekly blog caravan. Be sure and check out other takes on Flora, starting with Francesca’s.)
01/08/2012 at 12:28 pm Permalink
cat, hi! lovely to hear from you. baby has grown!
))
so lovely for you all to have a patch of creativity nearby, it ain’t ever easy in the city.
n♥
01/08/2012 at 12:29 pm Permalink
oh yes, there we go!
sorry, catE…!!!!
01/08/2012 at 1:02 pm Permalink
I’m a big fun of urban gardening. It’s so great you have this space to grown your own produce.
I’m so happy to see you back in Corner View. Hope you are all well. Hugs! xxx
01/08/2012 at 4:50 pm Permalink
hi again cate
it must be so inspiring to do gardening like this and i think, a nice way to learn more from others if you are a novice.
01/08/2012 at 8:38 pm Permalink
How fun to garden with your neighbors! And the smocked top and bloomers are adorable!
01/08/2012 at 10:18 pm Permalink
How do you find all the time to sew. I can barely find time these days to brush my teeth.
02/08/2012 at 1:56 am Permalink
wow. she is growing so fast ! lovely garden ! lovely baby ! lovely outfit ! and lovely descriptions !!
02/08/2012 at 1:59 am Permalink
Indeed the most beautiful flower is your girl! I wish we had urban gardens here too…. it would be a tempting thing for me to try to cultivate one of those patches.
02/08/2012 at 2:03 am Permalink
What a fabulous idea and opportunity your communal urban garden is! And what a great way to make everybody be aware and care about public spaces.
02/08/2012 at 3:05 am Permalink
I love urban gardens. I believe these are quite booming in many towns all over the world.
(For small balconies, there’s this thing called ‘vertical gardening’. I’m experimenting with vertical potatoes myself. Will post on that later, I think.)
Good to have you back and to see little G. My has she grown!
Nicki
03/08/2012 at 4:57 pm Permalink
She is a little flower in and among the other flowers! The communal patchwork garden is a nice idea. The raised plots bring such softness to the concrete, and the park looks so peaceful. What a nice place for her to play!