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new woodland gardener!!!

19 years ago

hi all. i just wanted to introduce myself. i live in brooklyn, ny and have finally got a garden apartment!! it's mostly patio, but i have about 80 sq foot of growing area. i've always been interested in native species, but after a beautiful walk through our local botanical garden's woodlands area, i have been re-inspired to create a natural oasis. i am one who doesn't think shade is a hindrance (of course, yes i do love fresh tomatoes, oh well!) but rather an opportunity to create nuance and surprise.

so i've spent the past week shoveling out the crappy, stony soil there and adding compost and organic soil. i had doubted the research i had done (add 300 lbs of compost?? that's a crazy amount!) but alas, after several orders i realize how right they are!! i can't wait to plant, it's driving me crazy.

sorry for the babbling, i'm just so excited to finally have some green space in this city. i would love to hear any advice, suggestions, words of wisdom, words of caution from you fellow woodlanders!!!

especially about what to do with all those damn roots??!!! :)

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Comments (5)

ahughes798
19 years ago
Check out the website for the New England Wildflower Society..you will get tons of ideas! April

Here is a link that might be useful: New England Wildflower Society
kwoods
19 years ago
Get a membership at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden if you don't already have one, it is a GREAT resource for all kinds of ideas.

You guys have a Home Depot in Brooklyn now, I think, my brother was driving like such a lunatic at the time I don't quite remember. Somewhere near Park Slope/Brooklyn Park or something? That should help w/ supplies, possibly even plants if you get lucky.

Dunno how close you are to Prospect Park but on days like today just strolling through the park gives one loads of inspiration. Go up to Wave Hill in the Bronx or come out to Long Island and go to the John P Humes Japanese Strolling Gardens or Old Westbury Gardens. Visit the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Gateway National Rec. area. in Queens.

Inspiration is everywhere you look in spring! Good luck with your gardening!
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kwoods
19 years ago
Oh! You asked about roots. Tree I assume? Hopefully not maple (they are very thirsty). A lot of people remove as many feeder roots as possible(backbreaking I know) and then use landscapers cloth to keep 'em from coming back. Don't take out anything big enough to damage the tree. Just make sure your woodlanders have good drainege and room for root growth after you're done.

If you have nice soil and water regularly nearby trees will want to take advantage of that. A battle but a fact of life.
spmimi
Original Author
19 years ago
ahughes - thanks for that link, it has tons of info.

kwoods - hi there! you actually answered my other post in shade forum about 4' tall perennial (you mentioned your digitalis). actually i live only about a 10 minute walk from BBG and was just there this weekend, which totally was a reinspiration for me. and alas, those roots. early last month i did a test dig, just to see what the soil was like, and it was pretty relatively loose, i was happy. then of course, i start really digging around last week to get rid of the stones and add in some compost and that's when i found all those roots. and i have no idea what kind of tree it is, some ornamental i've never seen before (and i just moved in so i can't identify with the leaves). we'll see what happens!! thanks for all your advice!
Flowerkitty
19 years ago
My brother had a basement garden apartment in Brooklyn some years ago! I remember my surprise when I walked out the back door to find a real back yard kind of like in the movie 'Rear Window'. The patio could be a perfect spot to add a water feature, surrounded by potted plants. Most things can be grown in pots if you are willing to give them the extra attention and never let them dry out. I grew a (very tiny) giant sequoia in a pot for two years indoors until a cold snap froze the room it was in. It is a lot of fun to grow something no one expects to find - some unexpected woodland plant, shrub or tree in a pot. And you have a real in ground planting space as well. The birds are thanking you already

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