No fences surround VIP Gardens

The Evergreen garden, originally planted 2011-14; this photo: June 2018

(March 17, 2020 update: Since this post in fall of 2018, the Evergreen Garden has been fenced) 

Gardens added by VIP in Isham Park share one feature: no fencing surrounds them, so that the experience of the landscape is not interrupted or privatized.

Below is a list of the gardens VIP has planted since the group formed in June 2009. A couple of links to blog posts describing their origin are included here:

The Memorial garden, planted in fall 2010; shown in summer 2018.

• "The memorial" garden (in memory of the Isham family) at the circular stone terrace above Broadway; this has a bronze plaque detailing gifts of land made for the park by Isham family members. The area had no garden until this was planted by VIP in 2010 in advance of the Isham Park Centennial (September 29, 2012). Dorothy Rowan was NYC Parks Gardener for the initial planting. The garden consists of a concentric semi-circular strip around west side the circular stone terrace and its carved stone benches. See the post in this blog: http://volunteersishampark.blogspot.com/2010/12/fall-2010-volunteers-for-isham-park.html

• "The evergreen" garden. A grouping of evergreen trees and shrubs in the north lawn west of the fence surrounding Bruce's Garden, planted by master gardener John Emmanuel in 2010. This was added to by VIP with NYC Parks gardeners, including Dorothy Rowan, in 2013-14 in advance of the Water Service Restoration project which had been funded by money allocated by then NYC Council Member Robert Jackson. Please note, this garden has recently been expanded as a curved border along the north end of the lawn almost to PTW.

"The Margin" garden along PTW, planted in 2009, this was taken in spring 2018

•  "The margin" garden - a formerly barren strip of ground between a stone retaining wall and the sidewalk along the northeast end of Park Terrace West (PTW), south of West 215th Street. See the post about the planting in this blog: http://volunteersishampark.blogspot.com/2010/05/thank-you-for-great-help-in-isham-park.html and a later post with images: http://volunteersishampark.blogspot.com/2010/07/sidewalk-margin-garden-along-park.html

• "The Triangle" garden at the beginning of the Park Terrace East Circle south of Bruce's Garden which was cleared of weeds and planted by VIP after the completion of the Water Service Restoration in 2016. This is at the location of the NYC Parks job box and water connection south of Bruce's Garden.

• "The PTW Tray," Daffodils and Tulips were planted in this existing abandoned bed on the west side of PTW below the diagonal steps for Its My Park Day in October 2014.

Most of these gardens are edged with a ditch to divide them from lawns. This method was suggested by Bradley Romaker, NYC Parks Designer. Exceptions are the Margin and the Tray, which have barriers formed by existing features; the Tray had an existing low fence of railroad ties along its sidewalk and the Margin has just the edge of the sidewalk and some reinforcing Belgian Block or stones for much of its length, with the exception of a NYC Parks pipe-rail fence at the ramp-like entrance to the park.

Plants have been added over time in most of these.  VIP continues to maintain them and related paths and edges.  NYC Parks Gardener Walter Markham has given some plants, advice, and assistance since he came on board here in 2014.  He and longtime Inwood resident and early VIP Maria Lall are to be thanked for their work in the fenced gardens along the south Broadway entrance path, Isham Street, and Seaman Avenue and for their planting up the steps above the park's legendary Ginkgo.

News! Inwood may have its first small historic district close to Isham Park in the related "Park Terrace" area:
https://patch.com/new-york/washington-heights-inwood/row-inwood-homes-may-be-way-landmark-status