Echinacea! Blooming in Isham Park

The Echinacea, Sedum, and other plants purchased by VIP last spring in conjunction with Dyckman Farmhouse Museum are finally mature and blooming after the heavy rains in late May and June.

VIPs had perfect planting weather for It's My Park Day with steady rain afterwards, enabling planting!

Gretchen, Kristine, and Kate weeding and planting on IMPD;
Gilda's orange jacket is barely visible at left of the circle.

On Saturday May 18th, the weather was partly cloudy to cloudy with rain predicted for several days afterwards, enabling planting to become a major focus of activities for VIPs.

The group included veteran Volunteers mixed with new comers.

First, the edge of the memorial bed was re-cut more deeply to define it against the lawn.

Then as plants donated by the Partnerships for Parks were added mostly to the more open outer edge, Daffodil bulbs were thinned from the eastern edge and transferred to the lower tier bed of the memorial.

Jenni and Kate discussing bulbs; Jeff and Michael edging the bed.

The bed encircling the benches has matured since its recreation by VIPs in the fall of 2010.  Some plants fell victim to drought or trampling over the years while others have thrived, but the resulting mix works to help define the memorial to the Isham family.

The lower tier bed has been more challenging to plant effectively, but by allowing native plants like Violets and New York Asters to self plant ("volunteers!") along with bulbs and Hostas, we hope to define the area with green for now.  Sadly one of the four great Beech trees - planted in the lower tier bed when the memorial was created - has been lost to storms and age, while another was broken in half during Hurricane Sandy.   Newly sunlit areas are rapidly becoming green. Gilda has worked tirelessly in the area surrounding the lower tier.
She could use more help!

In June, Volunteers for Isham Park will be four years old.  We have learned over those years how much work the park really requires on a constant basis.

The last IMPD volunteer appeared near the end of the day. Jonathan, who grew up at 10 Park Terrace East leaving in 1961 when he was 19 years old, attended the Centennial last fall.  He returned for IMPD to plant Begonias, describe the layout of the plantings in Isham when he was a boy, and to receive, as did all of the Volunteers, an Isham Park Centennial pin!

Jonathan potographing his Begonia planting.

Jenni was also back! with Michael and Buster, who are not shown here in any photo.  She is re-energized after the long break from our last summer's work on each weekday during June and July leading up to the Centennial.Her energy is just what is needed in the park on an ongoing basis!  She first volunteered on IMPD in May 2012.

Jenni on IMPD Saturday May 18th 2013.

"It's My Park Day" activities in Isham Park

- It's My Park Day - 

Saturday May 18th

9:00am to 1:00pm 

Location: Memorial Terrace, surrounding paths and plantings above Broadway @ West 212th Street

Pin made in 1912

 

- Recently produced Isham Park Centennial pins - based on the historic 1912 Celebration novelty pin worn to last fall's event on September 29th by Isham family member Carol Collins Malone - will be distributed!

- VIPs plan weeding and cleaning of the Memorial and the Ginkgo upper slope plantings, plus the swale or stone drain, paths and steps.

- Plantings will be added if the weather cooperates with a little moisture by the 18th!
  
- Note: Please wear a hat, long pants & long sleeved shirt with boots or closed shoes!  Gloves, refuse bags, & tools will be provided

For More Information:

E-mail: volunteersforishampark@gmail.com

 

Saturday April 20th come out to work in Isham Park on Earth Day weekend!

- Spring Work Day -

 Earth Day weekend 

Note: Please wear a hat, long pants & long sleeved shirt 

with boots or closed shoes!

Gloves, refuse bags, & tools will be provided

Please come out and participate!

 

WHO:             - Volunteers for Isham Park, adults & older children 

                        - NYC Parks & Recreation Gardener  

WHEN:           Saturday April 20th 2013

                          9:00am to 1:00pm

WHERE:       Corner of Isham Street & Seaman Avenue

Work Site:     Isham Park along the base of the south slope along the entrance path & the slope between Park Terrace West and Seaman Avenue,

Activities:       Collection of tree debris from hurricane Sandy & lawn repairs

For More Information:

E-mail: volunteersforishampark@gmail.com

Or google the blog: “Volunteers for Isham Park”

Palisades support

Recent support expressed for the Palisades on the Hudson River:
http://www.nydailynews.com/planned-lg-headquarters-natural-blunder-critics-charge-article-1.1300870

Views from Isham and Inwood Hill Park

Archives of the NYC Department of Parks

In 1911, Julia Isham Taylor was inspired to give land for Isham Park in part by its view sheds of the surrounding area.

The most significant in her day was the view to the west to the Hudson River and the New Jersey Palisades beyond.  At that time, the view to the east across the Harlem River also had beautiful new buildings, among them the Gould Memorial Library and the Hall of Fame for Great Americans designed by architect Stanford White.

Recently both views have been in the news.

While the issues outlined in the articles linked below regarding views west to the New Jersey Palisades may not directly effect the view from Isham Park today, they demonstrate the importance of such views especially for Ft. Tryon, the Cloisters, Wave Hill, and even Inwood Hill Park. 

Two articles regarding the view shed from Cloisters to NJ Palisades:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/21/arts/design/the-cloisters-view-is-threatened-by-lg-electronics-offices.html?_r=0
and
http://www.northjersey.com/englewoodcliffs/Englewood_Cliffs_corporate_tower_plan_under_fire.html?page=all

Meanwhile, the buildings to the east by Stanford White which are today part of the campus of CUNY's Bronx Community College, were recently designated a National Historic Landmark.  The College is the first community college so honored in our country; the effort to designate was lead by the new BCC President, Carole M. Berotte Joseph.  

Bronx Community College designation of Hall of Fame and Gould Memorial Library:
http://www.bcc.cuny.edu/?page=tertiary&p2=Announcements&&p3=Faculty/Staff&&p4=2506
and
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/bronx-community-college-named-national-historic-landmark-article-1.1201244

Please have a look at these two news items and consider them in light of Julia Isham Taylor and her aunt Flora E. Isham's gifts of land, which were originally celebrated on September 28, 1912.

Happy New Year!

Hoping this will be the year in which water service is restored to Isham Park!  A nice symbol of renewal in this the park's 101st year!

Today's New York Times cover is dominated by a weather report on 2012 and intense heat and drought. Yesterday, noticed that the hellebores in the Margin Garden along Park Terrace West were budding. Though it may seem that global warming has encouraged the process, hellebores live through winter and are said to bud as early as January in our area.

For more on the budding of these hardy plants and their very beautiful blooms go to:
http://www.hellebores.org/helleborushybridus.html