Tag: #gardendesign

Native Plant Projects 2025

On By Barbara HobensIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Was so glad to read about an opportunity to write Ecological Restoration grants to create native plant gardens for two public places in Hyde Park, NY last October.

Well, both grants were awarded and over $9,171 has been carefully allocated thanks to Partners for Climate Action, Hudson Valley, a project of The new World Foundation. Working with Avalon Bunge, Ecological Projects Manager for Partners for Climate Action has been a rewarding pleasure.

So – have been busy with planning, paperwork, purchasing, planting, and watering this summer!

On September 13, 2025 during Community Day, the Town Supervisor and Chair, Mary Langenau and myself spoke about the importance of growing native plants at the dedication of Native Plants of Hyde Park Garden at Hackett Hill Park on East Market Street.

The 80’ long x 7’ wide garden bed is complete with native trees, grasses, and a diverse selection to provide a positive habitat for pollinators.

The focus is on plants that offer food, cover, water, and places to raise young – also qualifying as a National Wildlife Federation Wildlife Habitat.

On October 20th the Hyde Park Town Hall Pollinator Garden will be dedicated. Great care and research was done to ensure that 6a native plants would thrive.

The planting beds mainly face east and south and will be beautiful and purposeful gardens for decades to come.

Supporting threatened native pollinators is the continuing goal with an emphasis on providing the nectar that the Karner Blue Butterfly, Monarch, and Swallowtail Butterfly depend on.

Discovering & Making Use of What You Find

On By Barbara HobensIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

One of the largest and most unique urban gardens I designed was for the Salvation Army’s International Social Justice Commission on East 52nd Street. As fate would have it, had just moved from bustling West 44th Street in Midtown Manhattan to a home an hour north on the Hudson River on a Revolutionary War dirt road in Garrison New York.

So… I commuted by train to Grand Central Station with, yes – my favorite garden tools. Since it was post-9/11 I did preemptively check in with MetroNorth security since I would be openly carrying objects that could have been taken as weapons. True story!

A colleague on the Woodland Landscape Council of Manitoga: The Russel Wright Design Center, had recommend me for the commission and, after meeting and seeing the site, was hired. The first photo, the “before” was even worse than it was since they had just started excavating a large hole at the other end to add an elevator.

As I walked the site, I asked the elevator crew if they had run into the natural bedrock called Manhattan Shist. They promised to keep an eye out for any large hunks of the shiny quartz-and-garnet shimmers as they dug. About three weeks later, I was back on-site accepting nursery deliveries and arguing with Consulate General of Hungary employees that they did not own the sidewalk. Was absolutely amazed to see that a selection of absolutely stunning pieces and long thick “seats and tables” of gorgeous shist were placed carefully at one end of the backyard! Now THAT was a great crew to work with!

Just in time for the official dedication of the garden, a perfectly bored-out 5′ tall piece of shist was placed and the fountain was turned on to add the last of the 5-senses for the staff and visitors to enjoy. The “wishing tree” was created by artist Mark Martini (1956-2010), foreman of R&G Wrought Iron in Cold Spring, NY and copper “leaf” wished were added by participants.