I needed a lunchtime adventure to get me out of my stuffy cubicle, and it had to be free. 3 unassuming coworkers and I went to Robert F. Wagner Park for what we thought would be a pretty walk around the gardens led by a park ranger. We got the anatomical history of every plant in sight, perspective on landscape architecture, and incredible people watching.
The garden walk was sponsored by the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy (unwieldy name, great organization). A garden expert / ranger led a group of about 15 individuals around the flower beds and shrubbery gracing the park. I didn’t feel like I was in New York.
Please note the flower shirt worn purposely by Woman-Who-Asked-The-Family-Of-Every-Single-Plant-While-Flaunting-Her-Incorrect-“Knowledge”. This scenario was very, very entertaining. I appreciated the tour though, and I actually learned some stuff. I saw real live ginger and chamomile, both of which I only have in tea, and learned how a plant’s color, texture, and bloom plays into designing a garden. Two of my favorite things are below:
Those are Scarlet Meidiland Roses. My iphone camera doesn’t well capture the gorgeous color and suppleness of the bloom. I’m being serious.
I didn’t catch the name of those, but my coworker and I named them firework flowers! Yay!!
Anyway, I was thoroughly entertained and learned way more than I thought I would on my first official flower tour. I’m also going to check out more BPCPC events, like the Thursday night blues on the water nights. Good stuff.
Jen Bokoff 