Monday, May 4, 2015

A Beautiful Day on the New York City High Line

New York City High Line Park Early May 

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon on the High Line in NYC. The High Line (also known as the High Line Park is a 1.45-mile-long (2.33 km) New York City linear park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets of Manhattan's West side. The park runs from Gansevoort Street (three blocks below 14th Street) in the Meat Packing District through to the northern edge of the West Side Yard 34th Street near the Javits Center.
The NYC High Line in Early May

Tulips (Tulipa turkestanica)
The Park, owned by the City of New York, is maintained and operated by Friends of the High Line which was founded in 1999 by a community of residents.  Friends of the High Line fought for the High Line’s preservation and transformation at a time when the historic structure was under the threat of demolition. 

High Line RR Tracks and Gardens
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) in Bloom
The refurbishing of the railway into an urban park began construction in 2006, with the first phase opening in 2009 and the second phase opening in 2011.The third and final phase officially opened to the public in September of 2014. A once abandoned railroad track has now become an array of blooms for residents and visitors to enjoy.
'Sherwood Purple' creeping phlox Early May High Line Gardens

New York City High Line Park
The High Line was constructed back in 1847 when street-level railroads utilized to transport goods to businesses and warehouses were deemed unsafe due to increased traffic demands.  The city and state of New York and the New York Central Railroad decided to construct the elevated High Line as part of the Manhattan West Side Improvement Project. 
Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Toyo-Nishiki’) NYC High Line
Tulipa linifolia ‘Red Hunter’ Early May High Line


Artwork Along the High Line

The High Line has been developed with various works of public art and the native greenery incorporated into the long forgotten tracks has preserved the history of the area, leading to a beautiful and dynamic park. The New York City skyline as well as the Hudson River can be seen as a backdrop to the gardens.
Fothergilla x intermedia ‘Mount Airy’ (Mount Airy fothergilla)


Tulipa sylvestris  (Wild Tulips) High Line


Allegheny Serviceberry Blooms on the High Line Early May



View of Hudson River from High Line

Cornus florida ‘Jean’s Appalachian Snow’ Dogwood in Bloom

NYC High Line Park
The High Line gardens are a welcomed addition and have certainly added a certain charm by combining urban atmosphere with the beauty of nature, right in the heart of New York City.  The park's carefully planned display of native plantings, mature trees, blooms and artwork has developed into an extraordinary public space for visitors of all ages to enjoy.  To walk the High Line takes approximately two hours and as of September 2014, the park gets nearly 5 million visitors annually.


Visit the High Line on-line!

As Always...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening, ©Copyright 2015. All rights reserved



8 comments:

  1. Looks like a lovely trip and the flowers and foliage is beautiful. We just moved to upstate New York last August from the Texas Gulf Coast so I have a lot to learn about gardening here. I am following your blog and hopefully I will learn different plants I can use in my yard. I'm a blogger of a home decor blog and was searching garden blogs for upstate and yours popped up!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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    1. I hope you find my posts helpful Shelia and thank you so much following and commenting on my blog. All the plants I write about should do well in your area and feel free to ask if you have any questions. Have a great day!

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  2. This garden is amazing! Wonderful shots!

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    1. Thank you Mary. I am glad you enjoyed the High Line gardens. I enjoyed learning about their history and found them to be such a wonderful addition to the city.

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  3. Great post, and next time I am in Manhattan I hope to visit the meat district.
    It is said to have great views, and nice place for a picnic. yvonne

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    1. Glad you enjoyed! There is a nice shaded area along the High Line for a picnic lunch and of course there is also Chelsea Market. The combo makes for a nice day in the city.

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  4. Thanks for sharing these ideas with us! It's amazing that this garden was maintained by community residents. Were the residents professionals or just enthusiasts? I wish my garden looked like that! This was a great article. http://www.soilworx.com.au/trade/landscapers.html

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the article Sergio. A lot of planning and maintenance has gone into these gardens and they are such a nice attraction for the city. I am sure the residents that take care of the gardens are a combination of novice and professional but in order to plan the gardens they had to be very knowledgeable in the field of horticulture.

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Thank you for visiting. I love reading your comments and knowing you have been here, and will try to reciprocate on your blog. If you have any questions I will try my very best to answer them. As always...HAPPY GARDENING!