Friendships and Flowers Bloom
Gail, Teresita, and Shelagh [R to L].
By Michael McDowell
April showers have brought May flowers to the neighborhood, and gardens across the Upper West Side are in bloom. While the daffodils have begun to fade in Verdi Square, the tulips are resplendent at the West Side Community Garden, at 123 West 89th Street.
The garden, which is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year, is open from dawn to dusk. And although the Annual Tulip Festival has concluded, a summer concert series, Music in a Garden, begins on May 26th.
On a cool, cloudy day earlier this week, West Siders of all ages were captivated by a brilliant pandemonium of tulips.
Gail, Teresita, and Shelagh drop by every Wednesday, after dance class at Ballet Hispanico.
Nearby, a few children experimented with how best to capture tulips on camera. In a quiet corner, a man sat on a bench consuming a newspaper. On an adjacent bench, another man napped, having given up on a work of nonfiction.
Readers, have you taken a moment to smell the flowers, be these the crabapples of Riverside Park or the azaleas of Central Park? Please share your favorite community spaces to enjoy the season in the comments.
My fav is the garden in Riverside Park at 91 Street, just West of the Playground.
Re: “In a quiet corner, a man sat on a bench consuming a newspaper.”
Hope:
1) He brought along something with which to help swallow all that paper; and
2) that the stories about Herr Trumpf didn’t make him gag.
🤪
I also took beautiful photos at the Westside Community Garden. At the urging of Westside Rag, I visited it this year during this period, and was enthralled. I went twice, and caught different tulips at different times. Someone brought their students, so the garden was full! Perfect way here for me to thank those who make that little bit of heaven possible.
I enjoy Michael’s writing very much.
A truly lovely set of photos – both of people and of those stunning arrays of tulips. It is such a pleasure to live in this verdant neighborhood that conjoins our two magnificent parks.
Was there last week – just beautiful! Thanks to all for creating this wonderful spot!!