A drawing event on Saturday. Courtesy of Friends of Verdi Square, @cosyshots and @aleyalehmannbench.
Verdi Square, the mid-block park on 72nd and Broadway, has received tender loving care over the past two years from community members who are part of a group called Friends of Verdi Square. And now they’re expanding public programs to draw more people to the area. Over the summer, there will be literary and artistic events held in the area. You can sign up for them here, and learn more below:
Urban Nature Journaling:
“Spend a mindful hour inside the meadow section of the garden, drawing, writing, or creating, using suggested prompts.”
Saturday, July 10, 10-11am: Write
Saturday, August 21, 10-11am: Urban Nature Scrapbooks
Materials will be provided with donations. All are welcome.
Family Scavenger Hunt:
“Children of all ages receive a passport to Verdi Square and search for 10 native plants in the garden. Find and draw each plant in the passport to receive a junior gardener badge!”
Saturday, July 24: Walk up from 10-12
Materials will be provided with donations. All are welcome.
Native Plant Painting Class
“Create a beautiful scene of Verdi Square’s native plants, all while sitting right in the middle of the Meadow section of the garden.”
Saturday, July 31: 4-6pm
*PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED*
This reminds me of the gentrification of Bryant Park (make of that what you will)
Our all-volunteer crew of gardeners has worked 101 Saturdays since January 2019 in collaboration with NYC Parks to restore Verdi Square. And our volunteer gardener Becca Curland created this amazing series of Summer Programs along the lines of “place attachment”. I congratulate her and all of the volunteers, neighbors and businesses who have made all of this possible. And we welcome everyone to come, sit, and commune with nature at Verdi Square.
The ‘gentrification’ of Bryant Park, which was a run-down Needle Park for years on end? It is now one of Midtown’s gleaming jewels, and I’d be interested to hear what you have against it.
My comment seemed negative?
One of the several definitions for “make of that what you will” is:
“I have no idea what conclusions I am supposed to draw from that information.”
Perhaps that is what Fred thought you felt about the “gentrification of Bryant Park”?—
I think gentrification is often used with a negative tone…so it was probably easy to misinterpret your comment.
Verdi square area has become a lovely place: beautiful wildflowers in a charming setting. The folks who have put together this delightful setting deserve applause for their accomplishment. The plants are happy; the birds seem ecstatic; the people who pass by (like me) are so
Pleased. Let’s keep it low keyed and delightful!! Special mention of the area near Amsterdam and 72 St . Where they have managed to coax wonderful plants!!
these admired volunteers arrived on the scene at the time the rat burrows had peaked—never before had there been more.
such an accomplishment, over two years. work in other neighborhoods should look to this example and timeline.
i wonder, with now increased human traffic and park use—and increased food supply—is there evidence of rats also returning?