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A secret garden in Red Hook
Rachel Markowitz | August 21, 2007
At the corner of Columbia and Carroll lies a secret garden tucked into an otherwise urban intersection. When I first heard about this place, I was suspect so I recruited a friend who agreed to get lost in Red Hook with me. At first, all we found were a few private gardens and abandoned car lots. Luckily we ran into a local mother and daughter who pointed us in the right direction.
Sure enough, a block away, I found what has been named the Amazing Garden, a community garden developed by Red Hook neighbors. The garden is supported by an organization called Green Thumb, a program that provides materials and assistance to the volunteers who run community gardens. Green Thumb’s support includes warehouse distribution and educational workshops for community garden managers.
I spoke with Kathleen Mangan, the co-coordinator of Amazing Garden. Mangan and co-coordinator Christina Curran were among the founding members of the garden, who in January 1995 decided to take an active role in beautifying their neighborhood. Since then it has been an excellently preserved garden, a place where members of the community like to sit and read the paper on a Sunday morning.
Upon arriving at the garden, I noticed that the lush plant life and vegetation were surrounded by a locked gate. Become a member and you get a key! Here’s the deal about membership: call either Curran or Mangan. They will take note of you, and invite you to their next scheduled meeting. At the meeting, you will learn more about the garden and agree to commit at least eight hours of your time to work the land. There is no waitlist to become a member, and there is no cap on general membership! However, if you want to work on one of the 17 raised beds (which include vegetables, herbs, and other exciting plants) you must get in line as they are currently full. But don’t be too heart-broken; there are plenty of other flower beds in the garden that need weeding and other work, and all members are welcome to help.
Both members and non-members are permitted to host events at the Amazing Garden. However, there is no alcohol allowed and parties cannot be private. As long as the gates are open, the public is welcome, member or not. The Amazing Garden also has open weekend hours where all are welcome to come and enjoy the garden. Otherwise, you gotta wait until a member opens it up for you. So what are you waiting for? Get involved!
Amazing Garden is located on 261-265 Columbia Street. If you are interested in becoming a member, call Christina Curran at 718-858-5268 or Kathleen Mangan at 718-852-7759. For more information on Green Thumb, visit their website.
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