Renovating the Ladies' Border: Planting Begins

Renovating the Ladies' Border: Planting Begins

Trees and shrubs now line the Ladies' Border at the New York Botanical Garden. Up next, 1,000 perennials.

by Steve Aitken



	All the woody plants have been added to the Ladies' Border. Now all the border needs is 700 to 1,000 perennials to finish it off.

The work continues on the Ladies' Border at The New York Botanical Garden. Numerous trees and shrubs have been added and the soil prepared for the addition of about 1,000 perennials. The border occupies a unique microclimate in The New York Botanical Garden, so many plants not normally hardy in the New York City area are being planted as a bit of an experiment. Recently added are various species of Magnolia, Camellia, Mahonia, and Nandina.



If you are adding hundreds of trees and shrubs in the span of a few days, it helps to have a large, hard working crew. The addition of the large number of perennials is scheduled to go just as quickly.		A camellia blooms in the Bronx. Not normally hardy in the New York area, these camellias are a part of The New York Botanical Garden's attempt to take advantage of the microclimate the Ladies' Border occupies.

In January 2002, The New York Botanical Garden broke ground on the restoration of the Ladies' Border, a 260-foot long bed on the southeast side of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Fine Gardening will be visiting the project from time to time this year to watch the progress of the new garden and to share it with you here on our Web site.

Previous report: Renovating the Ladies' Border at The New York Botanical Garden

Next report: Planting is Complete.

For more on The New York Botanical Garden, visit www.nybg.org.

Steve Aitken is an assistant editor at The Taunton Press.

Photos: Steve Aitken

An Online Extra to Fine Gardening #85
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