Garden of the Day: Bearing Fruit in Bed Stuy

Got a garden space you want to share? Send us a note. And now, your very own DIBS presents his deck and garden project. I purchased the brownstone in Bed Stuy in May of 2007 and began work on the deck and yard in the fall. I used recommendations found here on brownstoner and Susan from Sketch and Hammer did a wonderful job on the deck along with her iron man Manny. Chuck Dorr from Dig and his crew did the yard. I was suspect of Chuck and his crew as they were the first group of contractors I've ever hired who listened to NPR while they were working! Both the deck and the yard turned out fine and although both were on the expensive side I'd heartily recommend both of them.

The yard was your standard 40' X 20' overgrown mess with a concrete slab off the back of the house. They removed all the debris and, as per my design, installed the pebble walk, the fountain and, in the spring, finished the plantings. There was a beautiful fruit-bearing golden delicious apple tree in the middle of the yard and I had that moved to the side. because of the move it did not bear fruit this year but I'm hopeful for next year. There was a 40' catalpa tree in the back left corner which stayed but I susequently had it taken down as the mess from the pods was just too much to deal with. Although I hated to take down a perfectly fine tree you can't understand the extent of the pod problem unless you have one.

The plantings are: a few hydrangeas, an original rose, rhododendrons, rose of sharon across the back, a few winterberrys (both male and female required) and my tomato/onion/lettuce raised bed to the side. The only regret I have that I developed in seeing other posters' gardens was that I did not actually employ more usable hardscape areas. However, I primarily use the deck and really enjoy the view and the fountain.