New HSNY plantings at the Seventh Regiment Armory

(New HSNY plantings on the south side of the Seventh Regiment Armory, 66th Street between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue)

(New HSNY plantings on the north side of the Seventh Regiment Armory, 67th Street between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue)

If you live or travel through the Upper East Side then you are most likely familiar with the Seventh Regiment Armory which goes from Park Avenue to Lexington Avenue between 66th and 67th streets. Constructed from 1877 to 1881, the Seventh Regiment Armory is an unbelievable cultural and historic landmark located right here in Manhattan. As part of the tremendous renovation effort organized by the Seventh Regiment Armory Conservancy, The Horticultural Society of New York was commissioned to renovate the exterior spaces on 66th and 67th Streets from Park Avenue to Lexington Avenue. Before the renovation took place I visited the site with James Jiler, fellow HSNY staff member and Director of the Riker's Island Greenhouse program. We looked at the then-desolate space full of rat holes and inhibiting roots from the maples and the London plane-trees and I knew our GreenTeam had their work cut out for them. Walking by yesterday I couldn't believe the change of scenery and how the new plantings seemed to give new life to this part of the local community. With many different hollies planted as structural elements as well as many different hosta and impatiens used to complete the greening of the space, I would like to publicly congratulate my fellow staff members and members of the GreenTeam on a job very well done. And for those of you who are HSNY members, I want to thank you for your support and for making possible these many community outreach programs that help to make New York City a greener and better place to live. Are you an HSNY member?