Friday, September 19, 2014

Moving a garden


Wednesday evening, above. Vince and Estorbo waiting for hummingbirds. Both of their mouths open.


Yesterday afternoon, above - plants in transit.


Yesterday evening. Roof exposed, with stone slab for our table - the lighter rectangle. I was out all afternoon (cat, cab, vet, $600 later), and, regardless of the upheaval, this was a lot of work for our landlord and his helper. Really heavy work. It may sound perverse, but I like the exposed look, because it interests the roof garden designer in me. This is excellent support for a roof garden: steel I-beams, laid on supporting walls, well off the delicate membrane - the real deal. It takes and distributes weight so well, with deck above the beams. The roof membrane below must have been very dirty/ I am sorry I didn't see it before it was hosed off. Years of debris would have collected - the spaces between deck boards are a little wide and a lot can drift down. Another rule of roof gardens is that you must have access to that under deck area for periodic cleaning, and also to the roof drain, for clearing. I lay awake at night in Cobble Hill during downpours. The deck was nailed down over the roof drain. Terrible idea.


The pots are now in our landlord's front yard, below our front windows, right on 127th Street. I hope none of the plants walk. I don't think they will. The white tarp is covering his woodpile, which materialized this summer. For the freezing winter to come. 

Today work on the leaky roof is set to start. Hopefully it does. Hopefully we'll be back out there to enjoy what's left of the very lovely weather New York is enjoying.

8 comments:

  1. I hope you have your beautiful terrace back soon and that Estrobo is hale and hearty!

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  2. I agree with Gabriela. And I also have horror memories of leaky roof areas. Arghhh!

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  3. After three months by the sea….I'm back and so is my interrupted sleep (Henry Hudson Pkwy). I remember your mentioning a "white noise" machine. Can you recommend? GH

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    Replies
    1. Yes! http://www.marpac.com/Marpac-Dohm-NSF/dp/B006Z8J9I0

      I mean, it's not a magic bullet (although sometimes that would be nice, too).

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  4. I would imagine some bugs moving about in your beautiful bedroom after this is all over. What an ordeal for a gardener to have to go through. $600 vet bill???? Is Estorbo ok?

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  5. When you look back on moving from 66 sf and creating your current garden, are you amazed at yourselves and what you accomplished? Such a lot of labor but as they say "you have done wonders with the place". Hope Storby is doing better!

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  6. I'm so jealous of the nicotinia alata, they are just not available in Australia, and can't be imported because of quarantine regulations. Hope your garden survives the move. I am amazed by the way that there are hummingbirds in New York, who knew! Your bedroom architecture is stunning too

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