We are building an ecological garden at the Brooklyn green show house. The idea is to harmoniously combine various elements – xeriscape, native plants, edible plants, natural pool, animal friendly plants, permaculture, to name a few – so that the garden is both bountiful and natural to the environment. The garden will be a showcase …
You have to check this picture out. It is of a strawberry on the green roof of the Brooklyn Green Show House. Notice the pine cone, sedum, flowers in the background. It is a world as seen from a field mouse or bee. We can see things like this too.
Phytoextraction is the act of using plants to remove toxins from soil. Instead of using chemicals or removing the dirt you plant certain kinds of plants or mushrooms that either absorb the toxins or neutralize them. The process can take longer since you may have to wait out several growing seasons. But if you have …
Because of the high lead levels found in the garden of the Brooklyn Show House, we have become by default a Soil Remediation Contractor. The research and remediation of soil with such extreme levels of lead is quite an experience. Here is one article that puts soil remediation in perspective and gives great insight into …
We just tested the garden soil of the Brooklyn Green Show house and the results were a staggering 2000ppm of lead. Considering anything above 400ppm is rated as unhealthy we have a bad situation. High levels of lead in Brooklyn is a pretty common problem. The back walls and fire escapes were commonly painted in …
Stephen Anderton’s book “Urban Sanctuaries, Creating Peaceful Havens for the City Gardener” is a great visual resource for how to turn small spaces into big places of rejuvenation. Drawing from eastern aesthetics with a hint of European design, the book is full of images of really lovingly built gardens. They are not hyper manicured and …
Here is a pretty scary list of health effects documented by BeyondPesticides.org, a Washington based non-profit. Pesticides are anything that kills a pest: Herbicides, Insecticides and Fungicides primarily. You’ll notice from the list below that the health effects run the gamut from Cancer to Birth Defects. Of course if you use these chemicals then being …
Here is a cool window shade made out of a box and semi wild plants. It shows how we can put plants in a lot more places that the hyper manicured garden. Window sills, ledges, above doors, on walls, as fences….plants can be part of our building structure just as we use other materials to …
What I love about Brooklyn gardens is that they lend themselves so perfectly to permaculture and edible gardens. Brooklyn gets plenty or rain and temperate weather so it is so easy to create an edible and visual bounty in a Brownstone back yard. And a Brooklyn garden is like a canvas by its very size …
You are allowed to keep chickens and any sort of hoofed animal in Brooklyn or New York City. Hoofed, as in donkey, goat, sheep….and chickens. Not roosters, but if you want fresh eggs from your back yard or roof top chickens that is totally legal. BUT you are not allowed to legally keep bees. Sure …
