From the Forum West:On a block of classical brownstone residences dating back to 1903, Eufemia Patron has set quite the example for gardening enthusiasts and observers alike at her home on 68th Road in Ridgewood. With the enthusiastic approval of her landlord Luis Tello, three summers ago, she started the garden with petunias, balsam, zinnia and yellow lilies, among others.
She remembers her house in Mindinao, the Philippines, and the big garden with twelve birds thriving in the tropical climate there. “I thought it would be impossible to have a beautiful garden in New York City,” she mused, “but with an on-going investment between $200 and $300, my garden blossomed. I use the same soil season after season - from April through November – and give care, attention and ten-minute daily watering.”
And Patron definitely gets a positive reaction from people passing the house and stopping by to admire her garden. “Every day people stop, look at my garden and smile and that makes me so happy.”
Passersby are not the only ones pleased with Patrons green thumb. Landlord Tello is pleased to have such a creative tenant. “I drive her to Home Depot to get the flowers, plants and other supplies for the front and back gardens,” he declared. “She maintains everything in such good condition. I encourage her to keep gardening.”
8 comments:
God bless her. Ther are many like her out there that dont get recognition.
What is wrong with this woman? There should be
1. ugly house extention
2. medical offices or bodega
3. bike racks or cement for the sUV
4. the garden on the roof.
Queens. So backward.
I have a Philippine home owner acros the street. Every morning this woman is out there in her hat planting and maintaining.
She ms be in her late 60's
The property was littered with weeds, a boat hull tires, car parts.
It is now spotless and has all kinds of birds. She even has palm trees in large pots on her deck.
...I was real lucky.
Another group had come to look at that house, they didn’t even go inside.
These charactors looked around (to see if anybody was watching) then took out out the trunk and measured the property.
They then tried to sue the town when the seller suddenly wanted a variance to build 3 cookie cutter homes.
Just imagine how beautiful our neighborhoods would look if one person in each household planted 1 or 2 plants or flowers on their properties. What about encouraging our youth to adopt a lot or field and do the same? It's not hard. It's just that people are too busy or too lazy to appreciate what they have. Even the lawns that have been paved over with cement would look nicer if someone put a huge potted plant on it. God bless this woman! Maybe she can start a trend. Let's band together as neighbors and beautify Queens. The developers sure aren't helping with that process.
She has excellent taste. By the way, two words: Thompson & Morgan. Growing the plants from seeds could take the expense down to less than $25.00/season.
Maybe people with the window space, but less gelt will take a hint and follow the woman's example but using seeds instead. That's how I used to do it when I had a garden.
I grew ip in Ridgewood in the 70's.
Lots of people had front gardens and planters like this.
I remember seeing lots "setups" all the way up the hill (60th lane)
The older Germans even had garden hoses out 7AM in the morning.
It was a very green and clean area.
Now the newcomers use front 1/4 yards as garbage can holders
-Joe
People only maintain their living spaces when there is an intent on staying there. When your plan is to only stay for as long as it takes to soak up as much off the city as possible before moving on, you have little regard for your temporary conditions.
Plus, when you just arrived here from some third world slum in Shanghai, Mumbai, or Tijuana, the idea of maintenance and beauty is unfamiliar.
I am SOOOO glad this has become a portal city.
Ridgewood is my hometown, and I remember growing up there and a lot of those brownstones had gardens in them. I believe this house was across the street from our house. It's great to see Ridgewood beautified!
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