Visual Continuity Ties a Block Together .
When I moved Greenwich Village In 1989, I joined the East 11th Street Block Association located between 5th Avenue and University Place. My block association, comprised of true diehard villagers, immediately educated me about our neighborhood and its daily challenges. We all had the same goal: simply to improve the quality of life along our street. This was during a time when few people cared and most were immune to the urban life daily hazards — from vandalism, graffiti, debris, dying trees to broken street lamps.
While practicing Landscape Architecture at the time, my most challenging task on the board was to design a new enlarged tree pit with an “appropriately designed” tree guard replacing our low wicket rail and timber curb. We believed beautifying our block by enhancing and enlarging our tree pits would make the biggest visible impact and ensure our street trees the best chance of the survival as a living, breathing part of our community which often went unnoticed. At the time, we were also on the forefront of introducing larger tree pits. We did not have prototypes of tree guards and city standards that exist today. Our physical constraints were primarily underground utilities, stoops, light poles, signage and the most dangerous of all, the inability of those who cannot parallel park. Our horticultural constraints included tree protection mostly from dogs, locating additional street trees, pruning and how to amend the increased soil levels from years of added topsoil.
I prepared a rendered schematic site plan and tree guard detail that triggered a fundraiser campaign. Many old timers were not keen on our concept of enlarged tree pits, tree guards and ornamental planting beds. They recalled experiences during the 1970’s and 80’s when they attempted planting flowers during a period when vandalism was at its prime. Thankfully, many of us younger at the time and motivated believed beautifying our block would not only impact us as a whole but also improve safety and send a clear message that neighbors do care.
Today, our block is enjoyed by many showcasing our lush tree pits filled with diverse perennials and annuals. But, still many bypasses are oblivious of our continual dedication to maintain the health of our trees, planting beds and tree guards. Our success is dedicated individuals who simply keep an eye on our plants while others solicit donations to pay for a part-time seasonal gardener, plant replacement, pruning and most importantly hiring a staff member to “properly” water our trees and plantings.
So, lets begin the process on beautifying your block, home or business. First and foremost, expand the size of the existing tree bed and Install a tree guard around the perimeter of the bed to provide a physical barrier between the tree and our harsh urban environment. Tree guards are critical because they reduce soil compaction, shield the trunk from physical damage, and prevent pet waste from entering the tree pit. Tree guards have also been proven to extend the longevity of trees, reduce mortality rates, and can also provide a protected planting bed for gardening.
There are two ways to have a street tree planted in front of your home or business:
You can request a free tree from NYC Parks or you can plant one on your own. Street tree requests to NYC Parks are handled on a first-come, first-served basis and only planted during two planting seasons: Spring (March 1 to May 31) and Fall (October 1 to December 31). A parks forester will make sure the site is suitable for a tree. Trees are typically placed 15-30 feet apart, should not block street luminaries or street signage. The forester will then select the final species to provide the greatest possible level of benefits to a neighborhood. My preference is a Willow Oak.
Once planted, keep in mind, the tree pit should be kept free of garbage, road and sidewalk salt, and dog waste which can contaminate the soil. The soil level around a tree should not be changed from when it was planted. Adding soil can smother roots and rot a tree’s trunk as well as provide a breeding ground for fungi and insects.
There are also a number of ways that you can get a tree guard in front of your home or business:
In some communities, local elected officials are able to provide tree guards around newly planted trees. You can also donate to the New York Tree Trust to have a guard installed in front of your property or do what we did, have your block association coordinate with residents to establish a uniform style of guard on your block. Parks has many pre-approved tree guard designs. These new tree guards are three-sided, at least 18 inches tall, installed on the outer perimeter of the tree bed, and are positioned at least one foot short of the curb with the curbside open. No curb should be installed to allow water flow from the sidewalk into the tree pit unless the existing tree roots are exposed above the sidewalk grade.
Street trees produce our urban forest. Trees bring us shade in the warm months and reduce temperature differentials of 5-15 degrees when walking under tree canopied streets. Trees shield us from the cold in the winter, decrease the amount of storm water runoff and pollutants that reach local waters and provide fresh air for us to breath.
Here are a number of ways to keep our urban forest happy and healthy:
Watering is most vital especially for the survival of younger trees and perennials in the hot, dry summer months. Watering is also the most difficult task to accomplish. Transporting water from the source to the tree is a challenge. We ask building maintenance staff or storeowners to help water trees while they are hosing off sidewalks.
Furthermore, because of compaction and pollution, urban soil is hydrophobic and difficult to penetrate. This means that you need to cultivate or loosen the soil so that the water and air can reach the tree’s roots. So, water each young tree and most importantly water at the soil level slowly so the water penetrates the soil. Apply a three-inch layer of mulch, preferably shredded bark to the tree pit. Mulch keeps the water from evaporating quickly, reduces soil compaction, and improves the soil as it breaks down. Do not pile the mulch against the trunk of the tree; water will accumulate and rot the trunk. In the spring, flush the tree pit with water to dilute winter salt buildup.
To better grow and get acquainted with your street trees, NYC Parks provides a variety of tree and sidewalk-related services including street tree planting, sidewalk repair, tree removal, pruning and more. Only Parks and contractors hired by Parks are allowed to remove trees. Any citizen caught removing a living tree will be charged with arborcide and penalized severely.
Lastly, bulbs, annuals and perennials are beautiful additions to a tree pit, as long as you remember that the tree’s health comes first and that you carefully plant flowers or bulbs without digging soil out that can damage shallow roots. My preference in bulbs are English Bluebells, Daffodils (Paperwhite), Dutch Iris, and the Wild Tulip. Flowers that have shallow roots and die back each year (annuals) will not seriously compete for limited resources. Exotic Begonias make an ideal annual. Most importantly plant hardy perennials. Perennials provide numerous benefits with can live for many years and will limit re-digging your soil which will damage tree roots. I typically recommend perennials with varied aspects such as foliage texture, form and color. My all time favorites are Hellebore (Joseph Lempur, a gorgeous winter flower), Variegated Hostas, Astilbe, Lady and Japanese Fern, Variegated Ginger, Golden Japanese Grass, Sedum, Coral Bells (Autumn Leaves) and Lilyturf (Silver Dragon and Variegated) all make a nice addition bringing color to your neighborhood. Choose small plants and bulbs – large plants require large holes, damage tree roots and compete with the tree for water and nutrients. And never plant invasive species, vines such as ivy, woody shrubs or evergreens. They are major competitors for water and nutrients and can stunt or kill a tree.
Joining my Block Association was most gratifying. As a new neighbor, I was pleasantly welcomed and today we are the closest of friends. Our efforts to enhance our street created a renowned sense of place where our trees and flourishing seasonal plantings in our tree pits are now enjoyed by all.
