High Times

The first day of Spring is just a week away, and everyone has been waiting anxiously for it, myself included. But before I left Winter behind, I had a special trip on my list - and, for the first time last month, I visited The High Line:

The High Line, previously an abandoned rail line, has now been converted into a pedestrian concourse and public park. One of its key features is the integration of existing plants and grasses (the ones that had grown during the decades of the line's disuse) with new plantings of similar, native specimens that are also allowed to grow, bloom, and reseed themselves naturally. In addition, the designers created numerous spaces for people to explore, sit, and enjoy, with the original tracks still visible underneath it all:

As The High Line's excellent blog will tell you, one of the most striking plants there during Winter is, appropriately enough, winterberry. It's an easy-to-spot shrub with those distinctive red fruits that birds love:

Another brightly-colored specimen is the "Midwinter Fire" bloodtwig dogwood, able to display its fiery stems without any obscuring foliage this time of year:

Although much of the High Line is rather bleak during a Winter ramble, it's far from barren. In fact, many passages feel just like a Winter Wonderland:

I plan to return again in Spring, Summer and Fall this year, so I can enjoy the life cycle of this unique space throughout the seasons. It will be well worth the effort, and I'm really looking forward to it. So, until next time...

>o<