Greenwood Gardens' history goes back to the early 1900s, under the ownership of prominent real estate auctioneer Joseph P. Day. In 1906, he purchased the 28-acre estate as a retreat from hectic New York City life. The estate featured a traditional wood-frame Victorian home, which unfortunately caught on fire, prompting the need for architect and landscaper designer William Whetten Renwick to step in and rebuild the property. Renwick's influence spans across the entire estate, including the grounds.
The garden would eventually be sold again in 1949 to Peter P. Blanchard Jr. and Dr. Adelaide Childs Frick Blanchard. Replacing the original structure, the Blanchard's rendition of the Colonial Revival mansion still stands today. The estate would also be renamed "The Greenwoods" in reference to Peter's ancestors' and their efforts during the Civil War. Unfortunately, Adelaide passed away only a few years after they had occupied the estate. As a result, Peter devoted more time to tending to the landscape adding garden sculptures, planting ornamental trees and shrubs, and re-configuring the gardens to evoke a more European ambiance and feeling. When Peter passed away in 2000, it was his wish that Greenwood Gardens become a public garden.
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In 1836, Wave Hill was purchased by William Lewis Morris. Morris came from a politically prominent family, as he was the grandnephew of Lewis Morris, one of the signer's of the Declaration of Independence, and the brother of Robert Hunter Morris who was mayor of New York three times. It took seven years for Wave Hill to be built, so by 1843 the Morris family was finally able to move in. Riverdale, the area in which Wave Hill is located, was very rural at this time. As do all homes at some point or another, Wave Hill was sold again to William Henry Appleton, a multi-faceted New York publisher who was friends with the likes of Charles Darwin. During Appleton's ownership of Wave Hill, prominent figures like Theodore Roosevelt (in 1880) and Mark Twain (from 1901 - 1903) leased the property. By this point, Riverdale was a growing and developing community with more residents As the Bronx was being added as another borough in New York City, the residents of Riverdale defended themselves against the city's proposition of scaling the grid pattern that was used in Manhattan all the way up through Riverdale. With the help of the architects who designed Central Park, Fredrick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the residents were able to make the case against the use of the grid system. Wave Hill's story doesn't end there though. In 1893, the someday partner of J.P. Morgan, George Walbridge Perkins, moved to Riverdale and would later acquire Appleton's villa to put together an 80-acre estate. Since his acquisition, Wave Hill has had numerous world famous visitors. Marco Polo Stufano Conservatory  Leading to the Marco Polo Stufano Conservatory, you walk through a flower garden abundant with butterflies, bees, and birds.
John P. Humes (1921-1985) was an interdisciplinary, known for being the United States Ambassador to Austria. He had commissioned Stephen Morrell to revitalize the 7-acre landscape with the intention of it being opened to the public. Aligning with Japanese garden design principals and materials, it is a meditative and contemplative space. Throughout its history, the garden has undergone many evolutions with the latest being in 2017, when the North Shore Land Alliance purchased the garden and took ownership of its preservation.
It feels like an immense blessing to cultivate a relationship with the Earth. Right now, the only place that feels like home is anything that doesn't have four walls. The humming of bees, the rustling of leaves, the smell of soil; it's a healing experience for the restless mind. When I'm gardening, it feels meditative. It's as if I no longer exist. I have become the sage plant, the twirling vines of cucumbers, the fluorescent orange of marigolds. Feeling the dirt my hands feels purposeful and powerful. It's a sort of magic that can't be taught; it must be earned through patience and an unconditional love for our planet. As a child, I vividly remember spending time in the green, wire fenced garden outside my apartment building. I'd catch fireflies, dissect leaves, and study the silhouettes of flowers. I didn't understand it at the time, but I felt drawn to nature. There are no expectations from plants. All you need to do is be with them, and tend to them from the bottom of your heart. They ask nothing of you, it's a relationship where you choose to fully give yourself. One of the earliest memories I have of my love for nature is the brief moments I spent scavenger hunting the front of my apartment as my elderly neighbor, George, sat and watched. I picked up this white, strange looking flower and asked him what it was - "they look like bells", he said. Gardening brings me back to this inner, tucked away part of myself that sometimes I feel like only the plants (or perhaps George) would understand. This garden that I've been working on feels like a manifestation of my inner world. It' s a slice of optimism and utopia in a world that feels scary and uncertain. It hasn't been an easy road, I make mistake every single day but they're worth it because it makes a better steward to the Earth. The fresh air clears my overthinking mind, and untethers me from myself. There is truly no greater feeling than eating something you've grown, or seeing something you've planted bloom to its fullest potential. If I could turn the entire universe into one large garden, I would.  |
"You can only be afraid of what you think you know.”
― J. Krishnamurti
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