East Village Community Gardens (and a portrait of Avenue C)

I live in the East Village, at 4th and C. It is quite possibly the best address in the city. Here is a good website that illustrates, in photos, what Avenue C (also known as Loisaida) looks like: http://www.bridgeandtunnelclub.com/bigmap/manhattan/villages/east/avec/index.htm

The fourth picture is of La Plaza Cultural (also the insert picture) , a community garden which is absurdly and amazingly decorated. East Village has the highest concentration of community gardens in Manhattan, with perhaps 30-odd gardens (this is a rough estimate, please do not take my word!) These are spaces that were previously empty, barren lots, reclaimed by
neighbourhood residents. In the early 1970s, a local resident named Liz Christy began throwing water balloons filled with seeds into some of these vacant lots. Christy has a namesake garden at Bowery and Houston (110 E. Houston). This garden has a pond stocked with fish (much like Zoran's front yard!) The city has turned some of these spaces over to resident groups, while retaining legal possession of others. They are interesting spaces because they are typically run by a community collective, and are governed by strict rules and open only at certain times. Some of these gardens are administered by a board of directors. At the same time they are very democratic spaces; residents within a certain geographic range can join the collective and participate in the garden's upkeep. Some gardens allow people to host plots of land where they grow vegetables, and other gardens hold community events (theatre productions, yoga classes, etc!)

Here is a link to an interactive map that lists the community gardens in East Village (it includes pictures): http://www.evpcnyc.org/secret/index.html This is a very valuable map because it describes in detail the different themes and characteristics of each garden. I live near the Secret Garden, which features a fountain with Godzilla at its base, and a regular assortment of men playing cards under a canopy. Many of these gardens are very tranquil places (such as El Jardin del Paraiso), and they are often venues for interesting art installations, such as the infamous 37-foot sculpture of street treasures (incorporating innumerous stuffed animals and Santas) in the Sixth and B garden.

I will devote future posts to East Village gardens as my photo collection grows, and as I learn more about them. Something to look forward to!