Walk through New York: the secret treasures of the city

In New York, everything is more extravagant, impressive and somewhat exaggerated compared to other cities in the world. Buildings stretch to the clouds, streets stretch for kilometers, the number of shops is tens of thousands, and restaurants - even more. And there is no need to talk about the variety of gardens, squares and parks. Surprised? Do you still think of New York as a concrete jungle? This stereotype is debunked by Tatyana Borodina.

But if you really want to use an allegorical comparison, then New York is rather not a stone jungle, but a mountain ridge with its canyons, valleys and high-altitude plateaus, on which beautiful gardens and cool ponds are lost.

To see this, let’s take a walk along the “green roofs” of New York, and not only the well-known and accessible ones, but also the “private” ones, which can only be seen from a bird’s eye view, or when you are invited to visit a social party or for a glass of wine and intimate conversation. Yes, most of the green oases on the rooftops of the city are owned by private individuals, but we will return to this a little later. In the meantime, let’s talk about those places where the wonders of the “hanging gardens” landscape design are collected and they are, one way or another, accessible to mere mortals.

For body and soul

Superiority in size, luxury and age belongs to the gardens on the roof of Rockefeller Center, these gardens are rightly called the hidden green treasure of New York. For years, 75, they hit the exquisite beauty and impeccable ukhozhennostyu trees, bushes, lawns and flower beds. These amazing gardens are located on the rooftops of the Rockefeller Center complex - the British Empire Building and Maison Francaise, which face the fronts on Fifth Avenue - opposite St. Patrick's Cathedral.

The gardens were opened simultaneously with the Rockefeller Center and, as conceived by the developer John R. Todd and the architect Raymond Good, should have attracted the attention of both potential tenants of the building and ordinary passers-by.

The landscape of the gardens was created by architect Ralph Hancock and consists of a series of alleys, terraces, clearings, pools and fountains framed by a labyrinth of evergreen trees and bushes. To support thousands of tons of excess weight—pipes, soil, water, and pumps—Rockefeller Center's roof was reinforced with additional steel structures. But the original idea was even more complex - it was supposed to connect the roof-terraces with pedestrian bridges, likening them to the hanging gardens of Babylon. And all this beauty was intended for the relaxation of the public and employees working in the Center’s buildings - “to restore their strength, efficiency and peace of mind.”

One of the historical books about Rockefeller Center says that the gardens, originally open to all, turned out to be very costly for the Center, since their maintenance caused losses of $ 45 thousand per year. Actually, therefore, access to the roof had to be limited.

Here is an excerpt from the book that describes the gardens at the time of their opening: “The gardens on the roofs of 4 low buildings on Fifth Avenue were made in styles corresponding to the themes of each of the buildings. For example, on one roof, paving stones from the streets of Italian cities and two stone plaques from the Roman Forum were used. On the roof of a British Empire house, everything was set for a traditional British tea party, surrounded by neatly trimmed yew bushes. The gardens were made so skillfully and professionally that they looked like cozy courtyards of country houses, despite the fact that they were raised almost 50 meters above street level.”

Yes, the Rockefeller Center gardens are not very high, only the sixth or seventh floor, and they can be admired from the windows of the restaurant on the 9th floor of the Saks store. Getting into the gardens is not easy unless you work for one of the companies in Rockefeller Center. Unfortunately, they are now closed to the public, but not so long ago they were opened once a year, during the New York Open House days. Now this opportunity has disappeared, but there is hope and there are persistent rumors that access will soon be restored.

However, if you have free money, then “Rockefeller Gardens” can be rented for a special celebration - a wedding or other private event. Although the amount needed for this can only be guessed, and then only with difficulty.

In lower Manhattan is a completely different garden. This is a rock garden on the roof of the Museum of Jewish Heritage. Designed by the artist Andy Goldsworthy, the rock garden is deeply symbolic and was commissioned by the museum as a place of reflection. It is dedicated to the memory of those who died during the Holocaust, and as a tribute to those who survived. This garden takes up 4 150 square feet (385 square meters) and consists of 18 boulders in which trees are planted. Trees grow, and their roots penetrate into the stone, intertwining with it. There is a constant transformation, the garden changes from year to year, and over time the trees and stones will become one.

For enjoyment and benefit

The rooftops of Manhattan can amaze the imagination with late-night dance parties, eye-popping cocktails for $25 or more, grand fashion shows, contemporary art openings and incredible performances. But the rooftop of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue is something else entirely.

You will be surprised to learn that even bees love to live in a chic hotel, which recently presented its new roof garden, opened jointly with the gardening society of New York - The Towers of the Waldorf Astoria Rooftop Garden. What grows in this garden? Apple trees, alpine strawberries, rice, 8 varieties of basil, and not only. Part of the garden is reserved for the apiary. So the selection of plants for the garden was made taking into account the interests of the bees and, of course, the guests, for whom, in fact, the vegetables grown on the roof and the company honey from the Waldorf-Astoria apiary are intended.

The rooftop harvest goes to the hotel's restaurants: Peacock Alley, Oscar's Brasserie and Bull & Bear Prime Steakhouse.

"Waldorf Astoria" - isn't the only hotel in New York City to have its own rooftop garden, although it's currently the only one you can visit.

The Westin New York Grand Central features a garden on the 41st floor, raised 120 meters above city street level. Organic vegetables include arugula, tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, peppers, oregano, cilantro and many others. The Washington Square Hotel also has its own rooftop garden, where they grow peppers, leeks, zucchini and, perhaps most importantly, fresh mint for mojitos.

For entertainment and recreation

If you walk south from the Waldorf Astoria, then literally next to the Flatiron Building there is a famous rooftop bar and garden - Rooftop Bar and Restaurant - overlooking the Empire State Building. It is open all year round, but is especially interesting in the warmer months. Tables surrounded by palm trees create the illusion of the tropics in the heart of the city, overlooking the famous skyscrapers of New York.

And finally - a new product - Conrad New York. A bar on the roof of a luxury new generation hotel on the banks of the Hudson, in the most promising and rapidly developing part of New York, in the area of ​​the World Trade Center. This new futuristic “green oasis” of New York instantly became a favorite place not only for tourists, but also for city residents. Views of the Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor, contemporary interiors, creative cocktails, food from organic produce grown in the hotel's rooftop garden and many other pleasures, including a collection of 2000 works of contemporary art.

Life on the roof

And now a few words about the private life of New Yorkers in the interior of their personal “green paradise”.

It's clear that in New York City, "outdoor living space"—be it a rooftop, a deck, a large balcony, or a small backyard—is a rarity and a great luxury. No matter who you ask, everyone dreams of this pleasure.

There are those who are lucky to come home from work or on a Sunday, enjoy a tiny piece of open space in their own home. And very few can boast of their own rooftop garden or a luxurious private terrace overlooking the river or Central Park. The apartments of such lucky people cost millions, and the owners love their exclusive “green meadows”, cherish them and invest serious money in their maintenance.

But besides the fact that it is expensive and luxurious, it is still beautiful and interesting from the point of view of design art.

A lot of work, knowledge, creative enthusiasm and ingenuity are invested in these small spaces to make them sparkle like cut diamonds. New York's Green Gables are the hidden treasures of privacy in the most incredible city on earth.

Read also on ForumDaily:

7 ways to save money in New York

Walk through New York: the luxury of the city

Amazing New York Apartments

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