Posted by Stacey Hirvela
Most people think that New York City is devoid of greenery, aside from its famous parks. The truth is that there are many hidden parks, public spaces, and indoor gardens that come as a delightful surprise, especially in dreary February.
During my lunch hour today, I went over to the headquarters of the Ford Foundation, a famously innovative building that incorporates a garden into its architecture. All of the offices face a large interior open space, landscaped with tropical plants:
Wouldn't you love to have one of those offices? This building still feels contemporary and exciting, even though it was built in 1967. All the upper floors look down on the canopy of tropical plants. Many of them you'd recognize as common houseplants, just much larger - some of them wouldn't tolerate typical household environments at all.
This Calliandra is covered in cheery red blooms:
Schefflera arboricola is a common houseplant, but I've never seen a cultivar with such unusual variegation:
Dracaena, calathea, and Norfolk Island pine:
Located on East 43rd Street, between First and Second Avenues, The Ford Foundation garden is open to the public weekdays from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. If you are in New York City, or planning a visit, do stop by. It's a lovely place for a little rest, and while not as good as a real vacation, you will leave feeling refreshed and happy.
