SHAKESPEARE GARDEN: CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK

 

"Of all the flowers, methinks a rose is best."

William Shakespeare, 

The Two Noble Kinsmen

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹 

When I was a young girl, 

one of the first novels I read was 

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn.

As a teenager, I didn't pick up on the symbolism 

that the characters in the book

fought for air and sunlight in order to survive,

just like trees and flowers do.

 My main takeaway from the book

was that Brooklyn and the whole of New York City

was one big slab of cement, devoid of trees.

 

That imagery stayed with me 

until the first time I visited Manhattan

after reading that book,

when the sight of trees lining the sidewalks truly surprised me.

What the WHAT?
There are trees here???

I had never paid attention before.

 

Many, many years later, 

I discovered that the Big Apple, while not exactly  a green apple,

does have its share of tranquil natural spaces

in the midst of all that concrete.

 

Granted, you've got to seek out 

many of these hidden oases in Manhattan......... 

It's not like you'll trip over them while running down 

Lexington  Avenue to catch the bus.

Surely, I wouldn't advise Romeo and Juliet to rent an Airbnb 

in the East Village if they were looking for a romantic getaway

wherefore art thou'd feel one with nature.......

 

Nor, to thine own self would I not be true,

if I called NYC a sleepy, lush and leafy Hamlet........

 

But, perhaps Othello might feel a sense of calm

 if he found himself amidst the hidden oasis

tucked away in Central Park called Shakespeare Garden.

 

 

I'd heard of Shakespeare Garden, but had never been.

After an appointment in Manhattan earlier this week,

my camera and I set out to find it.

 

 I was worried that Shakespeare Garden 

would turn out to be Much Ado About Nothing........

 However, it did not disappoint.

In fact, it was an absolute delight.

Methinks I could have been in an English cottage garden,

on  the grounds of Downton Abbey.

If Lady Grantham came out to greet me, 

I would not have been surprised. 

 

A wee bit of history........

The gardens were first planted in 1912,

but were not named and dedicated to William Shakespeare 

until 1916,

when plantings in the garden became more focused on 

flowers appearing in his literature. 

Today, the garden covers a four-acre space of

densely planted trees, shrubs, flowers and herbs. 

 

You can find Shakespeare Garden

by accessing the E.79th Street entrance on the east side, or  W.81st Street on the west side.

It is just south of Belvedere Castle and Turtle Pond

( we will tour these spots together in my next post).

 

 

The garden is in close proximity to the Delacorte Theater,

an outdoor venue which is home to 

Shakespeare In The Park.

Theatrical productions run from July through mid-September, 

and are free to the public. 

Would it not be a Midsummer Night's Dream 

to attend a sunset performance? 

 

 

And now, I will let you wander through the gardens 

on your own, As You Like It,

to  linger as long or as little as you want.

 

Keep an eye out for the bronze plaques 

with quotes from Shakespeare about certain plants.

If you need a rest, have a seat on one of 

the  wooden benches within the garden. 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

I hope you'll plan a visit to Shakespeare Garden 

on your next visit to New York City.

Although spring and summer are best for obvious reasons,

apparently, there is always something blooming in the garden,

even if it's under the snow. 

 

All's Well That Ends Well,

don't you agree?

Till next time.......

For more information about Shakespeare Garden,

click here.

 "Say Yes" To Bethesda Fountain 

 

 Autumn Afternoon In Central Park

 

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Our World Tuesday