A Landscape Designer Visits The High Line

by Ben Bowen

NYC's High Line Park

The High Line (also known as the High Line Park) is a 1.45-mile-long New York City linear park built in Manhattan on an elevated section of a disused New York Central Railroad spur called the West Side Line.
— Wikipedia

I was in New York last week with a packed schedule that left little time for sight seeing. However, I did get to visit two very different parks- The High Line and The Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Let's talk about High Line today.

Being late fall I was a little worried that the garden would be dormant. After all, New York gets significantly colder than Portland. However, the park was still beautiful, for two reasons:

One, the weather has been unusually warm this fall. It has been so warm that some plants were confused and had new blooms ready to pop. 

Second, the park was masterfully designed to be enjoyable year round. The masses of grasses turning brown and leafless maples were beautiful. And while the park initially gave the impression it was going to sleep, it changes as you walk. 

Planting themes gradually change. At the outset you might feel like you are in natural meadow. But walk a few minutes and it dawns on you that you are now in a miniature woodland garden. It made the walk an easy pleasure.

The garden is an amazing concept. The views of the city are just as engaging as the garden itself. Purely as a garden it is interesting, but not overwhelming. If you look for a garden to humble you with natural beauty, this won't make your top 10. But as an experience? I highly recommend it!

Have you visited the High Line? Let me know what you thought in the comments below.

Pictures of the High Line:

A beautiful fall day in NYC

A beautiful fall day in NYC