Some time ago, I think after after a visit to the new native plants garden in the New York Botanical Garden located in the Bronx, I was inspired to try to create a wildflower garden in my neck of the woods. After some discussion of this idea with people in the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park (now Van Cortlandt Park Alliance), and our local Parks Department, Stephanie Thayer and I decided on a location for the project in a corner of Van Cortlandt Park. So, at her suggestion I applied for a grant to fund the project and much to my delight my grant application was accepted.
My goal now was to come up with flowers that would attract butterflies and birds to the location. I thought this particularly desirable as the site was right next to the children’s playground, and the children would surely enjoy seeing them.