Of all the private sites in Brooklyn there is one in particular that stands out as an extremely harsh environment all year long. With a northern exposure facing McCarren Park the planting bed in front of a modern co-op receives indirect sunlight all day long and is the unfortunate home of an incessant wind tunnel. The life of leaves are often determined by how well they are able to retain moisture and convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis. Intense wind decreases their moisture.
I decided that mid-winter would be the best time to assess how well the plants were holding out. The plant choices consisted of Ferns, Acubas, Ilex, Liriope, Hydrangeas, Azaleas, Red twig, and Birch trees.
Given the overwhelming size of the co-op, the rather tight planting space and the need to avoid window obstructions, creating a successful planting that wasn't dwarfed and insignificant was a real challenge. While some of the plants have wind-burned leaves, overall the planting looks healthy and successful. I would have chosen White Catawba rhododendron instead of Ilex and underplanted with lots of Japanese forest grass for its lime green, hardiness and yearlong swaying.
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