Bronx Garden no Ode to Poet Longfellow or to its community

As reported in the New York Daily News, Foxhurst residents lament the lost of a once beautiful garden.  East 165th street, Longfellow Avenue, and Lowell Street border the Longfellow Garden. The Bronx garden was named in honor of a notable American Poet of the 19^th century, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882).

The Garden has been closed over a decade due to unsafe conditions from sink holes.  Community members and leaders want the Parks Dept. to resolve these unsafe conditions and restore the Garden to its past glory.

Its been proven that gardens can provide a healing environment.  Therefore a dead garden negatively impacts it’s surrounding’s and also negatively affects the moods of nearby residents.  As stated in the article, Aida Forrest, 69, said: “it is sad seeing it like this”.

Perhaps Longfellow’s poetic lines should be included in a discussion with the Parks Dept.

“Kind hearts are the gardens, Kind thoughts are the roots, Kind words are the flowers, Kind deeds are the fruits, Take care of your garden And keep out the weeds, Fill it with sunshine, Kind words, and Kind deeds.”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882);