St. Benedict's Courtyard: Hidden Gem of a Garden: By Polly Guerin

Step down into St. Benedict's Courtyard Garden

In the cacophony of New York City there are some rare and wonderful places to visit, to stay, to pray, to meditate, to write by long hand and compose a poem, or write a play and maybe,  just maybe, you will throw off the mantle of stress and reclaim your composure and child-like-wonder personality.  
       That wonderful place is A HIDDEN GEM OF A GARDEN, St. Benedict's Courtyard. Enter at 222 W. 11th Street to St. John's in the Village hidden garden.  Open Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.. St. Benedict's invites all writers and would-be novelists to bring their laptops and let your mind create in this peaceful place. a story. Get inspired in this tranquil oasis where the metropolis melts away and the garden of serenity. 
Historical: The garden and parish was newsworthy. In a congratulatory article from 1927, the writer wrote, "On Waverly Place and West 11th Street, there stands a church in proud dignity. And well may it be proud, this church of St. John the Evangelist, tucked away, just off one of New York's busiest avenues, under its eyes it has seen the ugliness of the past give way to beauty, squalor of a bygone era to flowers and birds, song, and sunshine.
       

Friends Gather  to Relax and Quietly Converse

It was not so long ago that this church was was in danger of being swamped by teeming tenements, rundown apartment houses, and indifferent neighbors Bit by Bit its very life was being chocked. 
        The Rev. John A Wade, rector of the church, realized this and sought a way to remedy it. He conceived the idea of buying some of the surrounding property, of renovating the houses, of cleaning up the back yards. He was a visionary and he dreamt of a garden. 
       And that is how the garden began. A lot of neighborhood clean up. Paths were laid out, trees and shrubs planted, and today this
hidden garden of St. John's is not a secret anymore, but unique in the garden history of New York.
      THE JEFFERSON MARKET GARDEN  is also one of Greenwich Village's hidden treasures. Nestled in one of New York's busiest corners, 70 Greenwich Avenue. Treat yourself to the beauty, color and scents of the garden's peaceful oasis, adjacent to the historic Jefferson Library, a landmark, which in the old days was a women's prison.But that' another story of the long, long

which in the old days was a women's prison. But that's another story of the long, long ago.
       At a time when health advisories stress the importance of spending with nature these garden gems in New York City provide nourishment to the soul and mind
As they Say, "Get out and smell the roses." For that matter, wouldn't it be wonderful to learn more about planet earth and you may even cultivate interest in horticultural studies.
CREATE YOUR OWN MINIATURE GARDEN
      You can also create a miniature garden in a large bowl or anything that has (or can have) drainage holes, from a planter to an old pot.  To do: Pour gravel into the bottom of your planter and add soil, then plant greenery like succulent, mini cactus and jade plants. Now you can add personal accessories, available in craft stores, like miniature animals or even tiny fairies, toadstools, a small patriotic flag and even an itty-bitty umbrella like the ones used on flamboyant tropical drinks . Add mini furniture, like a small bench, where you can  vicariously sit and meditate or become dreamy and nostalgic. Remember to water your small garden of inspiration and pray with gratitude the best of every thing that makes your life meaningful and inspired. Share your joy each day, inspire others to appreciate nature and the gift of the garden.