Save The Crazy Garden

The garden sits on a small sliver of land carved out on the south lawn of Bellevue Hospital, flanked by the main hospital building. It covers approximately 15,000 square feet. Part of it is cultivated in vegetables, much of it in flowers; its paths are created from mosaics and stones, heavily accented with found objects that have emotional weight to those who most often frequent the garden. It was created and is maintained by the poor and homeless patients that Bellevue serves. Naturally, something so beautiful and fragile is always under threat of destruction. In this case, Bellevue endeavors to eliminate the garden and replace it with about 265 parking spaces. I'm sure that such a thing wouldn't be done without a long and careful assessment of the situation. Yeah. But my visceral reaction is the most important thing for everyone to consider. And this pisses me off. If the addicts and nut jobs need a place to enjoy the wonders of nature in the concrete jungle of New York City, then they should have it. I mean, come on Bellevue mucky-mucks, have a heart. A heart, I tells ya!

So sit on your ass and visit http://www.saveourgarden.org. And then get off your ass and go to the community board meeting at NYU Medical Center (530 First Avenue, near 32nd Street) on Wednesday, June 14, to support the crazies and volunteers who will lobby for the garden's protection.

The go home a have a cookie. A big one.