Welcome to the Water's Edge Garden

Welcome to the Water's Edge Garden. . , The Randall's Island Park Alliance invites you to explore one of the longest perennial gardens in New York City. Composed as an urban oasis, it features large drifts of ecologically-compatible plants, habitats promoting biodiversity, and plants with four-season interest. As you wander along the pathway, enjoy the beauty and artistry of our Water's Edge Garden.,

"Open space in the New York City of the 21st century is a rare and valuable resource. As residents of one of the world's largest cities, our connection to the natural environment is often limited. If we care for it well, Randall's Island Park will offer its expansive horizons to all New Yorkers for decades to come." , , Aimee Boden, RIPA President

, Discover , the design concepts behind the Water's Edge Garden , The Water's Edge Garden is designed to draw attention to the natural environment of Randall's Island Park. A touchstone for design was the light and movement of the adjacent Harlem River. Its ripples are echoed in large drifts of grasses and perennials, and the garden meanders in a curvilinear fashion, varying from six feet to twenty feet wide. Grasses provide a strong vertical visual element over the seasons, while perennials, many of which are native to North America, add sinuous flow, reflecting the shadows and light bouncing off the water; the movement of the flowers and seed heads add transparency., Learn , about the history of the Water's Edge Garden , The Randall's Island Park Alliance's Horticultural Department began designing and planting the Water's Edge Garden in 2006. In the years that followed, the ¾-mile-long garden was implemented in sections by volunteer groups, using locally-sourced plants and bulbs; to this day, volunteers contribute to its suitability. Over time, the garden evolved further, with additional shrubs and drought-tolerant plants. Naturalistic plantings now create a year-round immersive experience along the water's edge., In 2007, the Randall's Island Park Alliance's Water's Edge Garden won The Perennial Plant Association's Landscape Design Honor Award., Interpret , a variety of plants along the Water's Edge Garden , Stop along the way to read about native plants, sustainable practices and the history of plants in the Water's Edge Garden., Check the Randall's Island Park Alliance website (www.randallsisland.org) for tours of the Water's Edge Garden, as well as other natural areas at Randall's Island Park., Explore , the four-season Water's Edge Garden , Randall's Island Park is open 365 days a year, and the Water's Edge Garden offers something of interest every day. In addition to flowers during the high season, in the coder months the seed heads and foliage beckon with plumes, spires, buttons, globes and umbrellas. In summer the striking purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) welcomes visitors., By the fall, the beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma) offers clusters of violet-purple berries. In winter, the seed heads of the betony (Stachys monieri 'Hummelo') beckon, and the deep red berries of the winterberry (Ilex verticaillata) provide food for the Park's many birds.