Red Gate Garden

AUTHOR/PHOTOGRAPHER Eliza Starbuck

I'd never seen a lantern flower before.

It never ceases to amaze me that after 10 years of living in the same neighborhood in Brooklyn, I’m still discovering new things! Today for instance, I was strolling around the track with my sister in McCarren Park in Williamsburg when I noticed a peculiar, lovely little clump of woodland trees, gated by an odd little rickety fence.

Fig tree, pepper and tomato plans behind me.

Behind the fence appeared to be a secret garden. Peering in I spied shady woodland ferns and wild flowers, fig and cherry trees, antique birdbaths, a tiny vegetable garden and neat little paths.

Meredith Chelsney of Mousey Brown Salon was working as a volunteer gardener there, watering the plants and chastising the soccer players who couldn’t seem to distinguish the fence from a fire hydrant. She invited us in to take a look and I was instantly reminded of my childhood growing up in the wild woodlands. I used to run around barefoot, so naturally I took off my shoes in this garden to remind myself of the feeling of cool, dry soil between my feet. Ah, what a marvelous feeling!