In the midst of this crisis, it can be easy to forget about sustainability and new beginnings. But spring is the time to do just that. Plants that have laid dormant through the cold winter months are waking up and pushing through the dirt to say hello. Watching Washington Square Park bloom is a breathtaking sight; one that starts with daffodils and cherry blossoms and extends all the way into late fall with windflowers and carpet roses.

A beautiful coneflower in bloom

But the growth this season has an extra touch of excitement for the horticulture team at Washington Square Park. Last year, they decided to try something new, and introduced germinating seeds to the Park. It’s an exciting step in the long term sustainability of the plantings in the Park. While many of the plants currently growing are perennials ー meaning they grow back year after year ーthey don’t produce viable seeds. While the plants grow larger and larger, they don’t spread, and require manual intervention from the gardeners to produce a new plant. Some hybrid plants in the Park produce viable seeds, but that’s like playing a game of roulette since something entirely different from the mother plant can grow when that seed finally sprouts.
The varieties of germinating seeds introduced to the Park, including those for coneflower (Echinacea) and wild ginger (Asarum canadense) will not just grow big and beautiful. Their seeds will spread and start new, wonderfully predictable, plants of the same variety as the parent. They’ll help the Park become even more lush and thriving, without additional intervention from the horticulture team. It will take a couple more seasons before we see the full results, but the wait will be well worth it!