First frost fallout on 1st Avenue

Photos and text courtesy of Karen Hatch, Donald Davis and Kelley Ryan 

This tree (a Japanese pagoda tree, per NYC Tree Map) on First Avenue between 10th and 11th chose the first hard frost Thursday night to drop the bulk of its leaves onto the sidewalk and bike path.

The above-ground parts of the hairy vetch winter cover plants at 97 St. Mark's Place also took a hit. 

The mycorrhizal fungi underground, however, are still doing their thing — transporting and communicating as they will into next spring, when the vetch bloom.

Protection for a tree garden on St. Mark's Place

Photos by Donald Davis

This past weekend, Boyd constructed an elaborate medieval fence on one of the adopted tree garden plots outside 99 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue.

The fence is to help remind dog walkers and people looking for a place to sit that every garden space is precious...