Stephen Howe and Michaela Harkins are checking on the marigolds, Black-eyed Susans, zinnias and other colorful flowers they are growing on a sunny, Sunday afternoon.
The Downtown Jersey City couple are growing their flowers in the Brunswick Community Garden on Brunswick Street this year. The garden is two lots on Brunswick Street adjacent to the Sixth Street Embankment that total one-10th of an acre, and is one of two community gardens in Jersey City.
Howe, who works for a Manhattan publishing company, and Harkins, who works in a software firm, decided not to do the usual planting of tomatoes or strawberries. Instead, they embarked upon an unusual planting based on a confluence of their respective interests.
“It’s a little life beyond our bricks and concrete.” – Stephen Howe
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“It’s really challenging and fun,” Harkins said. “Actually, every time we’re here, someone will come in and we can tell them that plants are more than just vegetables you grow.”
Howe said this planting of flowers goes beyond just mere gardening.
“I find it very exciting,” Howe said. “It’s a little life beyond our bricks and concrete.”
A flowering preoccupation
Growing the flowers is a process that actually starts in February in their Coles Street home; all except the Black-eyed Susans are grown from seeds.
Then those flowers are transferred to the garden once the weather warms up in April.
The couple maintains a plot, one of 50 members who plant in the garden.
Planting the Black-Eyed Susans (aka sunflowers) means harvesting black seeds that are then soaked in water to create black dye. Marigolds, dahlias and other flowers can be dried and boiled to get green, yellow, and brown colors. And there is a seemingly endless supply of flowers.
“The more you pluck the flowers, the more you get.” Howe said.
Harkins said the garden has helped her change her view of flowers as just something pretty to look at.
“You learn there are other things you can do with plants,” Harkins said. “Next time, when you walk down the street, you will see a Cosmos [a flower] growing and say ‘I can grow that and get color’.”
Harkins sees this first year as an “experiment” but has larger plans in the future.
“What I would really love to do is to teach people how to do this,” Harkins said. “We have an outdoor space and we could have classes.”
Among those appreciating Howe and Harkins efforts is fellow gardener Barbara Landes, who is growing her garlic in close proximity to the couple’s flower bed.
“I love what they are doing and I want to see it grow,” Landes said.
Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonrreporter.com.