The spring equinox might not be arriving for another month, but Madison Square Park’s bulbs are already preparing for warmer weather. Maybe Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow earlier this month, but six more weeks of winter do not seem to be on the agenda this year.

“Sunlight on Twenty-third Street” by Jorge Colombo

“Jaume Plensa Echo, cast in polyester resin, fiberglass, and marble dust, commissioned by the Madison Square Park Conservancy in New York. Photography: Alex Stikhin”

Evergreen plants have been revered in temperate zones throughout history as symbols of hope, strength and everlasting life. So, it’s no surprise that these persistent plants are present in various cultures. Every year during the Holidays in Mad. Sq. Park, we decorate with a large evergreen tree and garland. This year we even added some evergreen boughs to add a bit more color to a washed out winter environment. These cultural decorations may hold different meanings for everyone, but no one can deny the agelessness of an evergreen plant, nor can they deny them as a symbol that spring will bring green yet again.

In temperate climates, broad leaves are both a blessing and a curse for plants. The high surface area found on broad leaf plants allow greater room for photosynthesis, and detrimentally, a greater area for desiccation during periods of freezing and drought. Those of you who were able to visit the New York Botanic Garden, after 2011′s October snow storm, will agree that trees can have structural difficulties in supporting the weight of snow along with a limb full of leaves. These reasons, among others, have caused many broad leaf plants in our climate to lose their leaves in the fall and re-sprout them in the spring when growing conditions are more favorable.

Despite the cold weather limitations to having leaves, not all plants have been forced to lose their leaves for the winter. Evergreen plants have evolved and even produced several advantages over their deciduous relatives. For example, producing an entirely new set of leaves consumes a lot of energy. The energy stored from the previous growing season needs to be accessed while water and nutrients need to be readily available. Also, growing new leaves can be a lengthy process for plants, especially when growing seasons are short. Evergreen plants have the advantage of photosynthesizing as soon as the ground thaws.

Evergreen plants are also well adapted to low nutrient levels because of their leaves’ retention of nutrients. Mountain laurels, Rhododendrons and Pines can be found thriving in highly acidic soils in the northeast. Soil acidity can negatively affect plant nutrient availability, making these soils ideal for evergreen vegetation. Evergreen leaf litter has a higher carbon-nitrogen ratio than deciduous leaf litter and it tends to acidify the soil over time, making survival more difficult for deciduous plants in the same area. Places like the New Jersey Pine Barrens are prime examples of this phenomenon.

Some evergreen plants have evolved to produce needle like leaves. These leaves have strong advantages over broad leaf plants in cold environments. The narrow shape of the leaves limits transpiration. Additionally, these leaves have low sap levels which help prevent damage during freezing temperatures. Finally, the waxy leaves on evergreen plants protect the plant from desiccating when temperatures are freezing or water is scarce.

The conical shape of pines and hollies helps the plants against snow weight. Snow is more likely to slide off branches rather than build up and break under the weight of snow and ice. The shape is also beneficial during photosynthesis. Leaves and branches at the top of the plant are the newest and are the most productive at producing energy. As the tree grows, less sunlight reaches the needles on the lower parts of the tree. The tree sheds these branches as they become unproductive.

Evergreen plants do replace their leaves gradually throughout the year. Some evergreens retain their leaves for only a few months while others like the Bristlecone Pine, wait up to thirty years before replacing their needles. Needless to say, evergreen tendencies are not only limited to woody plans. Herbaceous plants may retain their leaves to protect their crowns from extreme winter conditions.

So next time you take a look at a holly or pine, remember that the ageless beauty of these plants did not come easily. Many well designed adaptations were made in order for evergreens to become the symbol of hope and strength that they are today.

Enjoying the balmy weather,

Gardener Steph

As stated in an earlier post, we have a new resident in Madison Square Park, and the pigeons and squirrels are not happy about it. Red-tailed Hawks are one of the most common birds of prey in North America, inhabiting open country, woodlands, prairies, mountains, plains and of course the occasional bustling metropolis. While it was first believed that there was one Hawk in the park, we now suspect that there might actually be two of these majestic raptors flying about. The Hawks that favor our park are known in scientific circles as Buteo jamaicensis. A young female is often seen hunting during the day while shots of a larger male have been snagged by the Gothamist.

Some park goers are naming the female ‘Luna’ because she was first seen hunting one morning with a full moon as her backdrop. Luna’s tail might not look very red, but this is common, as individuals of this species show great variation in feather patterning and coloration across the U.S., and may or may not have the famous red tail that denotes its common name.

Red-tailed Hawks are slower and larger than many of their Hawk relatives, relying on insanely strong eyesight and stealth to snatch prey, making the kill almost instantly with their sharp talons. Hawks can lift approximately half of their body weight, so heavier prey is eaten on the ground as long as no imminent danger is lurking. Normally they will then fly up into a tree to devour their meal.  Being generalized hunters, they will gladly snack on any small animal that they take a fancy to, including mice, rats, pigeons and of course…the plump Mad. Sq. Squirrels.

Last winter there were no Hawk sightings in Mad. Sq. Park, I believe, owing to the tremendous snow cover that blanketed the park. These conditions make it extremely difficult to locate prey that generally burrows, so it is likely that several birds of prey migrated to warmer or at least less snowy areas.

Some people express chagrin when they see a bird of prey killing and eating a smaller animal, and bemoan the loss of life. However, they should take a moment to think about the natural rhythms of life to which the whole world is bound. So I suggest that we all just try to enjoy being able to witness this interesting and, yes… majestic creature while it shares the beautiful park with us.

For more information on Buteo jamaicensis, check out this site, where you can even listen to a Red Tail hawk let forth one of its world famous, ear piercing screams! Or, submit a caption for Luna in the New York Time’s Caption Contest.

Happily playing in the dirt,

Gardener Matthew and Steph

Published: January 18, 2012

How many stores do you have in the US?

We currently have 3 stores in the US: our first, official – and newly opened – flagship in the Flatiron district, a shop on Third Avenue and 73^rd in NYC and another one in Cambridge, MA. We also have a concept store in Vancouver and launched our first US ecommerce site, Marimekko.com, in July. Lastly, we have in-store shops at 7 Crate & Barrel locations and a webstore on Crate&Barrel.com

What drew you to open your flagship store in this neighborhood?

We were absolutely drawn to the people who make up a very special community within the city. The park was a significant part of the decision as it creates a sense of togetherness. It joins those who live and work in the area as well as visitors from all parts of the city and beyond.

Your storefront is so bright and vibrant. How have you utilized your space?

The storefront was created to serve as an invitation for passersby to come in and share in the creativity of Marimekko. Marimekko is about design, first and foremost. We enjoy the customer’s participation in the brand and encourage it in a space that allows them to “wander”.

What message are you trying to send with the design of your space?

The design is a mixture of cool and warmth. We provide the space to move so that the customer can experience the design of Marimekko’s print and pattern across all of its wonderful products.

How has the experience been opening your store just outside of Madison Square Park?

The MSP Conservancy has so warmly welcomed us to the neighborhood. We have been given the opportunity to share in the amazing events that the people of the community and surrounding areas have come to know and enjoy. The Park has truly been an integral part of the flagship opening and success.

How would you describe Marimekko to someone who hasn’t been in your store?

Marimekko is an experience in inspired textile design from Finland. Each print is designed by an artist who has a story of inspiration to tell.  All of the products are designed with the inspiration of these prints and patterns in mind. Marimekko reaches out and asks you to participate in life.

What would you say are your best selling items?

Fabrics, kitchen and tabletop, and apparel.

How did you get involved with Madison Square Park Conservancy?

We loved the sense of community that the park provided the minute we stood in the middle of the fountain plaza. The Park offers a cultural experience with its art exhibits and myriad of interesting events – and we wanted to be a part of it. Debbie and her staff were the “Welcome Wagon” for Marimekko and we felt immediately at home.

What type of events have you participated in?

Mad. Sq. Eats, Mad. Sq. Music: The Studio Series, Fall Kids Fest and  Mad. Sq. Holiday

What has been your favorite event?

Mad. Sq. Eats. The name of our ceramics collection is “In Good Company” and Mad. Sq. Eats represented that to us in spirit. We loved having our umbrellas and tablecloths enrich the setting of great food, conversation and outdoor enjoyment.

Tell us about the event you hosted for Mad. Sq. Holiday.

We are thrilled to bring the art of Gingerbread decorating to the youth – both in body and in spirit – in the Park. We had all the makings needed to create your own special gingerbread doll. Guests were encouraged to bring their decorated gingerbread into the store for some admiration…and a special surprise..

Any last things you believe the Mad. Sq. Park community should know about Marimekko?

Marimekko encourages people from every walk of life to participate fully in life. We love to bring great design in color to help inspire people to be creative…

Commencing Mad. Sq. Holiday, the New York Life Singers sang familiar tunes as crowds gathered around the Holiday tree. MSPC’s President Debbie Landau welcomed our friends and neighbors, and introduced our sponsors for the evening.  Hill Country Chicken and Barbecue Market provided free homemade gingerbread squares and warm spiced cider, while Marimekko hosted their D.I.Y. gingerbread decorating activity.

The lighting countdown began with the help of MSPC’s President Debbie Landau and Manhattan Borough Chief of Operations Namshik Yoon. Namshik and several neighborhood children flipped the ceremonial switch and officially lighted the Mad. Sq. Park tree. The Holiday tree gleamed in a sheath of rain with brightly lit multicolor lights as kid’s rockers Audra Rox jammed the evening to an end.

Thank you again to all who attended, sponsored and performed for this annual event.  The Holiday tree will be up until January 1, 2012. We welcome you to stop by!

2011 Mad. Sq. Holiday sponsors:

Walgreens, Marimekko, Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership, The New York City Parks and Recreation Department, Hill Country Chicken, and Hill Country Barbecue Market

]]> http://www.madisonsquarepark.org/news/holiday-tree-lighting-recap/feed 0 http://www.madisonsquarepark.org/news/blog/schnippers-teams-up-with-mspc http://www.madisonsquarepark.org/news/blog/schnippers-teams-up-with-mspc#comments Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:14:05 +0000 eric http://www.madisonsquarepark.org/?p=10606 Read more]]> Schnipper’s Quality Kitchen is Madison Square Park’s newest culinary neighbor. Schnipper’s recently provided a delicious lunch of Bobby Flay’s Throwdown famous sloppy joes, sinful macaroni and cheese and more to the Credit Suisse volunteers who decorated the Park for Mad. Sq. Holiday. A few days before, co-owner Andrew Schnipper sat down with Madison Square Park Conservancy to answer a few questions.

How long have you been open at this location?

We opened up this location on September 23rd. So if I’m not mistaken we are in our 9th or 10th week.

How has your experience been so far?

It’s been great. We love the neighborhood. For every restaurant that I’ve ever owned, every neighborhood is a little different; the people are a little different. And I’d never say I’ve ever operated in a neighborhood that is difficult, but this neighborhood is particularly fantastic. The people are very friendly, very supportive. We’ve had a lot of well wishes come in. People seem to like what we’re doing, so all around the experience has been great. We’re busy, we’re happy. It’s good all around.

What drew you to this area?

We’ve been enamored with this area. My brother and I both live in NYC. So we spent a lot of time in different parts of the city, including Flatiron. I can remember when Madison Square Park was nothing like it is today. Which isn’t that long ago. We just found ourselves spending more and more time down here on a personal level. Whether it was shopping, dining – there are fantastic restaurants, spending some time in the park, I’ve brought my kids down here on numerous occasions. We really like the area a lot. We can really see that it’s dynamic. It looks like its only getting better. I know people always wonder what that means, because it’s not bad by any means. It’s fantastic already. Its just getting more developed. There seems to be more retail and more restaurants. From a business standpoint there’s a lot of traffic down here. We look for different types of traffic patterns, everything from workers to tourists to neighborhood businesses and shoppers. There’s a lot of over that overlapping in this one little piece of Manhattan. We’re really happy to be here.

What do you enjoy about working near Madison Square Park?

The great thing is being able to get out and take a walk. We opened in September and we were building through the summer, so we got a chance to spend time in the Park. The transportation is quite easy here, also. We own another restaurant in Times Square so it’s very easy for me to get there; it’s equally easy to get up and down from the Upper East Side. Besides that, whenever I need to run an errand it’s very often in this neighborhood. Whether it’s in paragon whether we’re running to Eataly to bring something home for the family. Whatever the case might be, there is just so much here.

What is Schnipper’s known for?

For a variety of different things, our specialty is really our burgers. Burgers are something that we put a lot of emphasis on. They are surely the item we sell the most of, but having said that we are pretty well know for our sloppy joe as well. We did a Throwdown with Bobby Flay on the Food Network about two years ago, which was a lot of fun and brought a lot of fame to our sloppy joe. My brother has probably worked on the recipe since the time our mother made them for us as a kid and he has dramatically improved upon it. It’s something we sell a lot of. Something that surprised us is that we sell a lot of salads and sandwiches. To some degree what we are selling is an experience. We’re serving American classic foods that are made the right way. There is nothing that is an afterthought if it’s on the menu. It’s meant to be fantastic. Its meant to be the way you would want it made or the way you would make it at home. The burgers are probably the number one thing we sell, but everything else is not far behind.

You’re providing lunch for some volunteers in Mad. Sq. Park this Friday. Is this your first experience working with the Mad. Sq. Community and what interested you in this opportunity?

It is our first experience, being newcomers to the neighborhood. A big attraction for us, and I think a big attraction for a lot of people coming to this area is the park. So operating a retail business in the neighborhood, I think supporting the park is great. I think the Park has changed this entire neighborhood. I don’t think the entire area would be what it is, if you were to take the park away from it. You can’t disassociate it. So the park to me is very essential to this Schnipper’s location because obviously we are looking to build our business. I think the people that are working in the park do such a fantastic job of up-keeping it, maintaining it. I can only imagine how hard the work is – it is a public park and a lot of people go through it, so I’m sure that a lot of work goes into it to make it look as great as it does. As far as providing food to the volunteers – we’re in the holiday season and I think everyone volunteering to decorate the park is just so great that we wanted to be a part of it.

Anything Else you would like to add?

We’re thrilled to be here and we’re looking forward to many years of working with the conservancy. I don’t know if the park can get any better, but I’m sure you’re working on it.

We’re definitely working on it! Thank you so much for sitting down with us and we look forward to working with you as well.

To make a donation over the phone call 212.325.1428

To mail in a check donation open and print our ANNUAL APPEAL, complete and mail with a check to Madison Square Park Conservancy -

Madison Square Park Conservancy
Eleven Madison Avenue, 28th Floor
New York, NY 10010