The Elevated Acre ~ A "Secret Garden" in Lower Manhattan

In the Financial District of Manhattan, amongst all of these tall office buildings on Water Street, is probably the last place you would expect to find a garden, but at 55 Water Street, between Old Slip and Broad Street, there is a "secret garden" waiting to be discovered .....

..... go to this space between the buildings and look for these........

....escalators and stairs that will take you up two levels to see this:

It is called the Elevated Acre, described as "Lower Manhattan's backyard for special events where outdoor elegance meets downtown chic."

Located 40 feet in the air, and surrounded by skyscrapers on three sides, the Elevated Acre is a beautiful and unique venue for a garden.

Visitors are greeted by a gently inclined surface........

.......dotted with honey locust and black locust trees, ornamental grasses and flowers.......

....and multiple little paths and alcoves with benches to sit on to rest and enjoy the peacefulness.

At the top of the incline is a boardwalk, paralleling the East River, made of broad planks of Brazilian hardwood. From the boardwalk there are beautiful panoramic views of New York Harbor from the Brooklyn Bridge to Governors Island.

Here you can see a good panoramic view of the East River and Brooklyn Heights. In this photo a Circle Line tour boat and a Water Taxi can be seen.

Besides watching the active East River water traffic you can also watch the helicopters landing at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport located on Pier 6.

The boardwalk leads up to a modern 50 foot LED lantern, called the Beacon of Progress, at the far corner of the plaza.

At the other end of the acre is a seven-tiered concrete amphitheater forming an L around a large lawn blanketed in an artificial grass made by Field Turf which makes it a permanent green space. This space has table and chairs available for public picnicking use, and it can be rented for private parties and receptions, and has been used for free outdoor movie nights and concerts.

But besides the views, the very best part of the Elevated Acre is that it is a quiet oasis full of beautifully maintained fauna and flora.

It is truly an unexpected garden to find in Lower Manhattan, and because it is so secluded from the street, it is still relatively unknown, to even native New Yorkers.

In my next blog post I'll show you another unexpected surprise on a building on Water Street in Manhattan. Mother nature abounds in unexpected places in New York City, and I hope you will come back to see some more examples.

I am linking this post to Susan's blog A Southern Daydreamer "Outdoor Wednesday" theme event. Please visit Susan's blog today to see links to other blogs beautiful outdoor posts. Thank you, Susan, for hosting this enjoyable event every week!