Le Petit Versailles

One of the nice things that happened when we first started the garden was someone threw a note over the fence and the note said, “I’ve been living here a number of years and seen this blossom.” I don’t remember the exact words, but just that they really appreciated that someone was taking the trouble.  – Peter Cramer

Le Petit Versailles, A GreenThumb/NYC Parks Department Garden that began in 1996.  This 20 ‘ by 60′ garden with entrances on both Houston Street and Second Street was created by Peter Cramer and Jack Waters on the site of a former ·chop shop.” It is appropriate that a stage dominates the garden because the gardeners are committed to providing a space for performers, filmmakers, and visual artists to show their work. A narrow brick path slopes down from the Houston Street entrance and splits to circle the low wooden platform that serves as a stage. Narrow beds filled with shrubs, perennials. vines, and annuals border the walls of the adjacent buildings. The path continues through an arbor covered seating area, to the gate on Second Street. Le Petit Versailles is a project of Allied Productions, a not-for- profit arts organization, and has an active performance and exhibit schedule during the summer months.