My City High Rise Garden

Susan Brownmiller transformed a Manhattan terrace into a working garden, documenting a decade of urban gardening experiments and experiences. Her memoir details the practical challenges and rewards of cultivating plants seventeen stories above the ground in New York City's challenging environment. The narrative follows her evolution from gardening novice to confident steward of a thriving aerial ecosystem. Through trial and error, she navigates issues of wind, weight restrictions, container selection, and plant choices while building her horticultural knowledge. This book merges personal storytelling with hands-on guidance, incorporating both the technical aspects of high-rise gardening and broader observations of urban life. The text speaks to themes of perseverance, adaptation, and finding connection to nature within dense cityscapes.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Susan Brownmiller's overall work: Readers consistently highlight Brownmiller's thorough research and documentation in "Against Our Will," with many noting its impact on their understanding of sexual violence. Multiple readers cite specific historical examples and legal analysis as strengths. What readers praise: - Detailed historical documentation - Clear writing style on complex topics - Personal accounts that support broader arguments - Comprehensive examination of rape across cultures Common criticisms: - Some readers find sections dated or oversimplified - Writing can be dense and academic - Critics note potential bias in historical interpretations - Some readers disagree with core premise about power dynamics Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (2,400+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (180+ ratings) "Against Our Will" receives strongest ratings among her works, while "Femininity" and "In Our Time" average 3.8-4.0. One reader notes: "Changed how I view gender relations and power structures." Another writes: "Important research but hard to get through some sections."

Urban Farming by Thomas J. Fox A guide to transforming small city spaces into productive gardens with methods for growing food in window boxes, rooftops, and balconies.

Vertical Gardening by Derek Fell The techniques and plant selections for growing upward in limited spaces turn walls and fences into gardens.

The Edible Balcony by Alex Mitchell Instructions for creating container gardens on balconies and small outdoor spaces with focus on vegetables, herbs, and fruits.

Small-Space Container Gardens by Fern Richardson Solutions for transforming urban patios, balconies, and small outdoor spaces into gardens with emphasis on design and plant selection.

The Rooftop Growing Guide by Annie Novak A manual for creating and maintaining rooftop gardens in urban environments with considerations for weight, wind, and building regulations.

🌿 Susan Brownmiller started her rooftop garden in Greenwich Village, Manhattan in 1989, transforming a previously empty 1,000-square-foot terrace into a lush urban oasis. 🏢 The garden sits atop a 20-story building, making it one of the highest private gardens in the neighborhood when the book was published. 🌺 Brownmiller, better known as a feminist author and journalist, documents the unique challenges of high-rise gardening, including dealing with intense winds and the logistics of getting soil and materials up to the roof. 🌱 The book chronicles 12 years of gardening successes and failures, including detailed accounts of growing more than 100 different plant species in containers. 📚 The author's previous works were primarily focused on social justice and feminist issues, making this gardening memoir a significant departure from her usual subject matter.