Victory in the Fenway

Landscape architect Toby Wolf talks about the Dewey raised beds and rain garden in parcel 22.

A small group of hardy gardeners joined FGS President Mike Mennonno and Landscape Architect Toby Wolf, designer of Rose Kennedy Greenway parcels 18, 19, 21 and 22, for an insider’s tour of the Greenway yesterday afternoon, overcast and windy though the weather was.



One of the challenges of a lean, linear urban park is creating landscapes that beckon us with a sense of mystery, without seeming dangerous.

Toby discussed the various challenges (bureaucratic and environmental) of the sites as well as the many innovations they’ve inspired.  Attendees poked around the now lush parcels and shared their own knowledge of horticulture and landscaping throughout the two-hour tour.

At times discussion got “geeky”, with some in-depth explanation of materials engineered specifically for the site’s unique challenges.  The desire for trees in a park with a highway running underneath demanded some engineering solutions. 

The tour ended up at the Harbor Park Pavilion, the roof of which is designed to recycle rainwater.



A big thank you to Toby and all who attended!