September 10, 2025
The one thousand Carolina rose bushes in Quarry Park bloomed in June and their scent drifted throughout the park! They commemorate the thousand rose bushes in Arthur and Alice Langmuir’s original 1934 Quarry Park. The roses have matured enough for the deer fencing along the cliffs to be removed for a better appearance and also to make weeding easier. More work is underway to clear out the invasive mugwort that stubbornly refuses to leave the roses alone!
Aggressive weed control was undertaken this summer and invasives like mugwort, knotweed and phragmites have been greatly reduced. The park has been re-seeded with native meadow grasses and native perennial wildflowers. A big thanks to Hastings Parks which has put up fencing along the paths with signs enlisting the support of park users to stay off of the newly seeded areas while they grow over the course of the summer. The “low mow” areas, at the top of the Terrace Grove in the center of the park and in the Grass Amphitheater at the southern end, are still available to the public.
It normally takes a few seasons for native meadows to become established and thrive. Once established, the perennial wildflowers and native grasses, swaying the breeze, will welcome visitors with a colorful display. Quarry Park, located on the Old Croton Aqueduct and in one of the most densely populated areas of Hastings, is an example of a public space that is landscaped in tune with the environment and it provides a chance to pause and catch a breath in nature.
Below is a chart of the new native seedlings that have already begun to sprout at the park. Milkweed, so important for Monarch butterflies, has also been included. The selection of seeds has been made with an eye towards visual interest in the park in all seasons as well as support for pollinators—bees, birds and other wildlife. The park participates in Hastings Pollinator Pathway.
(Click below image to view larger)
Meanwhile, on the Wooded Bluff . . .
We applaud the Village of Hastings for its successful application for grants which will be used to protect and restore the health of the little forest on the elevated Wooded Bluff, at the north end of the park, sitting high above the quarry floor. It is a woodsy area that many park users enjoy and an important feature of both Quarry Park and the adjoining western part of Draper Park. This area also contributes greatly to walkability in the village, allowing people to walk from the Burke Estate, to Draper Park, through Quarry Park to the Aqueduct and down the Quarry Railroad Trail to land at Warburton Ave. or Southside Ave. and the Hastings waterfront.
Under the terms of the grant, invasives will be removed, new native trees will be planted and access to the area will be improved. The new trees on the bluff will augment the 51 new trees already planted in Quarry Park, which include native maples, beech, birch and dogwood. The grant has also allowed the village to retain an arborist who will develop a plan for the little forest and oversee its implementation
Friends of Quarry Park is looking forward to a long planned scenic overlook and seating area at the high point on the bluff with fine views of the Hudson River. More on this soon!
Big thanks to everyone who stopped by our table at Spring Thing in Hastings on June 8. We shared a table with Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct. It was great to chat with everyone and get your impressions and feedback about the park and your generous donations will go towards the ongoing improvement of Quarry Park.
