Berlin: Deborah gardens in a Neukölln courtyard

It was at an edible urban plants walk (led by artist Karola Schlegelmilch seven years ago) that I first met Deborah S. Phillips, an artist based in Berlin-Neukölln. Since then our paths have crossed regularly; we seem to share a lot of different interests besides plants, such as visual art and translation. After attending our plant discussion in Lichtenberg, Deborah sent this photo of her courtyard, which she’s been caring for. More about that and many other things on her blog: http://deborahsp.wordpress.com

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Tagebuch unserer Residenz (Diary of our Reisdency), Lichtenberg Studios

(For the English version, click “read more” and scroll down)

Forschungs-Spaziergänge am See, um den Bahnhof Lichtenberg, in Parks und in einem Friedhof. Unsere Woche als Künstlerinnen in Residenz in Lichtenberg Studios war unglaublich voll und ging zu schnell zu Ende. Am Freitag, ein paar Tage vor der Abreise, haben wir zu einer Kunstveranstaltung und Prämiere eines Kurzfilms, der in diesem kürzen aber intensiven Zeitraum in Lichtenberg entstanden ist, die Öffentlichkeit eingeladen.

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A Lichtenberg Herbarium

While walking nearby the Lichtenberg S-Bahn station today we wondered at the abundance and variety of wild blooms and came home with a notebook full of pressed plant specimens. We’ve been seeing this common daisy blanketing green spaces (both planned and rogue) throughout the borough.

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Collecting specimens in Berlin-Lichtenberg

Berlin is in full bloom. Spring started early this year, so now, in mid-May, we are finding the city’s green spaces and empty lots covered in foliage, wildflowers and interesting weeds. On yesterday’s walks (to forage elderflowers near the residency studio, and later exploring Karlshorst with its allotment gardens and green spaces around the racetrack), we found ourselves interested in the specific plants we encountered, and collected some specimens.

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First walk in Lichtenberg, with nettles and a rainbow

We made our first urban plant expedition in Lichtenberg today. Yesterday, Sara and I moved into the Lichtenberg Studios in Berlin where we are in residence this week. Our first order of business today was to explore the neighborhood on foot and see what kind of plants, parks, flower shops, green spaces and other urban nature we might find. Here are some of the things we saw, smelled, observed, tasted…

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Looking forward to Lichtenberg / dance party!

In just a couple days, Sara will arrive in Berlin on for our one-week residency in Lichtenberg. This morning, I picked up the studio keys and took the opportunity to scout out the area for interesting plants. Here are a few things I saw. It looks like we’ll find plenty to explore! So stop by the blog: we’ll be posting about what we find, and where we’ll be working in public spaces around the district.

Also, an interesting Part 2 has just been added to our event next Friday…

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Live in Berlin: an evening with Urban Plants

We have news! In a few weeks, Sara will be traveling from New York to join me for a mini artist residency at Berlin’s Lichtenberg Studios. For one week, we will be exploring the urban plants and people of Lichtenberg, one of the city’s quieter, more old-school districts where the East Berlin atmosphere still lingers.

We warmly invite you to join us on the evening of May 23… 

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Plants in the art of Florian Bong-Kil Grosse

Last week, I saw this photo at Tête, an artist-run gallery in Berlin. It’s part of an exhibition of new work by Florian Bong-Kil Grosse and Unn Fahlstrøm, on view through Sunday. Though Florian’s work in the show is not primarily about plants — it is a series of observations about the way people live in Korean cities — in several images, the photographer’s eye for plants is clear.

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Wild garlic in Berlin: it’s Bärlauch time again

Since spring is so early this year in Berlin, the Bärlauch (wild garlic) is already at the height of its season here. We went foraging yesterday at the Volkspark Pankow. Some Bärlauch tips I’ve posted earlier:

• Take an edible herb walk in Berlin: Post 1, Post 2
• Recipe ideas for Bärlauch (sandwiches, barley risotto)

What spring vegetables and fruits are coming in season where you are? What are you foraging?

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Dangerous plane-eating succulent in Berlin-Schöneberg

Spotted this terrifying scene in a travel agent’s window while strolling around Berlin’s Schöneberg district last week. While the oblivious agent calmly sold tickets to two customers, a violent plant was attacking one of the planes parked in the window, while various carved figurines passively looked on.

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