August-September 2006
The Bainbridge Garden Wall
Joanne Morse of the Trust For Public Land, technical owner at the time, of the garden, awarded me a contract to repair/re-build the retaining wall on the South-East corner of the garden. The wall was the original foundation of one of the two houses that had occupied the property before burning to the ground and subsequently being demolished. Linda Rubo, the next-door neighbour, had parked a large waste dumpster in her drive, adjacent and the weight forced the ground down and out toward the garden. The result of the pressure was the collapse of the stone. Janice Flood, President of the garden, recommended to the TPL that I be given the contract to effect repairs. I submitted several pages of plans, hand-drawn and computer-drawn, after making a list of materials that I'd need and going to Home Depot on E. Gunhill Road and obtaining an estimate on the cost. As memory serves (today, 13 December 2017) the total award for work and materials was approximately 2400$ and I was given 3 months in which to complete the work. Form beginning to finish, the job took approximately 4 weeks. The materials, including several bagss of cement, rebar, cinder-blocks, were delivered to the garden. I worked alone, digging fallen soil, moving and re-stacking fallen stones, some weighing as much as I did at the time. Cement was (stupidly, I admit) mixed and applied with bare hands. At several times during the course of applilcation, my hands bled from the abrasions of the cement. Yes... that wall was built with blood and sweat... literally. In 2011 I had the opportuity to re-visit the garden and took the final photos from the street (the gate was closed and locked, nobody was there). Still standing strong.

Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006
Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006
Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006
Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006
Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006
Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006
Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2006	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2011	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2011	Bainbridge Garden Bedford Park 2011