Three Young Gardeners Pitch In on Harcourt Road

The Kahan Sisters: Lila, age 9 Alma, age 7 and Sophia, age 11.Jennifer Kahan and her three young daughters are busy this fall maintaining the beautiful perennial garden at the intersection of Church Lane and Harcourt Road. The garden was originally designed by Elaine Yellen and she welcomes the help of the Kahan family.

Jennifer Kahan said, “I became involved in the garden because Elaine and I met while I was weeding and gardening in my front yard. Elaine was working across the street from my house as a landscape designer for my neighbors. We would frequently see each other outside while doing our mutual "gardening" on the street. We eventually met and Elaine asked me if I would like to be involved in the community garden, to which I responded with an enthusiastic "yes"!

She explained how she met Yellen: “I live on Rectory Lane in Fox Meadow section of Scarsdale. My three daughters are: Sophia Kahan, 6th grade at SMS; Lila Kahan, 4th grade at Fox Meadow, and Alma Kahan, 1st Grade at Fox Meadow. We find time on the weekends or sometimes after school to help out with weeding or cutting back the shrubbery and flowers. I am working alongside Elaine and learning from her. She provides me with guidance and is still involved herself in the gardening. I also volunteer alongside Laura Gelblum, who is on the Executive Board of the Fox Meadow Neighborhood Association who oversees the garden.”

She said, “It is "joyful" work and the garden is so lovely as is and self-maintaining because it is mainly comprised of drought resistant perennials that Elaine purposefully planted from the outset. We often supplement in the spring with a few plantings and occasionally, budget allowing, plant bulbs for the spring bloom.”

Commenting on the young gardeners, landscape designer Elaine Yellen said, “Jennifer is in charge of the triangle garden at Church Lane and Harcourt Road in Fox Meadow. Her daughters are wonderful stewards of the garden. They weed, trim and plant. Never too young to start a gardening life!”