Ruelle verte, november style

Montreal's ruelles, or alleys, are little private zones that run between the backs of the long rows of houses that border each block, parallel to the streets. Many of the neighbors who share these alleys have gotten together to create "ruelles vertes" - literally, "green alleys," growing small shrubs, vines, and flowers along the fences and outbuildings in back of their dwellings and creating corridors of green for people, birds, and animals. Some of these alleys are passable by cars, some aren't, and some feel much more private than others. I often walk in the ruelle rather than on the street, and am grateful for the care of the close-living neighbors in creating these little oases of trees and green, so close to the busyness of the city but so apart from it, giving even visitors like me a little respite an place to think and breathe more deeply.

In November the leaves fall, of course, but the alleys are still calm and, in that November way, pretty. When the snow and ice arrive, some of them become treacherous, and a lot of people will have to stop using their garages because most of the north-south alleys aren't plowed - they aren't official streets. I often feel like they belong, anyway, to the cats and to the children.

Comments

[Dave]

Neat! They have a real small-town look to them.

[Khadija]

We had alleys like this (not quite as nice) where I grew up, we always walked through them and recently I went and drove down one that I used to frequent, it was more fenced and walled than when I was young.. This is lovely Beth!

[Teresa]

Is this one behind Rachel? It is much nicer than many I've walked down myself. What a lovely thing to post about.

Thanks.

T.

[Lucy]

How very atmospheric, I like those two trees leaning in together for a chat at the end!

[leslee]

The cats, the children, and those seeking some quiet from the city bustle. And, it seems, the fallen leaves.

[Vivien]

How lovely to see a small street, or alley, without road markings or council notices! There are some left in Oxford, and I'm a bit worried that city councillors will suddenly notice them and think "Help - no notices here! The council is not in control of this place - we must put notices about no cycling or dog poo or smear yellow lines on it!" You don't realise how valuable these quiet backwaters are till you suddenly find that either the council has got its controlling signature over it, or it's become infested with parked cars. Thanks for the photo.

[JMartin]

Lovely! Cats and kids know all the best, secret places. Backstage is always magical, no? I'm reminded of Bob Thall's photographs of Chicago alleys, whose depth of field fades brick into a transparent scrim over infinity. http://www.press.uchicago.edu/presssite/metadata.epl?mode=synopsis&bookkey=3630075

[Jean]

How lovely! I hope I will see these one day.

[zuleme]

That is lovely. I lived on Hutchinson Ave and we looked down from our balcony onto an area which I don't remember if it was an alley or a street with cars. There was always a lot going on though and it wasn't green like that.

[Hattie]

How lovely. They exist in Vancouver too, though not so pretty or well kept.