On the Road

Hi! My name is Maitreyi Roy and I work with a not-for-profit organization in Philadelphia - the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. In September 2006, I was awarded an Eisenhower Fellowship that takes me on a two-month journey through cities in Europe where I will seek out examples of great urban spaces and learn how they are designed, planned, built, used and maintained.

At PHS, I serve as director with Philadelphia Green, its urban greening program. Since 1974, Philadelphia Green has supported the development and ongoing care of community gardens, neighborhood parks and high-profile public green spaces in Philadelphia. Working in partnership with neighborhood residents, community organizations and city agencies, the program uses greening as a community building tool. It educates and empowers people to make the city a more attractive and livable place through horticulture.

This fellowship offers a life-time opportunity for me to learn about urban open space innovations in cities across Europe. My two months will take me to:

• Lyon and Paris in France


• Dublin, Ireland


• Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Zaragosa in Spain


• The Ruhr region including Cologne, Dusseldorf, Essen and Kassel, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt and Freiburg in Germany


• Brussels, Belgium

I look forward to soaking it all in and imagining possibilities back home in Philadelphia. I hope you’ll come along with me on this green journey!