Elizabeth Street Garden circa 2019 ((James and Karla Murray exclusively for 6sqft) | https://www.jamesandkarlamurray.com/
Earlier this summer, The New York Times ran an article describing “koloniträdgårdar,” Swedish community gardens that provide city dwellers access to nature, fresh produce, and community. Individuals or families can grow vegetables, flowers, and sometimes even maintain small cottages or sheds for seasonal use. The article quotes Cecilia Stenfors, an associate professor of psychology at Stockholm University, whose research shows that those who frequently visit green spaces, whether a forest or a koloniträdgård, “have better health outcomes, in terms of fewer depressive symptoms, less anxiety, better sleep and fewer feelings of loneliness and social isolation.”
In New York City, community gardens emerged in the 1970s during a period of widespread urban decline, when vacant lots, often the result of disinvestment and arson, were transformed by residents into green spaces for growing food, building community, and reclaiming neglected land. The movement was sparked by grassroots activism, with groups like Green Guerrillas leading the way by "seed-bombing" derelict lots and organizing neighbors to cultivate them. In 1978, the city formalized its support by launching the GreenThumb program, which provided resources and licenses for garden stewardship.
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Over time, these gardens became vital centers of environmental education, cultural expression, and food justice, particularly in underserved neighborhoods. Despite facing threats from real estate development, community organizing and legal protections have preserved many of these spaces, which now number over 550 across the five boroughs. Below, we look at notable community gardens by borough.
Manhattan
(Green Oasis Community Garden)
Elizabeth Street Garden (Nolita; Elizabeth Street between Spring and Prince Streets): A one-acre public garden known for its lush plantings, salvaged sculptures, and free community programs. After years of legal battles over a proposed senior housing development on the site, a June 2025 agreement between Mayor Eric Adams and Councilmember Christopher Marte preserved the garden and redirected affordable housing plans to alternate locations in Lower Manhattan, yielding over 620 units, five times the original proposal.
Liz Christy Garden (East Village; Houston Street between Second Avenue and Bowery): New York City’s first community garden is nestled behind a historic library, home to a vibrant wildflower habitat, and named in honor of its founder. The Department of Housing Preservation & Development approved the site for rental for $1/month in 1974, and a 2002 agreement between the City of New York and the New York State Attorney General calls for the preservation of the garden.
Pancho's Garden (East Village; Avenue C between East 9th and 10th Streets): Also known as the Ninth Street Community Garden, this is a lovely one-acre oasis featuring a Japanese garden, wisteria arbor, gazebo, and BBQ spots.
Creative Little Garden (East Village; East 6th Street between Avenues A and B): The name speaks for itself! This is a tranquil East Village spot known for sculpture art shows and birdhouses.
Green Oasis Community Garden (East Village; East 8th Street between Avenues C and D): A lush, kid- and bee-friendly garden with koi pond and Little Free Library.
La Plaza Cultural de Armando Perez (East Village; East 9th Street and Avenue C): Since 1976, this amphitheater/green space has been a local cultural hub.
Brooklyn and Queens
Gil Hodges Community Garden (New York Restoration Project)
Gil Hodges Community Garden (Gowanus; Carroll Street and Denton Place): Also known as the Carroll Street Garden, and named in honor of a Brooklyn Dodgers great, this was the first of the New York Restoration Project's gardens to feature stormwater management. It also offers an outdoor classroom, fragrant walk, and composting.
462 Halsey Community Farm (Bedford-Stuyvesant; Halsey Street between Lewis Avenue and Marcus Garvey Boulevard): A communal farm with solar drip irrigation, compost drop-off, and justice-driven programs.
Smiling Hogshead Ranch (Long Island City; Skillman Avenue and Pearson Place): A guerrilla-turned-legal garden on old rail tracks with apiary and amphitheater.
Bronx
Willis Avenue Community Garden (New York Restoration Project)
Taqwa Community Farm (Highbridge; East 164th Street and Ogden Avenue): A half-acre urban farm supplying ~10,000 pounds of veggies annually, with bees, chickens, and food donations.
Willis Avenue Community Garden (Mott Haven; Willis Avenue and East 143rd Street): This garden spans four city lots and over 9,000 square feet. It boasts mural art, butterfly beds, and Puerto Rican cultural features.
Staten Island
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Hill Street Garden (Stapleton; Hill Street between Tompkins Avenue and Warren Street): A community-oriented garden that hosts events like teas and DIY planting programs.
Skyline Community Garden (New Brighton; Harvard and Prospect Avenues): Also known as the H.E.A.L.T.H. for Youths Skyline Community Garden, this garden maintains an active community of friends and members who grow flowers, herbs, and vegetables. It also hosts gardening programs and workshops.
West Brighton Community Garden (New Brighton; Henderson Avenue between Broadway and Alaska Street): Established as a space for people who cannot garden at home, this garden also provides neighborhood food pantries with organic vegetables and herbs. It also strengthens community ties by hosting workshops about gardening and composting.
Elizabeth Street Garden circa 2019 (James and Karla Murray exclusively for 6sqft) | https://www.jamesandkarlamurray.com/
Professor Stenfors’ findings underscore the profound impact that access to green spaces can have on both individual well-being and broader public health. Whether it’s a walk through a forest or tending to a small koloniträdgård plot or picking fresh veggies in the middle of Manhattan, these everyday encounters with nature offer more than just visual beauty, they foster emotional resilience, social connection, and a sense of peace. As urban environments continue to grow denser and more demanding, preserving and expanding access to green spaces may prove not just a luxury, but a crucial investment in mental health and community vitality.
Daniel Cabot Puts Down Roots by Cat Sebastian presents a fascinating fictional look at East Village community gardens in the early 1970s, and Open House by Ruby Lang offers a contemporary look at tensions between gardeners and developers. If you would like to support or join a community garden, NYC Parks GreenThumb's online map helps you explore options nearby.
Environmental nonprofit GrowNYC builds new gardens, works with public-school, housing, and senior centers, and runs a one‑acre urban farm on Governors Island. And the Brooklyn Queens Land Trust secures land tenure for 34 local gardens to ensure long-term stability, and also offers ways to get involved.
Environmental nonprofit GrowNYC builds new gardens, works with public-school, housing, and senior centers, and runs a one‑acre urban farm on Governors Island. And the Brooklyn Queens Land Trust secures land tenure for 34 local gardens to ensure long-term stability, and also offers ways to get involved.
Listings in buildings with shared gardens
237 Hancock Street, #11 (Compass)
Morningside Gardens, #4A (Corcoran Group)
Villa Charlotte Bronte, #E3 (Sherman NYC)
Woodstock Tower, #1201
$689,000
Turtle Bay/United Nations | Cooperative | 1 Bedroom, 1 Bath | 525 ft2
Woodstock Tower, #1201 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
Hudson View Gardens, #H32 (Compass)
Park Terrace Gardens, #E48 (Keller Williams NYC)
Castle Village, #48 (Compass)
Chelsea Gardens, #5GW (Compass)
The Towers, #2 (CORE Group Marketing LLC)
The River Arts, #5A
$1,300,000 (-7.1%)
Washington Heights | Cooperative | 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,475 ft2
The River Arts, #5A (Compass)
The Century, #2W (Compass)
The Parc Vendome, #14B (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
One Manhattan Square, #11L
$1,990,000
Lower East Side | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,123 ft2
One Manhattan Square, #11L (Extell Marketing Group LLC)
Jardim, #6NB (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
244 East 49th Street, #TH
$6,495,000 (-9.8%)
Turtle Bay/United Nations | Townhouse | 4 Bedrooms, Unknown Baths | 4,560 ft2
244 East 49th Street, # (Sothebys International Realty)
Fifteen Hudson Yards, #69B (Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group)
One High Line, #E18A (Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group)
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Contributing Writer
Michelle Sinclair Colman
Michelle writes children's books and also writes articles about architecture, design and real estate. Those two passions came together in Michelle's first children's book, "Urban Babies Wear Black." Michelle has a Master's degree in Sociology from the University of Minnesota and a Master's degree in the Cities Program from the London School of Economics.
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