GrowNYC gives Brooklyn residents valuable gardening information
BROOKLYN (PIX11) — Deb Shaw, a Brooklyn horticultural therapist, was among the many benefitting from GrowNYC‘s Annual Plant Sale at Domino Park on Thursday.
“We’ve been getting plants here for many years,” she said.
Shaw works with Brooklyn Community Housing and Services. The event provides affordable plants to community gardens and green space groups, promoting urban agriculture and sustainability.
“Everybody needs some connection to the outdoors,” Shaw emphasized.
She highlights the importance of connecting with nature, especially for underserved populations. Her program allows participants to “grow and nurture” something, offering a valuable experience often missed in urban environments.
“The people I work with have been, uh, in various systems, let’s say, for many, many, many years and have not had the opportunity to work in the soil, watch things grow, learn about botany, biology, and it’s endlessly enriching,” Shaw explained.
GrowNYC’s sale allows participants in her organization to experience the enrichment of gardening, a stark contrast to the city’s paved streets.
Richard Cummings, a Brooklyn resident, was also among the crowd representing the 200 Decatur Stuyvesant Block Association. He came to pick up plants for a beautification event on his block this Saturday.
“We are here, uh, also to spread the beauty,” Cummings said. “One of the things we’ve kind of lost in this world is knowing who our next-door neighbors are.”
He sees flowers as a way to start conversations and make people more aware of their neighbors.
“This is a huge boon to a couple local farmers…We put in one big order, and so everyone here gets a wholesale price,” Mike Rezny, GrowNYC’s assistant director of green space, explained.
He said community gardens provide green space and foster a sense of community and civic engagement.
“These are open spaces that are flexible, that are built by the neighborhood and stewarded long-term by neighborhoods. They make all the decisions on what happens inside them. So it’s really a great way for the average New Yorker to get a little access to the civic process or get involved and meet their neighbors,” Rezny stated.
With each carefully chosen bloom, Shaw knew she was nurturing more than just a garden for her organization but a community that thrives despite the concrete jungle surrounding it.
GrowNYC Plant Sale Pickup Locations:
Brooklyn: May 3 – 4, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Domino Park parking lot at 26 North First Street, Brooklyn)
Bronx: May 10 – 11, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. (298 Halleck St. at the corner of Halleck Street and Viele Avenue, The Bronx)
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