Brilliant orange butterfly weed, cheery black-eyed Susans, and frilly coralbells are native New Yorkers strong enough to survive—and even thrive—in the challenging environment of a city tree bed. Read Tough Natives for Tender Tree Beds
Plants & Gardens Blog
Urban Gardening & Ecology
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Urban Gardening & EcologyPower of Trees
Tough Natives for Tender Tree Beds
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Urban Gardening & Ecology
Gardening Resilience
A pioneering community garden is taking root in Gowanus. Read Gardening Resilience
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Urban GardeningUrban Gardening & Ecology
Weed of the Month: Ragweed
Allergy-sufferers may hate this notorious plant, but it's not all bad. It's a food source for wildlife and was once cultivated as a food crop. It also has the ability to help clean up contaminated soil. Read Weed of the Month: Ragweed
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Native FloraUrban Gardening & Ecology
Weed of the Month: Pokeweed
Pokeweed is considered poisonous from root to fruit, but that doesn't stop birds—and some people—from eating it. Read Weed of the Month: Pokeweed
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Urban GardeningUrban Gardening & Ecology
Weed of the Month: Queen Anne’s Lace
This parsley relative is everywhere in August. Be sure to look for small red spots in the center of the flower clusters. Their presence accounts for the plant's common name, but why are they there? Read Weed of the Month: Queen Anne’s Lace
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Urban Gardening & EcologyClimate Change & Sustainability
Restorative Gardening on Brooklyn’s Coast
From the overflowing window boxes of Bay Ridge to the patchwork of urban farms in East New York, gardening in Brooklyn means tradition, therapy, discipline, beauty, and can-do resilience. But when the second spring since Sandy came this year, many gardeners in coastal Brooklyn did not see the buds and blooms they were used to. Read Restorative Gardening on Brooklyn’s Coast
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Urban Gardening & EcologyChildren & Families
Trees are for Kids!
Young gardeners learn best by doing, and street trees could use their help! Here are some tree-rific tips to get started: Read Trees are for Kids!
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Urban GardeningUrban Gardening & Ecology
Weed of the Month: Mugwort
Mugwort is a common weed with bittersweet-smelling leaves that was once believed to guard against evil spirits. It's a close relative of wormwood, an ingredient in absinthe. Read Weed of the Month: Mugwort
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Plant ChoicesUrban Gardening & Ecology
Weed of the Month: Dandelion
Most gardeners think of dandelions as a nuisance, but they are also a pretty interesting plant. Did you know that European settlers brought them to North American intentionally? Read Weed of the Month: Dandelion
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Sustainable GardeningUrban GardeningUrban Gardening & EcologyChildren & Families
School Gardens: Plan(t) for Succession and Success
So your new school garden is beautiful. Students nurture and nibble kale, carrots, tomatoes, and garlic. Science classes observe and calculate plant growth. Young poets write odes to flowers. You have albums of gorgeous photos. The principal is 100 percent committed. Then, the dynamo volunteer—parent or teacher—leaves the school or changes priorities due to tighter schedules or revamped curriculum. The “uh-oh” moment hits hard: What will happen to our garden? Read School Gardens: Plan(t) for Succession and Success