Established in 1997, this site was maintained in past years by neighborhood gardeners who grew vegetables and herbs, including tomatoes, peppers, basil, parsley and cilantro. Since New York Restoration Project (NYRP) acquired the Woodycrest Avenue Community Garden, our staff and horticulture crews have cleared trash and debris from the site and have also helped maintain the garden. In conjunction with community members, NYRP is now re-designing the space to expand the garden’s planting capabilities and to enhance the versatility of the space, ensuring it will bring more benefits to children, adults and the community at large.

To accomplish this task, NYRP has commissioned acclaimed landscape designer Sean Conway to re-imagine a child-friendly, green space that combines both the Woodycrest Avenue Community Garden and neighboring Target Bronx Community Garden (formerly the Anderson Garden). New garden amenities provided for by Conway – who also designed NYRP’s Target East Harlem Community Garden and the Target Community Garden, located in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn – include an expansive lawn, play area and stone viewing garden. In addition, the combined garden will focus on urban farming and will include a patio and outdoor cooking area, perfect for community events and gardening and cooking workshops. Once complete, the two gardens will be home to NYRP’s annual Harvest Festival. Each year, this community-based event engages families and local students in celebrating the season and what it means to interact with nature through the cultivation of fruits and vegetables.

Located in the Highbridge neighborhood of the South Bronx, this tranquil garden occupies a narrow, single lot between two residences. The surrounding community is composed of single- and multi-family homes, and neighborhood residents are primarily of Hispanic, African-American and Caribbean descent.