First established in 1989, this large, 11,040-square-foot garden had lain dormant for over a decade until a group of neighborhood residents and church members revived a local interest in community gardening and reclaimed the space. Shaded by mature trees and situated adjacent to a large playground dominated by hard surfaces, the Aberdeen Street Community Garden represents an oasis of green surrounded by concrete and asphalt.

In 2006, NYRP worked with employee volunteers from the Union Square Hospitality Group to clean and revitalize a portion of the garden, installing 14 new tree beds planted with pin oaks and redbuds, flowering shrubs and perennials. New York Restoration Project (NYRP) is currently using the site to compost plant materials.

To help ensure the garden continues to serve as an active green space and engages local residents for years to come, NYRP staff and horticulture crews work with community members to remove trash and provide ongoing maintenance, building assistance and plant material for the garden – including wood for raised planting beds, gardening tools, compost and vegetable seedlings.

Located in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, the garden is bordered by Greenwood Cemetery and Rudd Playground in a mixed-use neighborhood of single- and multi-family homes with some industrial presence. Residents are largely of Hispanic and African-American descent.