Once used as a trash dump and parking lot, this 988-square-foot space now features shrubbery and perennial plantings, a wood-chip path, new fencing and a new sidewalk. A mature black walnut tree, carefully preserved at the back of the garden, provides shaded seating for community members – including senior citizens seeking relief from the summer heat.

Although small and narrow, this spot of green is sorely needed in a community with little access to open space and has become a popular destination for residents to sit and enjoy the outdoors.

To help ensure the garden continues to serve as an active green space and engages local residents for years to come, New York Restoration Project (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 a heavily industrialized area of the East New York section of Brooklyn, the Hendrix Street Community Garden is situated on a street of single- and multi-family homes.