Madison Street Community Garden
Brooklyn
Bushwick
Sponsored by Dr. Leslie Johnson
The Bedford-Stuyvesant Community Garden, formerly the Lola Bryant Community Garden, had long been known for producing large quantities of fruits and vegetables including collard greens, tomatoes, okra, pole and bush beans that were cultivated there for many years by avid local gardeners, and shared with senior citizens and others in the community.
In 2006, Dr. Leslie Dae Johnson, a forensic geneticist and New York Restoration Project patron, made a generous gift to not only restore and revitalize the site, but also to endow the garden’s ongoing maintenance. Then, in 2019, NYRP replaced the sidewalks, pathways, and garden beds, and installed on-site water access thanks to New York State’s Vital Brooklyn initiative.
The garden features raised planting beds for vegetables, herbs and fruit trees; shallow terraces; a central lawn for social gatherings; and an arbor made from metal scaffold tubing.
Other amenities in the garden include trellises, which provide space for grapes and vines to grow and flourish, and concrete pavers from recycled pieces of sidewalk now used as stepping stones throughout the garden. The space also features the extensive use of green walls, a boardwalk constructed from recycled materials, picnic tables, and permeable-paved surfaces.
Address
95 Malcolm X Blvd.
Brooklyn, New York (Bedford-Stuyvesant)
Hours
All NYRP community gardens hold a minimum of 20 open hours per week. Please check the bulletin board at the garden for times and details.
Garden Size
3,200 sq ft.
Amenities
Lawn, Little Free Library
Activities
Gardening, outdoor learning
Host your next public event, celebration or program outdoors. Reserve an NYRP community garden for free.
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