Breukelen Houses Garden Winner

This is a highlight from the 51st Annual Garden and Greening Competition.

In 1963, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) began a Citywide Resident Garden Competition, from which NYCHA’s current Garden and Greening Program was born. Starting as a Flower Garden Contest, the Garden Competition expanded to include the Vegetable and Theme Garden categories. The NYCHA Garden and Greening Program is one of the oldest urban gardening programs of its kind in the country. It's a beautification and environmental education program that benefits NYCHA residents, community, and daycare centers. NYCHA hosts a culminating Annual Citywide Garden Competition that is judged by a diverse panel of horticultural professionals.

Program Highlights:

-The program provides year-round technical assistance, free seeds, flowering bulbs, and other garden resources to resident gardeners citywide.
-In 2014, the Garden and Greening Program provided gardening and greening education and support to over 3,500 adult, children, and senior resident gardeners.
-In 2005, the Garden and Greening Program expanded its mission to include the planting of large trees and shrubs.
-An expansive year-round environmental education program was implemented that includes workshops; field trips to the city’s botanical gardens, parks and museums; increased production of and access to nutritional organic produce; increased efforts to harvest storm water; and promoting low maintenance pollinator gardens.
-Over 670 NYCHA gardens were identified in 2014’s preliminary judging phase.