Hosts the 49th Annual Garden and Greening Awards Ceremony - NYCHA

NYC Housing Authority


Press Release


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 28, 2011
Contact: media@nycha.nyc.gov, (212) 306-3322

NYCHA Hosts the 49th Annual Garden and Greening Awards Ceremony
Resident Gardeners Receive Recognition for Greening and Beautifying Their Communities

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) honored the green efforts of its public housing residents with awards at the 49th Annual Garden and Greening Awards Competition. The ceremony recognizing the winners of this competition who have helped beautify NYCHA took place at the Justice Sonia Sotomayor Community Center in the Bronx.
“Today represented nearly a half-century of recognition of our great gardeners, celebrating our shared responsibility to create greener NYCHA neighborhoods,” said NYCHA Chairman John B. Rhea. “I want to thank all the dedicated men and women who help keep NYCHA’s gardens growing.”
A panel of horticulture professionals selected borough and citywide winners in each category, including Best Flower Garden, Best Vegetable Garden and Best Children’s Theme Garden.
Nearly 625 gardens at NYCHA developments were identified during the Competition’s preliminary judging phase.
“The Garden and Greening Program and Competition are testament of what can be accomplished when a community comes together to contribute to the overall quality of life,” said NYCHA Board Member and Environmental Coordinator Margarita López. “Green spaces not only beautify neighborhoods but they purify the air creating a healthier environment for us all.”
2011 Garden and Greening Competition Winners
CITYWIDE WINNERS:
FLOWER: Garden of Zodiac, South Jamaica Houses
VEGETABLE: “God is Love” Garden, Marlboro Houses
VEGETABLE: Green Thumb Garden, Pink Houses
CHILDREN’S/THEME: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Stars Garden, Union Avenue Consolidation
BRONX WINNERS:
FLOWER: Liberty Garden, Throggs Neck Houses
VEGETABLE: El Bohio Garden, Union Avenue Consolidation
CHILDREN’S/THEME: Murphy Community Center Children’s Flower Garden, Murphy Consolidation
MANHATTAN WINNERS:
FLOWER: The Wild Garden, Isaacs Houses
446 West 26th Streeet Garden, Chelsea Houses
VEGETABLE: “Morning Glory Garden,” Polo Grounds Houses
CHILDREN’S/THEME: Mrs. Potts’ Garden, Isaacs Houses
BROOKLYN SOUTH WINNERS:
FLOWER: Rays of Hope Garden, Carey Gardens
VEGETABLE: Green House Garden #5, Marlboro Houses
CHILDREN’S/THEME: Love Garden, Carey Gardens
BROOKLYN WEST WINNERS:
FLOWER: Memory Land/Purpose: Honoring Our Family and Friends Who Have Passed Away, Marcy Houses
VEGETABLE: The Cabbage Patch Garden, Walt Whitman Houses
CHILDREN’S/THEME: Ebony’s Garden, Marcy Houses
BROOKLYN EAST WINNERS:
FLOWER: Hope Gardens Community Center-El Jardin de las Mariposas, Hope Gardens
VEGETABLE: God Bless Garden, Pink Houses
QUEENS WINNERS:
FLOWER: Happy Acres Garden, Conlon-Lihfe Tower
VEGETABLE: Park Jong Won’s Vegetable Garden, Beach 41st Street Houses
STATEN ISLAND WINNERS:
FLOWER: Shore Garden, New Lane Shores
VEGETABLE: Pacific Lane Garden, New Lane Shores
CHILDREN’S/THEME: Peace and Harmony Garden, Berry Houses
About the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
NYCHA provides decent and affordable housing in a safe and secure living environment for low and moderate- income residents throughout the five boroughs. To fulfill this mission, NYCHA must preserve its aging housing stock through timely maintenance and modernization of its developments. NYCHA also administers a citywide Section 8 Leased Housing Program in rental apartments. Simultaneously, we work to enhance the quality of life at NYCHA by offering our residents opportunities to participate in a multitude of community, educational and recreational programs, as well as job readiness and training initiatives.
About NYCHA’s Garden and Greening Program
The Garden and Greening Program is a beautification and environmental education program that benefits NYCHA residents and senior, community and day care centers. The program provides year-round technical assistance as well as free seeds, flowering bulbs, and other garden resources to resident gardeners citywide.
In 2005, the Garden and Greening Program expanded its mission to include the planting of larger trees; implemented an expansive year-round environmental education programming, which includes coordinating workshops and field trips to the city’s botanical gardens, parks, and museums; and increased the production of, and access to nutritional organic produce.