In 1962 the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) initiated a Citywide Resident Garden Competition from which NYCHA’s current Garden and Greening Program was born. Starting strictly as a Flower Garden Contest, the Garden Competition expanded to include the Vegetable and Theme Gardens categories.
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 and flowering bulbs in
the spring and fall, and other garden resources to resident gardeners citywide. The gardens add color and charm to NYCHA developments and yield beautiful flowers and delicious vegetables throughout the seasons. Although success cannot be measured in numbers, the Garden and Greening Program provides gardening and greening education to more than 1,260 adults and 1,548 children and youth resident gardeners.
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.
Most developments’ gardens are entered in the annual Garden and Greening Program Competition and judged by a panel of horticulture professionals. A citywide winner in each category is chosen from first-placed borough winners. Selected winners are recognized at the Annual Citywide Garden Competition Awards Ceremony.
For additional information: (212) 306-3511
49th Annual Garden Competition (in Spanish) (in PDF) NEW
