In my last post, I mentioned the Ailanthus or “Tree of Heaven” as an example of an invasive weed-tree that we find popping up in nearly every garden space and empty lot in New York City.  Now there’s another big reason to spot and remove this tree: it’s host to the region’s newest invasive pest,…

Some of the biggest villians in our NYC Playground trees that are also weeds! It’s great to learn to recognize these early when they’re much easier to remove. These trees establish themselves quickly so left unchecked for a season or two, and you’re likely to have trouble digging out their roots. Five Weed-Trees to look…

One of our favorite types of plants to plant in the garden are fragrant herbs. They’re beautiful, they can fill a whole garden bed, and they attract polinators. Here are some thoughts to keep in mind when planting herbs this Spring.

Gardens group can come in many forms, but one of the most successful models we’ve seen is a application-based student garden club. At La Cima Charter School in Brooklyn, the Principal announces at the start of the schoolyard that she will be overseeing a special garden club, and students then have a few weeks to…

Read more about the partnerships that made this Community Playground possible: NEW YORK — Trust for Public Land, with support from the NYC Department of Environmental Protection and the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation, celebrated the opening of the newly renovated schoolyard at P.S. 107X in the Bronx. The schoolyard is part of Trust for Public…

BROOKLYN (June 13, 2022) – Trust for Public Land, with support from the Brooklyn Nets & New York Liberty Foundation, Kevin Durant Charity Foundation, and the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, celebrated the opening of the newly renovated schoolyard at the Juan Morel Campos Secondary School in Brooklyn. The schoolyard is part of Trust for…

Emerson Collective is launching a special initiative focused on community and school gardens. They are inviting proposals from schools and non-profits who are ready to build, improve, or expand community or school gardens. Here’s what we know: ·       Selected organizations will receive a two-year grant, providing funding of up to $10,000 in the first year and…

In case you missed our 12th Annual Stewardship Workshop, we’d love to share the resources and Mini-Grant opportunity offered to our Trust for Public Land playground sites. Our Mini-grant application is due on May 16th, 2022. If you are a TPL site, click here to download the mini-grant application. This grant can be used to…

Thank you to all who attended this year’s Stewardship Workshop. Your input and creativity inspired many joyful ideas for activating your Green Schoolyard spaces. My highlight was seeing the whole group get playful with some movement games led by The Movement Creative in the PS 184M playground…despite the rain! In case you missed it, here…

New York Restoration Project offers an excellent, comprehensive and free garden guide to get any novice gardener started, or to help any experienced gardener troubleshoot issues that may arise. The guide is in both English and Spanish. Page 7 lays out a simple planting plan for raised beds Page 13 offers a breakdown of how…