Bed-Stuy, Boerum Hill & Sunset Park Take Home The Gold For ‘Greenest Block In Brooklyn’
Congratulations to gardeners who won formidable accolades in the Brooklyn Botanical Garden’s annual Greenest Block in Brooklyn awards — including first place winners in Bed-Stuy, Boerum Hill, and Sunset Park.
The Greenest Block in Brooklyn is an annual contest that promotes streetscape, gardening, tree stewardship, and community development throughout the borough. Awards are given for greenest residential and commercial blocks, best window box, greenest storefront, best street tree beds, best community garden streetscape, and sustainable practices. The project is supported by GreenBridge, the community environmental horticulture program of Brooklyn Botanic Garden, as well as Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.
This year’s winner for greenest residential block — Stuyvesant Avenue between Bainbridge and Chauncey Streets — is blooming with planters featuring green Virginia creeper vines, blue edging lobelia and purple million bells, white and yellow petunias and red verbena plants.
The Bed-Stuy block outstripped nearly 150 others based on factors like plant variety, horticulture practices, street tree care, maintenance, use of color, and neighborhood participation.
But for this year’s winner, neighborhood participation was the element that tipped the scales. “It boils down to people more than plants,” said organizer Nina Browne to the NY Times. “It’s where you get that tangible sense of love.”
The Mid-Atlantic Block Association also won first place in the Commerical Street category for Atlantic Avenue between Bond and Nevins Streets; and for the Greenest Storefront the award went to Sunset Park’s Pro 1 Tire on 4th Avenue, courtesy of the gardeners at the 27th Street Block Association.
Last year, Flatbush’s East 25th Street Block Association won first place in the residential category for the gorgeous greenery sprouting between Clarendon Road and Avenue D.
Other blocks in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Park Slope, Clinton Hill, and East Flatbush took home numerous awards for the community’s beautiful landscaping. Check out all of the award winning blocks here.
Looking to spruce up your block for next year’s contest? Check out GreenBridge’s free street gardening clinics for your block association here. To register, email Greenbridge@bbg.org or call 718-623-7250.
