We don’t have to look far for green space to be proud of — and to help take care of.
Clifton Place Memorial Garden & Park
At 1031 Bedford Avenue, between Clifton Place and Greene Avenue, sits a garden that a Bed-Stuy block association started back in 1982 by turning empty lots into green space. Today it has fruit trees, a 1,000-gallon rainwater harvesting tank, and two beehives (the bees are named Beeyonce and Bee Arthur). It’s open Saturdays 10am–8pm, April through October. This is a living example of what a block association can build and maintain over decades.
Hattie Carthan Community Garden
A short walk away at Marcy and Lafayette Avenues, this garden honors Hattie Carthan, the Bed-Stuy resident who founded the Bedford-Stuyvesant Neighborhood Tree Corps in 1971 and helped plant more than 1,500 trees across the neighborhood.
Small Things That Add Up
Tree pit gardening, sweeping the sidewalk in front of your building, and reporting graffiti or illegal dumping to 311 all make a visible difference on a block this size. If you’re interested in adopting a tree pit or volunteering at either garden, reach out and we’ll help connect you.
