New York City’s nickname may be the concrete jungle, but that doesn’t mean we fall short on greenery and florals. Weaved between tall apartment buildings or hovering above bleating streets are our luscious paradise grounds. If you’re looking for a quick escape from the office, or to reconnect with mother nature, try one of our favorite gardens open to serve essential tree-hugging and grounding needs.
See also: The 6 Best Parks To Visit In NYC
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717 5th Ave. / 212.310.6600 / Website
So you’ve heard about Central Park, but have you visited its garden? Enter the tall iron Vanderbilt gate to the center of Central Park’s pride and glory. Spanning over six acres of seasonal florals right in the heart of Manhattan, the Conservatory Garden is one of New York’s most significant public gardens. Each section’s design (North, Center and South) is influenced by French, Italianate and English styles. Central Park Conservatory is currently restoring the gardens, so be on the lookout for new paths and plazas!
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2900 Southern Blvd. / 718.817.8700 / Website
Beautiful year-round, NYBG’s 250 acres are lush with flowers and trees that change with the seasons. You can find some of our favorite flower displays in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and Palm Dome, encased in a beautiful glass dome laced with white framing. We recommend visiting their annual Orchid Show, which fills the conservatory with the most heavenly displays. All visitors need tickets to enter the premises, but admission is free on Wednesdays from 10 AM to 11 AM!
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4900 Independence Ave. / 718.549.3200 / Website
Set in what seems like a fantasy scene is New York’s beloved Wave Hill. Running along the tops of the Palisades of the Hudson are luscious grounds of woodlands, greenhouses, gardens and historic estate homes. If you’re looking for something to do, its sweeping views are the perfect setting for art and photography workshops, botanical crafts, woodworking, family art activities, garden demos, birding, cooking and wellness activities. Admission is free on Thursdays!
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43-50 Main St. / 718.886.3800 / Website
Queens Botanical Garden has grown about 34 acres since its humble beginnings in 1939. Deeply rooted with Flushing locals and its dedication to interactive education, this is the perfect spot for a family outing. Learn about sustainable farming, urban composting and how to take some of QBG’s nature-friendly projects to your garden at home! Tickets sold for admission peak at only $6 for adults, but there are always opportunities for free admission listed on their website.
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990 Washington Ave. / Website
The story of BBG starts more than a century back, reserving green space during a quickly urbanizing world. Today, visitors love to see its collection of lilacs, roses, tree peonies, maple trees and a variety of cherry blossoms. Don’t miss the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden during the spring, where you can see cherry blossom petals dust the pond and passageways. Pay what you wish if you plan on visiting on a weekday in the winter, between December and February.
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485 Hudson St. / 212.924.0562 / Website
One of the most tranquil spots in the West Village sits next to the Church of St. Luke in the Fields. Its private gardens are open to the public as a sanctuary from the flurry of everyday excitement on the streets of the city. Ground yourself as you’re shielded by the safe haven that is the tall trees and thick bushes. Turn off your phone, bring a snack, and listen to the birds as you see butterflies happily dance from blossom to blossom.
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55 Water St. / 212.747.9120 / Website
If you’re a fan of The High Line, definitely check out this secluded hideaway sandwiched between two typical office buildings in FiDi. Not far from the famous Battery Park, this elevated lookout is blessed with panoramic views of New York Harbor, the East River and the Brooklyn Bridge. The only trouble is getting there! While walking on Water Street, keep your eye out for a set of escalators in a small plaza. If you think you’ve found it, there’s a sign to confirm!
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250 W 97th St. / 516.249.2940 / Website
This pocket garden in the Upper West Side lives on top of a parking garage in the Upper West Side. The gates are open to the public every Sunday afternoon from April to November. Winding paths guide you through its 28 plots tended to and maintained by gardeners and volunteers. Features include a native plant garden, composting area, koi pond and herbs garden. Take a walk and enjoy the serene atmosphere littered with flowers, fruit trees and several seating areas perfect for reflection.
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530 E 6th St. / Website
This mini oasis thrives where a tenement building once stood through the 1970s. As a place well-loved by local volunteers, The Creative Little Garden is now considered a “community backyard” for all. This spot regularly hosts live music events and movie nights, which are free and open to the public. The park is open April through October, Mondays - Fridays from 1 PM to 2 PM and on the weekends from 1 PM to 4 PM, but everyone is welcome to visit whenever the gates are open!
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123 W 89th St. / 212.316.5490 / Website
This beautiful sanctuary tucked between apartment buildings is open throughout the year, hosting some of the most wholesome community events on the West Side. From community barbeques and potlucks to movie nights and evening concerts, this spot is well-loved and populated by locals. One of their more popular events is the Tulip Festival, where visitors are attracted by the garden’s 13,000+ tulip bulbs, spring flowers and blossoming trees.
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217 E. 51st St., between Second and Third Avenues / 212.838.0528 / Website
If you frequent Midtown East, chances are you’ve stumbled across Greenacre Park. The star of the show is definitely its 25-foot tall waterfall that cascades down granite blocks, surrounded by a bed of flowers and leafy bushes. Visitors are welcome to use the park’s rearrangeable seats and tables to sit in the sunlight beaming through the open top or under the shade of a honey locust tree. For colder days, head up to the raised terrace for a covered and heated space.
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Elizabeth St. / Website
This beauty is the only public green space open to locals in Little Italy and Soho. Its whimsical feel is brought by pear trees, statues and a gravel path that runs through the middle. Free public programming is held year-round, focused on educating the community about sustainable stewardship, habitat restoration, urban wildlife and eco-gardening.
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79th St. Transverse / 212.310.6600 / Website
Prepare for your inner child to go wild. Just below Belvedere Castle is where we like to imagine all of the fairytales from our childhood taking place. Inspired by English cottage gardens, these four acres feature flowers, trees, herbs and shrubs mentioned in the work of Shakespeare. From rustic wood benches and fences to lush fields of tall grass and bronze plaques engraved with Shakespeare quotes, we think of Snow White, Pinocchio and Hansel and Gretel.
From grandeur to tranquility, the beautiful public gardens of NYC have something to offer for every mood and season. So the next time you’re looking for things to do outside, or just to brew inspiration, try out one of these spots and explore one of our pockets of nature.
Photography by: David France-Beverly / EyeEm / GettyImages
