Union Square Park

PARKS AND NATIONAL GARDENING ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCE THE FIRST-EVER NYC GROWS FESTIVAL IN UNION SQUARE

Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe and National Gardening Association (NGA) Vice President Anthony Vargo planted a Kwanzan Cherry tree today, Arbor Day, at Union Square’s southern plaza following the announcement of NYC Grows, an all-day, interactive garden festival to take place in the Park throughout the day Saturday.

"We are so excited to team up with the National Gardening Association to bring NYCGrows to New York City for the first time ever," said Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe. "Spring has arrived in full bloom and the City is blooming with more flowers than at any time in our history. After seven full days of exciting and innovative National Garden Month celebrations, tomorrow's culminating festival will encompass the many greening and gardening concepts highlighted throughout the week."

"Spring has arrived in full bloom and New York City is blooming with more flowers than at any time in our history," said Commissioner Benepe. "As we celebrate National Garden Month, we are grateful to our community partners who have worked to bring parks, playgrounds, Greenstreets and community gardens to life with millions of new flowers, shrubs and trees. Throughout the month we will host numerous workshops and lectures to further educate New Yorkers about the many benefits of horticulture."

Tomorrow’s NYC Grows festival will feature healthy cooking demonstrations by Les Dames d’Escoffier’s celebrity chefs, explorations of art in nature by renowned local artists, gardening tips and advice from garden writers, television personalities and radio show hosts. New York City’s native plants will also be available for purchase.

NYC Grows marks the final celebration of a week of garden-related activities, which were held citywide in partnership with National Gardening Association to celebrate National Garden Month. The week of events kicked off on Earth Day, April 22, with planting projects, walking tours, and Earth Day celebrations in all five boroughs. Tours of the some of City’s most breathtaking gardens were offered throughout the week, including the Heather Gardens, Lynden Miller’s gardens, the Carnegie Library gardens (maintained by Riker’s Island inmates), and the unique and eclectic community gardens of the East Village. The Arsenal Gallery’s "Garden Paradise" art exhibit, which features artwork interpreting the garden as paradise, also opened this week and will remain on display through May 24th.

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