Jimmy Johnson, a native New Yorker, has been one of the city’s preeminent urban landscape designers for the past 20 years. At the age of 13, Jimmy started his first community garden on a postage-stamp-size plot outside the apartment building in which he grew up. Twenty years later, he took on a slightly more ambitious project, converting a 4.5 acre stretch of neglected parkland into what is now known as The Narrows Botanical Gardens - the largest community garden in NYC.
Realizing that this beautiful green space had the potential to further increase the closeness of his community, Jimmy spoke to his good friend, celebrity chef Daisy Martinez, who helped inspire the idea of supporting the “loca-vore” movement by setting aside a space within the garden to grow local foods. Now, community volunteers help cultivate native vegetables within a special garden space, sharing in the resulting crops, which are also sold to local restaurants to support further development of the park.
To further diversify the park’s mission, Jimmy adopted several hives of honeybees, which not only accelerates the pollination of the flowers and trees within the park and beyond, but produces flavorful local honey. Additionally, a local carpenter donated his services to build a coop that now houses seven wonderful hens, providing the community with fresh eggs daily - something that this part of Brooklyn has not seen in over 100 years! On Saturday mornings, Narrows Botanical opens its own green market, supplying the community with fresh vegetables, raw honey and eggs and supporting the park and its activities.
Another key resource within the park is the Native Species garden, which provides a safe habitat for a number of species of turtles and showcases the native plants of the region. Each Saturday, Jimmy leads educational tours of this space as well as all of the park’s loca-vore projects, with the goal of educating everyday people on how easy it is to become “loca-vores” themselves.
As an urban gardener, Jimmy regularly takes on horticultural challenges that span a wide-variety of needs, specific to life in the city.
If you’re interested in creating your own green spaces in a tight space, Jimmy also leads classes on container gardening at The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.
"The Green Guy Report" is Jimmy’s way of passing on his 3 decades of experience to both novice and experienced gardeners. Whether he is at work on a community garden in Queens, building a container garden on the 18th floor of a Manhattan high-rise building, or livening up a Bronx windowsill, the tips and guidelines that Jimmy provides will apply to any urban garden.
As Jimmy says “Anybody can plunk a dozen palm trees around a house in southern California and have it look great. But, what do the rest of us do?”
The answer? Visit The Green Guy Report to learn from Jimmy as he deals with some of the toughest plans and people in the world, and explains his fearless approach to urban four-season gardening.
Realizing that this beautiful green space had the potential to further increase the closeness of his community, Jimmy spoke to his good friend, celebrity chef Daisy Martinez, who helped inspire the idea of supporting the “loca-vore” movement by setting aside a space within the garden to grow local foods. Now, community volunteers help cultivate native vegetables within a special garden space, sharing in the resulting crops, which are also sold to local restaurants to support further development of the park.
To further diversify the park’s mission, Jimmy adopted several hives of honeybees, which not only accelerates the pollination of the flowers and trees within the park and beyond, but produces flavorful local honey. Additionally, a local carpenter donated his services to build a coop that now houses seven wonderful hens, providing the community with fresh eggs daily - something that this part of Brooklyn has not seen in over 100 years! On Saturday mornings, Narrows Botanical opens its own green market, supplying the community with fresh vegetables, raw honey and eggs and supporting the park and its activities.
Another key resource within the park is the Native Species garden, which provides a safe habitat for a number of species of turtles and showcases the native plants of the region. Each Saturday, Jimmy leads educational tours of this space as well as all of the park’s loca-vore projects, with the goal of educating everyday people on how easy it is to become “loca-vores” themselves.
As an urban gardener, Jimmy regularly takes on horticultural challenges that span a wide-variety of needs, specific to life in the city.
- An Irish cottage garden Garden for actor Gabriel Byrne’s Townhouse? Done, and “spot on” according to Byrne.
- A zen garden retreat for New York’s uber-hairstylist John Barrett? Done, complete with waterfalls and 15-foot bamboo “walls” on a completely shaded wrap-around terrace.
- A container garden on a terrace the size of a suburban back yard? Done! And while schlepping all the materials needed up to the terrace was easy, dealing with Leona Helmsley, it’s owner and the “Queen Of Mean” – was not.
If you’re interested in creating your own green spaces in a tight space, Jimmy also leads classes on container gardening at The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.
"The Green Guy Report" is Jimmy’s way of passing on his 3 decades of experience to both novice and experienced gardeners. Whether he is at work on a community garden in Queens, building a container garden on the 18th floor of a Manhattan high-rise building, or livening up a Bronx windowsill, the tips and guidelines that Jimmy provides will apply to any urban garden.
As Jimmy says “Anybody can plunk a dozen palm trees around a house in southern California and have it look great. But, what do the rest of us do?”
The answer? Visit The Green Guy Report to learn from Jimmy as he deals with some of the toughest plans and people in the world, and explains his fearless approach to urban four-season gardening.
About The Narrows Botanical Gardens
The Narrows Botanical Gardens in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn is New York City's largest community garden. It boasts dozens of plant species and a habitat that showcases the flora and fauna native to the area. The NBG features a vegetable garden, honey bee hives, chickens that lay fresh eggs daily and ample green space for relaxing and enjoying nature within our urban environment.
Learn more about Narrows Botanical Gardens on the About page, as well as on our official website and on Facebook.
Learn more about Narrows Botanical Gardens on the About page, as well as on our official website and on Facebook.
