Our programs

Our programs support habitat, wildlife, and learning by engaging the community in hands-on stewardship and creative exploration.

Narrows Botanical Gardens is a refuge for urban wildlife, with programs dedicated to the care, rehabilitation, and protection of native species. Through hands-on stewardship, the gardens support turtles, birds, pollinators, and other wildlife that depend on healthy urban habitats.

Conservation & Wildlife Stewardship

  • Volunteer holding juvenile box turtle

    Turtle Rescue

    The Turtle Rescue program rehabilitates injured and abandoned turtles, fish, and frogs, providing care and safe habitat within the gardens’ ponds and exhibits.

  • Jimmy with a baby dove on his hat

    Bird Rescue

    In partnership with the Wild Bird Fund, Narrows Botanical Gardens provides space for the rehabilitation and release of injured birds, supporting their safe return to the urban environment.

  • Beehive

    Apiary

    The Apiary Program supports garden pollination while raising awareness about declining bee populations. Honey harvested from the hives is shared through seasonal Honey Events, helping connect visitors to the role pollinators play in a healthy urban ecosystem.

NBG advances native plant restoration through innovative programs that reconnect people with local ecosystems. These initiatives demonstrate how even small-scale plantings can restore habitat, support wildlife, and improve urban environmental health

Native Plant & Rewilding Initiatives

  • Volunteer planting shrubs in the Native garden

    Forest Rewinding Project

    NBG’s Rewilding Initiative focuses on restoring native plant communities to create healthy, biodiverse habitat within an urban environment. By reintroducing native wildflowers and plants, the program supports pollinators, birds, and soil health while demonstrating how rewilding can strengthen ecological resilience in the city.

  • Map showing the locations of all the plants planted in brooklyn given by NBG via the 1x1 project

    1x1 Native Plant Project

    The One by One Native Plant Project shows how even one square foot of space can help restore urban ecosystems. Created by founder Jimmy Johnson, the program educates residents about native plants and supports pollinators and birds. With support from a ConEd Community Partnership grant, NBG distributed over 150 free planting kits across four boroughs and two states.

  • Jars of milkweed seeds given to the public during monarch awarness day

    Monarch Awareness Day Project

    Monarch Awareness Day highlights the importance of protecting pollinators by encouraging the planting of milkweed, a vital host plant for monarch butterflies. During the event, visitors received jars of milkweed seeds to plant at home, helping expand habitat and support monarch populations across the city.

Education is central to NBG’s mission. Led by Jimmy Johnsons and Ritchie Haugland e and volunteers, the gardens offer free public classes, hands-on workshops, and learning opportunities that encourage ecological awareness and practical horticultural knowledge.

Education & Public Learning

  • Succulent plants for the Succulent class

    Cultivating Community Through Ornamental Horticulture

    This educational ornamental horticulture program offers hands-on workshops focused on cacti and succulent care, bringing plant education into the community at the Bay Ridge Center. Supported by the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust, the series reflects NBG’s commitment to extending horticultural learning beyond the gardens.

  • Succulent class and students learning

    Plant Cultivation Classes

    NBG offers free classes for the public focused on plant cultivation and maintenance. These hands-on sessions share practical knowledge and encourage confidence in caring for plants while fostering a deeper understanding of sustainable gardening practices.

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    Volunteer Resource Library

    The Volunteer Resource Library provides access to a growing collection of horticultural books and reference materials for NBG volunteers. Designed to support learning and skill-building, the library helps deepen knowledge of plant care, ecology, and garden stewardship.

Art has long been part of Narrows Botanical Gardens, connecting creativity with ecology. Through installations, exhibitions, and hands-on programs, artists help interpret the landscape and deepen visitors’ connection to nature.

Arts & Creative Engagement

  • Artist in residence Kristin reiber Harris in front of her exhibit of watercolor paintings

    Artist in Residence Program

    The Artist in Residence Program invites artists to engage with Narrows Botanical Gardens as a source of inspiration, learning, and public connection. Through site-responsive work, outdoor exhibits, and community workshops, resident artists interpret the gardens’ landscapes and ecology, creating opportunities for visitors to experience nature through art.

  • Kristin Reiber Harris leading a drawing workshop on the great lawn

    Drawing Classes

    NBG offers free drawing classes that invite participants to slow down, observe, and connect with the natural world through art. Led by artists and educators, these sessions encourage close looking at plants, wildlife, and garden spaces while building confidence in creative expression for all skill levels.

  • Rain Taal art installation with tulips

    Exhibits & Installations

    Narrows Botanical Gardens hosts temporary installations and exhibits by visiting artists whose work responds to the landscape and environment of the gardens. From sound- and nature-based pieces like Rain Taal to site-specific works, these installations invite visitors to experience the gardens in new ways, where art, ecology, and place intersect.

Throughout the year, Narrows Botanical Gardens hosts seasonal events that celebrate the rhythms of the garden and the work of its volunteers. From plant sales and harvest festivals to lavender and honey weekends, these gatherings invite the community to experience the gardens through education, craft, and shared stewardship, while supporting the ongoing care of this public green space.

Seasonal Programs & Fundraising Events

  • Linda and volunteer holdin potted plant at plant sale event

    Plant Sale

    MAY

    The annual Plant Sale features a selection of plants grown in NBG’s greenhouse. Held each May, the sale offers visitors the opportunity to take home plants cultivated with care while supporting the ongoing work of the gardens. Proceeds help sustain NBG’s horticultural programs and volunteer efforts throughout the growing season.

  • Lavender day volunteers selling lavender products

    Lavender Day

    JUNE

    Lavender Day celebrates one of the gardens’ most beloved seasonal harvests. Grown and harvested at NBG, lavender is transformed into bouquets, sachets, soaps, linen sprays, and other handmade items for visitors to enjoy. The event offers a chance to experience the garden through scent, craft, and care, highlighting the connection between cultivation, creativity, and community.

  • Honey products for sale at honey day event

    Honey Day & Fall Market

    JUNE & OCTOBER

    Honey Day & Fall Market highlights the vital role of pollinators within the gardens and the local ecosystem. Honey harvested from NBG’s bees is used to create small-batch products such as honey soaps and electuaries, offering visitors a tangible connection to the garden’s ecology. Through hands-on experiences and education, the event celebrates the relationship between flora, fauna, and the care that sustains a healthy urban landscape.

  • jars of milkweed seeds at monarch day event

    Educational Events

    MAY - OCTOBER
    Throughout the year, NBG hosts educational programs that connect visitors with plants, wildlife, and hands-on learning. From monarch-focused events that support pollinator conservation to succulent workshops, drawing classes, and community days, these programs offer opportunities to learn, create, and engage with the gardens in meaningful ways.

Beyond its own grounds, Narrows Botanical Gardens extends its mission through partnerships with local organizations, helping create and support gardens across the community.

Community Partnerships & Outreach

  • Children’s Garden at Ulmer Park Branch

    Children’s Garden at Ulmer Park Branch

    Brooklyn Public Library

  • Garden at Senior Center

    Garden at Senior Center

    Brooklyn

  • Patio Garden Stand4 Gallery

    Patio Garden Stand4 Gallery

    Bay Ridge

Help keep the gardens thriving

Your support is vital for the general upkeep and maintenance of the gardens and wildlife sanctuary.

Donate today