In 2000, Brigitte stood before a forgotten patch of land in Riverside Park and chose to begin.

What others passed by without a second thought, she saw as potential. With her own hands, she removed the grass and began transforming the small space into a living, growing oasis.

“There was nothing here, just a couple of hydrangeas and grass. It was a trampled bit of land, mostly used by dogs.”

Over time, the garden took root. About ten years ago, when the Riverside Park Conservancy planned to replant grass in a nearby stretch, Brigitte once again recognized opportunity. The garden doubled in size as she stepped in, expanding what had already become a deeply cared-for space.

Born and raised on the Upper West Side, Brigitte has witnessed the neighborhood change alongside its trees.

“There are more trees in the city now than ever before.”

Still, Brigitte sees how easy it is, especially for younger generations, to lose touch with nature amid constant noise and glowing screens. She admits she felt that disconnection herself at times. Gardening became her way back.

The rhythm of soil.
The return of birds.
The simple act of noticing.

“I realized I wasn’t even paying attention to the finches and the sparrows… I was really losing contact too.”

Brigitte doesn’t just tend a garden. She tends presence, care, and belonging within the city itself. Season after season, she shows up, because to her, care is a way of life.

Brigitte’s garden is open to more than admiration; it’s open to your hands.

Visit Riverside Park Conservancy to learn how you can volunteer and become part of this living ecosystem.

Volunteered and Interviewed by Ella Whipple and Zoe Vallejo