My neighborhood in Brooklyn is called “Prospect Lefferts Gardens”. You might have heard it mentioned in any one of the dozens of articles that proclaim it “One of the Last Affordable Parts of Brooklyn!” Shut up, shut up, stop spilling our secrets! hiss all my neighbors. A cool bar and brunch place recently opened a block from my place. It might as well be called Sup Gentrification. Realtors haven’t even given this neighb a cutesy, hip name yet. No one calls it “PLG” or “East Prospect Park” even though it is literally directly east of Brooklyn’s massive green space.

“I live in Lefferts Gardens,” I tell most New Yorkers and they look at me cluelessly- where?

True to its name, Lefferts Garden has some gorgeous gardens in front of the brownstones that line the east-west streets. I pass them on my way to the Q Prospect Park subway station. This subway is twice as far as the 2/5 subway is for me… but the walk is twice as pretty and the ride into Manhattan is significantly (if not twice as) shorter.

Here are some of my beautiful neighborhood gardens! Currently in full summer bloom!

 

“The Children’s Garden Pagoda” – have you ever seen a cuter sidewalk garden? I want to buy little fairy statues or dinosaur figurines or something, stick them between the flowers, and imagine the magic of children finding them later.

One of the biggest differences between Brooklyn and Manhattan besides gardens? Brooklyn has outdoor cats. Meow!

Stop and smell the roses and you light just catch the full moon too. 

Or a bright red bird! See the  cardinal? (If not, you might be red-green colorblind!) 

Greenest Block in Brooklyn Contenders!

Pretty nice walk, no? Lefferts Avenue and Lincoln Road between Bedford Ave and Rogers Ave are where you’ll find nary a house without a beautiful garden. They’re both vying for the title of “Greenest Block in Brooklyn” after being last year’s 2nd and 3rd place winners! Yep the Greenest Block in Brooklyn is an actual contest hosted by the Brooklyn Botanical Garden!

Winners are announced in July, we’ll just have to wait and see who claims the title. Til then, these are certainly the two greenest blocks I see! Walking by so many flowers is my favorite way to start the day!

Have you ever heard of this neighborhood in Brooklyn? Do wish you had a garden? I’m really itching for one now! I might just have to get a window box in the mean time!