Over the past three decades, East Village residents have begun reclaiming neglected and empty lots of land, turning burnt out rubble into some of the prettiest and most verdant spaces in lower Manhattan and providing a focus for residents in what was traditionally a down-at-heel part of Manhattan. Though the city decreed that these spaces should be used for real estate, several have survived. In summer, there is no nicer way to while away an evening than to relax, eat a sandwich or read a book surrounded by lush trees and carefully planted foliage.

 

Of particular note is the 6th Street and Avenue B affair, overgrown with wildflowers, vegetables, trees, and roses and home to a spectacular four-story-high sculpture. Other gardens nearby include the very serene 6BC Botanical Garden, on 6th Street between B and C; Miracle Garden on 3rd Street between A and B; El Sol Brillante on 12th Street between A and B; and the Liz Christie Garden, on Houston Street and Second Avenue