Creative Little Garden

Love this secret little gem. Whether to come here just to take a breather from the hustle and bustle, take a camera with you for some nice fashion shots, or bring your date here after coffee/​brunch in East Village — which I have done all — this spot is definitely one of the best kept secrets from the general NYC population.

Cute little area to relax in the city. It’s quiet and you can hear the birds chirping. I went here on a Sunday morning after brunch with a friend. It’s a small area but there weren’t that many people there. A lot of places to sit. You’ll miss it if you don’t pay enough attention!

Cute little nook in the East Village. It feels like time stops here when you enter, especially if it’s empty. Bird houses and feeders decorate the little alleyway, and comes complete with a metal swing and some seating. Nice place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city.

a spill of nature within asphalt planning. a patch of matte eclecticness amongst the shiny and distressed prewar urban sprawl. pretty n charming without makeup. all natural.
the garden itself is a narrow-​ish corridor of flowers, other plant life, birdhouses, and other random outdoor effects with a few different seating options. most seek the quietude of this space bc it’s what’s expected when you’re in green spaces in nyc. however you can bring in lunch (just no booze or smokes). the feel of collaboration in the garden’s look subtly presents itself without feeling overly manicured and styled.
while the Creative Little Garden crosses off «quiet time» on many Type A’ers To Do Lists as they frenzy text in corner pockets of this alphabet city backyard. my take on this whispery community garden is that it serves as a reminder of how NYC can feel so isolating. a metropolis percolating with millions and an overflow of things to do gives way to a loss of connection. while all that solo-​dom sounds like a downer — the garden takes you through a quiet tour of clean emotions without words… and without forcefully pushing you into serenity (which is what is expected). the expectation of peacefulness is less a concern as much is what you take away at your own pace and thought race. Discovery.
i used to think community gardens gave me a soak of «nature and a bench to kick my my feet up.
though now, i say it’s a place where i go to tackle and solve problems: by not isolating myself, by not being that person who’s NOT paying attention, by not inserting earbuds, by not upping volume, by not downing my surroundings… by listening, by looking around, and finally, by choosing to make a choice. yeah i know i waxed very metaphysically. however i kid you not if you have a problem (work, family, friend, etc.) you’re trying to work out… this magical lil garden does wonders in strange ways. if all else fails bring a book… read. it’ll come to you.
((if you’re looking for quiet, calm, peace, and all those words of expected serenity, you’ll find that here along with the accoutrements of plants, benches, and objects to make small talk about, or to text about. however you can buy noise-​cancelling headphones, watch a Natural Geographic documentary and wifi out out in your apt for those aforementioned to-do’s.)) however if you looking for «more», listening for more, want to sense more without layers of dippy spiritual pretense… then Creative Little Garden may need a visit from you.
drops mic bc if you can’t hear me now… yall never will.
i out.
p. s.–it smells heavenly in here. and that’s not just because i hang out here and wear YSL or Dior scents.

I love the creative little garden. Named appropriately, it’s a quiet oasis in alphabet city. Blink and you’ll miss the entrance so be on the look out! Sit and read, take lunch, chat with a friend, practice an instrument, all are welcome in this well cared for space. Word to the wise: Mosquitos are plentiful come summer, so bring your bug spray!

How have I never noticed this garden?
I was in the area the other day and noticed the open gate. When I came in it seemed like everyone in here knew one another, very friendly and welcoming vibe.
Benches, seats, a swing… plenty of of open spots to relax for everyone. A serene gem in the lively East Village.
Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area.

This is a small little alley that is filled with an eclectic mix of sculptures, art, and wildlife. It’s actually registered as a wildlife protection area due to the birds that live here. The sculptures are also really cool and add some nice ambiance to the area. Worth a glance in when passing by.

Super cute little garden. Very comfortable and quiet place. The swinging bench was my favorite. So happy I found this place.

The Creative Little Garden is small but serene. I visited on a day when it was open to the public and it was so nice to be able to sit for a while on the swinging bench and just observe and admire the greenery that has been packed into this little plot of land.
People were reading and just generally enjoying themselves. There are lots of little birds that visit the garden and the overhanging trees give you the sense of being in a secret garden.
My only gripe is that I like when plants are labelled in gardens like this so you can familiarize yourself with the species. Worth a visit if you’re in the area but I don’t think I’d make a special trip otherwise.

I decided to join this garden last week because I live so close; I’ve supported various gardens in my neighborhood since the 90s, when I was arrested a few times in garden protests. (Thanks, Rudy.) In fact, Françoise Cachelin – a garden activist in the 80s and 90s – was a member of this garden, and recognized the power of these small, community-​owned pockets. Use it or lose it!
This is one of the best examples of a «vest-​pocket park» I’ve seen, and a good reason why I’ve stayed in my neighborhood.

The most beautiful garden I have ever seen.
Its truly quaint, and as appropriately titled-​creative. There are little statues, a fountain, a bird in a cage, other small trinkets, benches, several seats and a swing.
I mean although it is public, it feels private and serene. The adjectives «private» and «serene» are hard to come by in the hustle and bustle big city that is New York City. I absolutely love it. Its the perfect place to read a book. Sip on a coffee. Its so quiet, that doing something noisy like talking on the phone or viewing media on your portable device seems incongruous. Why disturb the peace anyway? I encountered people having conversations and the sound of children, but it was brief… so it wasn’t so boisterous.
I live really far away, 30 minute bus ride to a 40 minute train ride and Its a good 10 blocks to walk from the train. So, I probably won’t go as often as I’d like but its definitely worth visiting at least once!

This is a lovely gem! Sometimes there are events and performances too!

In exactly one month I hope to be back in the arms of this little oasis of sweetness.

I’ve had friends from these parts complain that it’s darn near impossible to separate yourself from the energy and chaos that is NYC, no matter where you try to escape to within this 22.7 square mile borough of ours. Clearly, none of my aforementioned comrades have sauntered into the Creative Little Garden.
It’s an inspiring little oasis in the middle of a sea of brownstones around East Village, and it couldn’t be a more quaint setting for an urban retreat. Relaxing foliage abounds, birds sing the day away, and they even have a bench swing that’ll take you back to simpler times of enjoying long summer days as a wee beeb in the countryside. An absolutely charming respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday city life.
Bring a book, bring a friend… just don’t bring a bundle of nervous energy. This slice of Manhattan is reserved for those looking to recalibrate their qi and refocus on the important things in life.

What a gem.
I visited the garden yesterday afternoon with my gf and we sat by the big tree in the back. It’s a super-​chilled place to hang out… there are even little birds flying around!
There was barely anybody, so we pretty much had the whole place for ourselves.
I can’t wait to go back in the Spring.

I stumbled upon this GEM on my way back to the subway train after getting Lula’s ice cream. Sitting in a breezy garden like this in the warm NYC sun doing nothing but admiring your surroundings and eating ice cream proves that life really is all about the simple pleasures. I moved to NYC recently, so I haven’t seen much, but of what I’ve seen, this place is probably the most beautiful and peaceful place I’ve been to. The garden is quaint, green, and full of fresh air. There are plenty of benches, and even a swinging bench. Beware though– lots of people stroll in with their adorable puppies and babies, so be prepared to coo til the sun goes down.

After having been impressed and taken aback by the 6BC Botanical Garden, my fiancé and I continued on our merry little way to the Creative Little Garden and hoped it would be open on a Monday– and it was! We were the only ones there for most of our stay.
Upon first glance, the path of red wood chips captures your eyes. Then you start to notice everything else– the fountain, the swing, the bird houses, the many places you can sit and relax. It’s yet another great location for an amateur impromptu photo shoot.
At the front, there’s a binder explaining the history of the garden then & now.

It’s real and it’s spectacular. This place is flippin’ stupendous, especially if you’re enjoying it on a beautiful day with some Lula’s. Birds chirp and no one seems to know about it, yet everyone pokes their head inside and gawks as if it’s a mirage.*
*Is this place new? Only two previous reviews, and both within the last month?
«This lush East Village nook is part pocket park, part community garden, since it’s maintained by volunteers from the neighborhood. And their work has paid off – the spot’s well stocked with delightfully colorful flowers, trees and bushes, in addition to sweet little benches, potted plants, old-​timey brick touches, sculptures, fountains, birdbaths, a waterfall and a birch-​chip path. And if you yearn for chirping non-​pigeon birds, this is your place: the Creative Little Garden is a National Wildlife Federation Habitat thanks to its hard work providing avian friends with happy little homes.»

Seeing as how I’m not entirely a city girl by heart, I definitely appreciate any kind of green space in Manhattan that I can find. This small garden includes a small waterfall, seats, a few tables, and a porch swing, which makes for a great place to relax or read.
I stumbled upon this garden on my way to grab sandwiches for lunch, so I brought my food back here to eat at a table in the back. Visitors are welcome, so long as you clean up after yourself. Enjoy!

One of my favorite gardens in Manhattan, especially in Alphabet City. It’s not exactly large, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s charming. I’ve sat here for a couple of hours and whenever people pass by, they always look in and most of the time, come in to take a look. It’s so well taken care of for being a community garden and it’s definitely the most non-​overrun community garden in Alphabet City. To see how well it is loved, you should check out their list of weddings that have been held here. A really quiet and peaceful place to just sit around/​study in. Even has convenient tables to sit at. This is always a destination on my garden tour and people are always impressed, despite its size.