Brooklyn Block Associations - Latest Updates
PLANT Wins Greenest Block in Brooklyn Contest
Preserving Lincoln's Abundant Natural Treasures, better known as PLANT, won the Greenest Block in Brooklyn competition for the summer of 2026. Headed by Althea Joseph and Perri Edwards the organization is not new to the contest. They have won the award in 2019, 2022, and 2024 before winning this year. As acknowledged experts on urban gardening the two have conducted courses at the Botanic Garden and put on informational sessions to encourage others in this field. At the Botanic Garden's Block Party earlier this summer the two had a panel on display in a section on Community Greening. The full poster had a photo of the leaders of the group as well as a description of the past achievements. They have developed a strategy of working on their block, which is Lincoln Place between Nostrand and New York Avenues. Virtually any time in early summer that one walks down this block, one will find Althea and Perri at work preparing for the contest. In addition they raise money through grants and other donations, they go on buying trips, they get free plants from the Botanic Garden, and they trade with other block associations and gardening groups. They are experts. However, in this 30th year of the contest, the competition is stiff. 139 groups entered the contest, 49 of them for the first time. Interest in the event and participation have grow steadily, and those who have done it before, always up their game when they enter again.
Photo of Althea and Perri 9.1
Come June the Botanic Garden sends out judges to give a preliminary report. There is no announcement of when this will be. There is an open week and on one day in that week the judges appear and inspect the block. They do not want to talk with the gardeners. Their report is to be completely objective and helpful. The gardeners get it soon after it is made. Althea reported that it was entirely positive but two subjects were left blank. One of these was the use of imagination and creativity. This is an area in which PLANT excels. Like generals in a war using the element of surprise they held back in this area until after the first judging. Then they brought the reserves up. They came up with an amazing set of works that combined various elements with plants. Walking down the street felt a bit like going to an art exhibit in which foliage was combined with other elements. There are more examples than we have space to show here but following are some of the works that particularly struck me. In one place there was a quartet of instruments within a front yard garden. A first it was a quartet – violin, guitar, cello and drums. However, a young man on the block wanted to add his saxophone so that went in too.
The display of quintet garden 9.2
This is an example of something that happened over and over again. Althea and Perri worked away at the project, and as they did so others wanted to join in. Cheryl Clements who lives on the block maintains a topiary on her stoop, but she was also inspired to plant hydrangeas in a patch next to a facility for people with special needs. Althea warned the people there not to cut down the flowers. Another gardener on the block is Beverley Hall. She keeps her front yard looking wonderful and she is also an expert willing to give plants and advice to others. So it is that support comes from others as the summer progresses.
Beverley Hall in her garden 9.3
One sees this support over and over again. Another example would be another resident who created a small garden around a tree and proudly added her name.
Bernadette's garden 9.4
Another special work was a mannequin fully dressed up, wearing a pot as a hat that contained foliage and she also had a large container in her left hand having more foliage. She might have reminded some of the Statue of Liberty, which would have fit in with the theme Althea and Perri came up with, which was Greening the Big Apple. This idea was picked up repeatedly as in the display of a bicycle with the words “Big Apple Bikes Goes Green.”
Bicycle with plants in it 9.5
The organizers printed up a leaflet asking for many kinds of support from people living on the block. It would seem that many responded to it in the various ways listed, all in support of the effort to win the Greenest Block Contest.
Leaflet asking for support 9.6
The amazing number of creative displays were striking. I saw a ballerina's outfit, and set of chairs and other items all pink for Cancer Awareness Month, large boxes built and painted by residents. One resident contributed palm trees giving a tropical touch. One needs to go to the street to fully appreciate the explosion of creativity that Perri and Althea set off.
All this set the stage for another inspection done by the Botanic Garden. This time there was no report. However, if creativity was a category that was left without a comment before, one can only imagine there was a giant check after the July viewing was complete. So then it was time to wait for the final decision. Having passed two inspections with no disqualification, Althea and Perri knew they were in the running. When I went to the Botanic Garden Block Party in late July, I was told that a decision had been made. However, even when I invited the woman there to whisper the result in my ear, she resolutely said that she could not. I was away in Vermont when the decision was announced on August 4th. PLANT had won for a fourth time! How happy Althea and Perri were, but they weren't the only ones. By that time they had gained the support of virtually everyone on the block. They contributed money and plants and took care of their own front yards adding to the beauty and diversity of the block.
The celebration of the win was attended by the politicians Antonio Reynoso and Crystal Hudson; there were lots of media; and masses of people from the block and nearby.
Photo of the celebration 9.7
Joy and congratulations flowed everywhere. People were euphoric as they celebrated and yet again appreciated the amazing work that had been done. There was an economic side to this project. It was estimated that somewhere between 20,000 and 30.000 dollars had been spent on the effort. However, if this was an investment it was one that paid off. A real estate agent on the block estimated that the victory increased the value of houses on the block by 10 to 15 percent. Buyers would love to live on this block for its beauty, but also for its community spirit and mutual respect. It is a very special place in many ways, one that many people would like to be a part of.
– John DeWind
Park Place Block Party, August 2
The Park Place 900’s annual block party was, quite simply, a joy. It was a quintessentially humid August day, and big barrel barbecues billowed savory smoke down Park Place between New York and Brooklyn Avenues.
Chalk sign on the pavement 7.1
All the staples of a classic Brooklyn block party were in attendance. DJs kept the bouncy house bouncing, friends and neighbors gathered in the street, musicians of all ages showed off their prowess, and everyone seemed to be sharing some combination of good music, good company and very good food.
The block party ready to go 7.2
There was an art wall where children collectively worked on a mural, while hopscotch, chalk and squirt guns slowly smeared a rainbow across the pavement. Folding tables and lounge chairs filled the street and barbecues and pizza ovens up and down the block offered their own iterations of flame-grilled fare.
The art wall 7.3
When I first arrived, I sat on the edge of an empty lounge chair for a minute to get my bearings. A guy sitting on his stoop across the street hollered over, “It works a lot better if you lay back and relax. You got something to drink?”
A young musician takes to the drums 7.4
It was about as good an introduction to a block party as I could have asked for.
He pointed me toward “the brains of the operation,” Rebecca Krevat, who had helped spearhead the party. Rebecca was quick to spread the credit around. While she had done her best to organize and contribute, she insisted that “nothing on the block gets done without Mama D.”
We found Neversee Davis—universally known as Mama D—out front of the Friends of Crown Heights Education Center, finally sitting down to a plate after spending much of the day helping organize, cook and serve. The spread was top tier: jerk chicken, greens, rice and peas, and pasta with enough zing to rival the chicken. Elsewhere on the block, grills were still going, pizza ovens were firing and neighbors had contributed dishes of their own. A lack of food was certainly not going to be an issue.
The food table 7.5
That seemed to be the spirit of the afternoon in general. No one thing was really the attraction. Kids bounced and painted, musicians played, people ate, neighbors caught up, and anyone who wandered in seemed to be welcomed into the fold.
Old friends meet 7.6
With my belly full, a few new friends made, the sun beginning to set and the sweet smell of summer rain on the horizon, I headed home grateful to have been invited in.
For more information about joining the Park Place 900 Block Association, contact Erin Triplett at triplett.erin@gmail.com.
