It's a family activity started by my mother, Maggie, in our Hamlin Park home in the early ‘60s. My parents moved from South Carolina during the Great Migration. My mom, an LPN, then a stay-at-home mom with four children, eventually earned a Master’s as a Reading Specialist for children K–8. For leisure, she loved her flower and vegetable garden.
Read MoreGardens are private spaces by nature—quiet, enclosed, personal. But once a year, gardens around the Elmwood Village become something more: an invitation. We love sharing our garden because it reflects so much more than flowers—it shows the soul of our home, our guests, and this vibrant community.
Read MoreEarly in January, the flower and gardening catalogues start arriving in the mail. And I make my plans for the coming season. Like many other Buffalonians, I look forward to the community garden events available throughout Western New York, and I want to share some local, magical garden opportunities with you…
Read More“Here’s what I learned: Buffalonians may be the friendliest people in the country; Individuals can make an enormous difference; Small actions create considerable momentum; and Gardens can save a city.” - Buffalo: A City of Gardeners, Diana Stoll, Garden with Diana
Read MoreThe connections sparked in the gardens go beyond a shared love of plants. From the very beginning, Garden Walk Buffalo and the programs that followed have focused on neighborhood revitalization and bridging divides.
Photo of Ryan Rucinski & Teresa Speight in a Dempster Street Garden during East Side Garden Walk.
Read MoreA familiar face is getting her close-up! Garden Buffalo Niagara’s inaugural executive director, Audrey Clark, starts her new role this month. We sat down with Audrey to talk about gardening in Buffalo, her plans for the organization in the year ahead, and how her previous experiences at the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor and as GBN’s only staff member helped her develop her vision for community change.
Read More“I tell everyone I meet what a world-class garden city Buffalo is,” boasts Lee. “Beautification truly feels like a community project, and I don’t think that I have experienced that type of commitment in any other major U.S. city. What a special place, with special people, who have curated the most special gardens.” — Abra Lee, Horticulturist, Historian and Author; Atlanta, GA
Read MoreThrough her company, Get Fokus'd Productions, she has collaborated with Gardens Buffalo Niagara to produce stellar videos blending stunning visuals with insightful narratives that bring the East Side Garden Walk to life.
Read MoreThank you to all the gardeners, volunteers, sponsors, and visitors in 2023. Enjoy this video created for you by the East Side Garden Walk and Get Fokus'd Productions. “Walk with us on the east side of our dreams pull up the weeds that suffocate growth and watch us spring forth…”
Read MoreTips, tricks, and hints on how to get the most out of visiting America’s largest garden tour, with 60,000-70,000 other garden fans from around the U.S, Canada, and beyond.
Read MoreA personal memory of a garden from a distant past, which no longer exists, but continues to grow in a different way. A small but significant moment of beauty and kindness from the past turns into something that nurtures future.
Read MoreAre you a gardener on Garden Walk Buffalo, East Side Garden Walk, Open Gardens WNY, or any of the other 14-16 garden tours in the region? Do you want to encourage more visitors to your garden? Do you help organize a garden tour in WNY? We want to hear from you!
Read MoreIn the summer of 2012, my husband, Ben came to me with an odd-looking drawing he had sketched. I said, “That’s interesting...what is it?” He excitedly replied, “It’s a waterfall and I’m going to build it for you on the front lawn, and it’s going to have multiple tiers so that you can plant flowers around it.” Though I appreciated his enthusiasm, I was well aware that his ADD often prevented him from seeing projects through to completion. I smiled and politely said, “That's sweet of you, honey.” Before I knew it, four pallets of flagstone were delivered to the curb in front of our home on Norwood Avenue.
Read MoreUsing nature as a force for healing is an ancient practice well-suited for modern, community-led projects. It offers affordable, tangible ways to improve quality of life for those suffering from an array of issues, including poverty, violence and inadequate healthcare.
Read MoreMural artist Chris Piontkowski shared the meaning and inspiration behind the murals at the Market Square Garden in Black Rock, where Gardens Buffalo Niagara (GBN) attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the invitation of BRRAlliance’s. During the ceremony, GBN received recognition from Buffalo City Common Council for the Marvin Lunenfeld Beautification Grants. In addition, GBN has a new set of officers along with the board of directors after the October annual board meeting.
Read MoreGardens Buffalo Niagara commemorated the end of the season with its annual Thank You Party on October 16, 2022. Together, the community of gardeners glanced back at another wonderful season and celebrated the community built by sharing our gardens. Incoming president, Laurie Ousley, recalled our growth and achievement with the events throughout the year.
Read MoreUrban Farm Day returned on August 27th, 2022 for its second year. As we hoped, it has become an annual habit, to visit and support urban farms, community gardens and more, to reconnect with where our food comes from, and maybe to be inspired to find your own passion to create a garden plot.
Read MoreMany of the urban farms and market gardens featured on our Urban Farm Day offer their produce for sale at farm stands and farmers market through October. Check the following list for their location and hour information.
Read More2022 GBN Newsletter, with our event calendar of the season.
Read MoreAnn Blinston (1935-2020), a remarkable woman born and raised in Hamburg, New York, has forged a path that we hope many others will follow. A generous gift from Ann’s estate is the latest bequest to Gardens Buffalo Niagara’s Living Gardens Legacy Society.
Read More
