Brooklyn resident Perri Edwards inherited a green thumb from her mother — who got it from her own mother, and so on.
“I still have plants that belonged to my grandmother from the 1940s,” the Crown Heights resident, 65, told The Post, adding that she has “plants as old as I.”
Her Lincoln Place block, between New York and Nostrand Avenues, is brimming with foliage and florals, which scored first place in the Greenest Block in Brooklyn competition hosted by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
The tree-lined street, home to the gardening association P.L.A.N.T., is a green oasis secluded from the bustle of the concrete jungle.
“It’s like a museum out here,” block resident Althea Joseph, 64, told The Post of her beautified block.
On their block, more than 60 stoops bloom with a variety of plants and flowers sprouting from repurposed home items — Quaker Oats canisters, tea containers and upcycled furniture galore — and planters painted vibrant hues populate the sidewalk. In addition to the multitude of informational signage about their many pollinator plants, there are also cardboard cut-outs of animals on display.
The block will receive a $300 prize for winning the competition, which saw 112 entrants this year. They plan to use the cash to purchase soil and other supplies to maintain the greenery, which has become a hub for pedestrians, especially during the pandemic.
“You can really tell this is a block that enjoys working together, they enjoy being in community with one another,” Jibreel Cooper, the community program manager for the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, told The Post.
That was part of Lincoln Place’s appeal during the competition, as judges evaluated blocks on criteria such as horticultural soundness and being community-oriented.
In the New York City summers, Edwards and Joseph have to wake up to water the plants as early as 5 a.m. to beat the heat, sometimes watering multiple times a day — and even going so far as to water for their neighbors.
“If people are too busy to take care of it, they definitely help financially,” Joseph explained, adding that there are a “lot of out-of-pocket” expenses. “A lot of the neighbors, contribute financially and physically and emotionally.”
Joseph, who remembers her mother caring for plants before even feeding her children each morning, said it has taken much “trial and error” to master the art of greening.
Now, Edwards and Joseph teach their neighbors “even though they’re our competition,” Edwards quipped.
“As we learned from BBG and learned from each other and learned from some other people that did it before, we started teaching our neighbors,” Joseph said.
In the residential category, second place went to the Crown Heights Keepers located on Eastern Parkway between Franklin Avenue and Bedford Avenue which also was awarded the Media Darling distinction. Bay Ridge Blooms, located on Ridge Boulevard between 71st Street and Ovington Avenue, placed third.
The contest also honors the Rookie of the Year as well as the best streetscapes, window boxes, tree beds and storefronts.
While the contest elicits friendly neighborhood competition and some cash prizes, the ultimate goal — at least from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s perspective — is really about sustainability, education and borough beautifying.
“This is a community-building tool and an educational program disguised as a contest. The overall mission is to get people working with their neighbors, to get people involved with their local communities and really get folks out and just talking with one another,” Cooper said.
“That, in turn, builds safer, healthier, more vibrant communities.”
