- Open Hours
Updated September 15, 2023
Tuesdays 1:30 pm – 4 pm
Sundays 12 pm – 4 pmFood Waste Drop-off: all year.
—We accept all food waste, incl. meats, bones, dairy, seafood, raw, cooked, oyster and clam shells, coconut shells, etc.
When bringing plant matter, please keep them separate from the food waste.
Leaf Drop-off: all year.
—We accept leaves, plant discards, tree branches, and potting soil ALL YEAR ROUND.
Down to Earth Garden (formerly Children’s Garden)
546 E 12th St (194 Ave B)
New York, NY 10009
Down to Earth Garden, which changed its name on July 1, 2020 from Children’s Garden, is a GreenThumb community garden in the East Village/Lower East Side of Manhattan, NYC.
We’re a small community garden, 1261 sq ft, on 12th St, by Ave B, southwest corner. However, we have been very active in composting (in combination with El Sol Brillante’s composting activities) since the fall of 2009. See the trajectory of the amount of food waste processed by volunteers at both gardens combined, from fall 2009 to 12/31/2019.
The garden was established in 1993/1994 soon after a building there was demolished. The building’s address was 194 Ave B which is also the garden’s address, but the garden’s entrance is at 546 E 12th St (NYC Parks/GreenThumb will eventually replace the garden sign [current sign below] with new name, as well as, the address).
Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) on the wall above the garden’s mural.
