Each year, GrowNYC builds and installs essential garden infrastructure including raised beds, seating, shade structures, storage, and other built elements for community groups stewarding open green spaces around New York City.
GrowNYC has also built more than 120 rainwater harvesting systems, rain gardens, and bioswales at community gardens and schools, helping gardeners grow more food, conserve water, and reduce pollution in New York City's waterways. Annually, these green infrastructure systems help divert more than one million gallons of water from NYC's sewer system and keep it on site where it can be used.
Our how-to guides and videos can help community gardeners, teachers, students, and other green space stewards design and install built elements and green infrastructure systems.
BUILD PLANS
A moveable backed bench for up to three people. |
A six-foot picnic table for adults and kids. |
A simple potting bench for storing garden materials. |
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE GUIDES
A short guide to building rainwater harvesting systems, aimed at New Yorkers that have received free rain barrel kits from the Department of Environmental Protection. |
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A succinct case study on building a rain garden, aimed at New Yorkers that have received free rain barrel kits from the Department of Environmental Protection. |
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A succinct case study on building a rainwater overflow system, aimed at New Yorkers that have received free rain barrel kits from the Department of Environmental Protection. |
Our Rainwater Harvesting How-To Guide is a 26-page in-depth guide to building rainwater harvesting systems. |
Green Infrastructure Techniques is a 16-page introduction to numerous green infrastructure approaches. |
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Resilient NYC Community Garden Guide was written shortly after Hurricane Sandy, and covers steps that community gardens and other open spaces can take to address future storm events. |
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE VIDEOS
An instructional video on building a shade structure and rainwater harvesting system at Riverside Valley Community Garden in Harlem. |
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An instructional video on building a small rain garden to capture the overflow of the RWH system at Riverside Valley. |
An instructional video on building a rain garden to capture runoff from a downslope at Riverside Valley. |
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An instructional video on building a rainwater harvesting system connected to an octagonal gazebo at Marcus Garvey Community Garden in Brownsville. |
An instructional video on building a small structure and demonstration rainwater harvesting system at Columbia Secondary School Garden in Harlem. |
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A basic introduction to rainwater harvesting from our 2013 Green Infrastructure Toolkit. |
A basic introduction to stormwater management from our 2013 Green Infrastructure Toolkit. |
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A basic introduction to green roofs and rain gardens from our 2013 Green Infrastructure Toolkit. |
A basic introduction to downspout planters, permeable pavement, and enhanced tree pits from our 2013 Green Infrastructure Toolkit. |
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A basic introduction to bioswales from our 2013 Green Infrastructure Toolkit. |
GREEN SPACE ARCHIVES