The Q Gardens native garden was created in 2017 when QG reclaimed an abandoned piece of land that had been a dumping ground located behind the main garden. We established several small trees and a variety of native and pollinator plants there, including medicinal herbs, flowers, and edible plants like a grapevine and serviceberry bush. For years, the native garden has supported local pollinators and been a beautiful garden space for the community to enjoy.

Unfortunately, the original garden fence has grown increasingly broken and unstable - we have not been able to open the outside gate for over a year, and temporary fixes have not held up. The fence poses a safety hazard, and because the fence is low and easy to jump over, the native garden has increasingly been used for trash dumping and as a bathroom, which is a threat to public health and has impacted both the plants and people at the garden.

Current state of the native garden fence

Above: The current state of the native garden fence

A sturdier gated fence will ensure that the native garden can be safe and accessible for all, a space for community engagement. With a new fence, the garden can be opened to the public from the outside again, and we will be able to replenish the plants that have been struggling over the last few years and begin to host workshops and open hours in the native garden starting in the 2026 season.

We received a generous grant from The City Garden Club of New York City that will cover most of the cost of the fence, but need your help to fill the gap! We need to reach at least half of our fundraising goal by 12/13/25 to make it happen, and the full amount will let us avoid needing to pull from our existing funds intended to keep general garden operations running.

These funds will be used to pay for the materials and labor for QG alum Chris (who built our watering system and the current gate between the main and native gardens, among other things!) to construct a new fence in December 2025. You can see the proposal and learn more here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CGJpcR_sNg_okxR0Myy5Nj0Gh0W-RWhVmLIbgcY-CRQ?tab=t.g5ythe3k4fgb

If you’re able to contribute, any amount is truly appreciated. If you aren’t able to donate right now, please consider sharing our campaign with your networks.

Thank you for your support and for being part of the Q Gardens community! 🌻

Help Q Gardens rebuild our native garden fence!