Somewhere That's Green

On June 15, the New York Restoration Project hosted its annual Spring Picnic Gala at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Palm House. The event was hosted by Emmy Award-winning journalist Frank DiLella, and guests including NYPR board member Sophia von Haselberg, Shawn Henderson, Rachel Fleit, Susan Donoghue, Lynn Kelly, Darius Garvin, and more enjoyed cocktails, activities including a terrarium workshop hosted by NYRP gardeners, and performances from Broadway stars Adam Jacobs and Kate Rockwell in addition to a seated diner. The gala honored landscape designers Janice Parker and Walter Hood as well as community gardeners and the event marked the first time that NYRP bestowed its Garden Spotlight Awards, celebrating increased access to green space for New Yorkers.

"Unlike Hulaween, which is campy and glam but also comes with the angst of what costume to wear, Spring Picnic is a more serene celebration focused on the season’s bounty, being outside in nature, and taking a deep breath as we gear up for our busiest season," von Haselberg tells T&C. "This year in particular, I’m thrilled that we’ll be recognizing and celebrating with some of the gardeners who make NYRP spaces pop with their green thumbs and passionate drives to make the world a more beautiful place."