Introduction -- Lower East Side community gardens -- West Side community gardens -- East Harlem community gardens -- West Harlem community gardens -- Garden index

Rooted in the Hood' is a photo essay celebrating the community gardens of New York City and the people who create, cultivate, and enjoy them. The late 60s and 70s witnessed the devastation of New York City, with many buildings in low-income areas left unattended, burned, and reduced to rubble. Drug dealers, gangs, and junkies soon moved in making those neighborhoods unsafe to live. This book is about ordinary people, dreamers, and visionaries rising against these unsafe conditions by clearing empty lots, planting trees and vegetables, and slowly creating small havens for the community. By drawing attention to these local gardens, the book brings awareness to the importance of green spaces, not only in New York City, but across the country and around the world