5. The Lower East Side is Home to the Tallest Dawn Redwood Tree in Manhattan

Dawn Redwood at the Lower East Side

Founded in 1973, the Liz Christy Garden is the first community garden in New York City. During the year of its inception, a local resident named Liz Christy — with the help of other gardening enthusiasts called the “Green Gorillas” — spent their free time beautifying local areas with window boxes and seed bombs. In 1974, after enlisting volunteers to clean out an abandoned lot, they received the city’s permission to use the site as their garden for $1 a month.

Today, the Liz Christy Garden’s gravel path winds from Bowery to Second Avenue, and features hidden alcoves and a lake that only reaches 2.5 feet deep. Most notably, it’s home a dawn redwood tree that towers above Houston Street, near the intersection of Bowery. This particular tree is thought to be the tallest redwood tree in Manhattan, standing over 100 feet. Read more about it here.

If you’re interested in putting your green thumb to use, visitors are also welcome to volunteer at the garden. Twenty hours of service will be rewarded with a key to the garden.