by Deborah Patton, ParkTender Volunteer at the 95th St Entrance Gardens
Nancy Possenti is a Conservancy volunteer who wears two gardening caps. She is president of The Garden People’s 91st Street Community Garden and has been a volunteer there since 2017. Nancy has also been a Riverside Park Conservancy ParkTender since spring 2024 at the Fireman’s Memorial Island, just to the south of the 99th Street and Little Riverside Drive entrance.
The Garden People is a nonprofit that was formed 44 years ago. Starting from its origins as an empty field in Riverside Park, the garden has grown into a beautiful and flourishing space. With over 60 members and volunteers, it has officers, a board, a website, and a modest endowment to keep the garden maintained and vibrant. Nancy is at the beginning of her three-year tenure as president. In her work, she oversees the association and liaisons with the Conservancy.
We caught up with her between visits to her gardens and she shared her thoughts about working in Riverside Park and being a charter member of the Conservancy.
“I’m inspired every day by how nature brings people together — even in a city as big and busy as New York. Being out in Riverside Park, surrounded by flowers, trees, and people enjoying them, feels incredibly special.”
Volunteering is natural for Nancy. She is “driven by a passion for beautiful design and the desire to make a difference in the world.” After a successful career in magazine promotion and creative services — starting out in Rolling Stone’s promotion department and culminating as the Director of Creative Services at People Magazine – she chose to leave the corporate world in 2003 to launch Positively Organic, a bold and imaginative line of organic children’s apparel and a pioneer in the sustainable apparel movement.
Nancy believes that one of the most rewarding aspects of her volunteer work is playing a part in seeing the park come alive.
“But what’s even more rewarding are the people from the community. People stop by to say thank you for your work or to share how much the park means to them. Those connections remind me that this work really matters to people. I honestly didn’t expect how often people would stop to chat! Almost every time I’m out there, someone will ask a question, share some gardening tips, tell me how much the park means to them, or just thank me for tending the garden. It’s such a lovely reminder that green spaces aren’t just about plants — they’re about people too.”
Nancy’s involvement in the Conservancy reflects the power of community. She describes the Conservancy as “a warm, passionate community where everyone shares a common purpose: to care for and celebrate one of New York’s most beautiful spaces. Everyone brings something different to the table, and there’s a real sense of camaraderie and pride in what we’re building together.” She adds that the interactions with the Conservancy staff are invaluable, “Honestly, a huge inspiration for me is the Riverside Park Conservancy staff — seeing how passionate, dedicated, and hardworking they are makes me want to give my best too.”
She is dedicated to helping to make the Conservancy thrive and advises anyone interested in joining to go for it! “You don’t need to have any special skills,” Nancy says. “You just need a love for the outdoors and a willingness to pitch in. There’s so much support from the Conservancy staff and other volunteers. Plus, you’ll learn a ton along the way, not just about gardening, but about the park itself and the people who love it.”
Nancy adds that a garden is only as good as the people who contribute their time to it, reinforcing the fact that gardening is at its core a meaningful community-building experience.
About Riverside Park Conservancy
From 59th Street to 181st Street, from riverfront to city-side, Riverside Park Conservancy cares for and enhances six miles of parkland for present and future generations. Working together with NYC Parks, we make improvements as diverse as the park itself and the city it serves.