Transforming Vacant Land

Gardens To Visit

Visit a PHS garden or landscape to help build stronger social connections with your community.

For Neighborhoods

Explore programs that create healthy, livable environments and increase access to fresh food.

For Gardeners

Engage with PHS on gardening, whether you’re an expert or a beginner.

About Us

Get to know our story, become a part of our staff, or see what is in the news with PHS.

The Flower Show

“Where children tossed empty cans in a once-neglected lot, they now feel ownership of the space. They come by and say, ‘Mrs. Parker, the grass is getting kind of high.’… It’s about the best thing that could have happened.”

Shelia Parker

West Philadelphia resident

PHS uses gardening and landscaping to clean, green, and maintain vacant lots. Known as PHS Philadelphia LandCare, our team replaces waste with grass, trees, and plants in 12,000 lots.

With support from the City of Philadelphia, PHS partners with a network of contractors and community groups turn vacant lots into a positive public green space. These spaces create lasting benefits including decreased gun violence and improved mental health.

Explore this section and learn more about how PHS Philadelphia LandCare can work with you to clean and green your neighborhood.

Reimagine Safety: Crime doesn't have to shape low-income neighborhoods. Fixing blight will help.

Pollinator Gardens in Vacant Lots

Pollinator gardens contain a variety of native plants that provide pollinators with food, shelter, and places to raise young. Given the importance of these pollinator sanctuaries, we've started to plant them on our cleaned up lots. Learn about the pollinator gardens that we planted in vacant lots throughout the city by previewing or downloading the files to the right.

To view an interactive map of all our cleaned up lots, including the pollinator gardens indicated in yellow, click here.

Funding for this project was provided by a grant award made by the Wildlife Conservation Society through its Climate Adaptation Fund. Support to establish the Climate Adaptation Fund was provided by a grant to Wildlife Conservation Society from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.