Drew Gardens, a West Farms community staple, is now reopened to the public.

The garden was shut down by the city due to legal issues, but after three years, the community is now welcome back into the space. The two-acre garden is filled with native plants, flowers, food, and even Japanese coi fish. It used to be a dumping ground, but now it's a safe haven for Bronxites looking to escape to nature. "After being shut down for three years, being able to re open again, it shows the power of resiliency and how the community still deeply cares about this garden and green spaces," said Ivette Vargas, an administrator at Drew Gardens. The garden has about 10 volunteers who work on upkeep and community partnerships as well as programming and workshops. New to the public are four chickens that lay eggs all throughout the garden. Administrators say the eggs are free for anyone to take. They also grow green leaves and romaine lettuce, along with spinach, rosemary, tomatoes, cherries, plums, garlic, and more. Mario Figueroa told News 12 how important it is for the garden to exist in such a busy borough, "It's so important for people and the community to have a space where they can just be, you know, be grounded," he said. "This garden mean peace of mind. That's where I get my strength from," said Nessie Panton. The 88-year-old has been volunteering her time at the garden for decades. Members of the garden even dedicated a bench in her name right in front of the Japanese coi fish pond. Administrators told News 12 they want to continue to pass along the knowledge of nature and traditions to future generations, and that they can't wait to bring book and clothes giveaways, community events, and workshops back to the community. https://www.facebook.com/share/16oLCfqs9K/?mibextid=wwXIfr Click this link to find out more about Drew Gardens' hours of operation and upcoming events.