The Native Plant Garden Wins ASLA Honor Award

OvS’ work at The New York Botanical Garden’s Native Plant Garden has received a 2020 Professional Honor Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).

The award, one of 31 selected from 567 entries, recognizes site-specific works of landscape architecture. Entries are juried by peers on “quality of design and execution; design context; environmental sensitivity and sustainability; and the design value to the client and other designers.”

Showcasing the beauty and biodiversity of the Northeastern United States, the 3.5 acre Native Plant Garden models how to incorporate native ecologies into garden settings. Comprised of nearly 100,000 native plants representing 450 taxa, the Garden highlights the aesthetic and ecological value of native plants, capturing runoff, providing habitat, and inviting visitors to explore nature through experience and observation.

OvS worked closely with the Garden’s horticultural team to re-imagine the original design from the 1930s. Updates include programmatic elements that educate visitors about the aesthetic and ecological value of native plants, creation of year-round spectacle through a collection of diverse native plant communities, enhanced circulation, and demonstration of sustainable storm water management strategies that contribute to the health of the Bronx River Watershed.

OvS Vice President and Principal, Sheila Brady, FASLA, who led the firm’s design efforts at the Native Plant Garden, will receive the award at ASLA’s Virtual Annual Meeting and Expo in October.