Cultivating New York’s earthly delights

Getting there
From LAX to JFK, American, United and Delta have nonstop service; America West and Northwest have connecting service (with change of plane). To Newark, N.J., Continental, United and American have nonstop service; America West, Northwest and US Airways have connecting service. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $278.

The gardens
Conservatory Garden, Central Park at East 105th Street and Fifth Avenue; (212) 860-1382, https://www.centralparknyc.org . Open 8 a.m.-dusk daily; free. Subway: No. 6 train to 103rd Street.

Wave Hill, 675 W. 252nd St., Bronx; (718) 549-3200, https://www.wavehill.org . Open 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays April 15-Oct. 14 (extended hours 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesdays, June and July); 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Oct. 15-April 14; $4 mid-March-mid-November, free December-February. Subway: Metro-North to Riverdale.

Heather Garden, Fort Tryon Park, Margaret Corbin Circle at 192nd Street and Cabrini Boulevard; (212) 795-1388, https://www.hhoc.org/fftp . Open 6 a.m.-midnight daily; free. Subway: A train to 190th Street.

Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden, 421 E. 61st St.; (212) 838-6878, https://www.mountvernonhotelmuseum.org . Open 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays (extended hours 6-9 p.m. Tuesdays, June and July; closed August); $5. Subway: N and R trains to 59th Street or F train to 63rd Street.

Liz Christy Bowery Houston Community Garden, 110 E. Houston St. For information, Green Guerillas, (212) 594-2155, Ext. 1, https://www.lizchristygarden.org . Open 6 p.m.-dusk Tuesdays and noon-4 p.m. Saturdays, May-September; noon-5 p.m. in October. Free. Subway: No. 6 train to Bleecker Street or F train to 2nd Avenue.

Where to eat
Some garden cafes: Cafe St. Bart’s, 109 E. 50th St. at Park Avenue; (212) 888-2664. On a terrace at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church. Serves American fare for lunch and dinner Monday-Friday and Sunday brunch. Dinner entrees $16-$28; Sunday brunch $20.

The Cloisters, Fort Tryon Park; (212) 923-3700. Has a cafe in its cloister garden; snacks and light meals $4-$10, plus $12 museum admission. Closed Mondays.

Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, 2 E. 91st St. at Fifth Avenue; (212) 849-8400. Has a garden cafe serving light meals and snacks, $5-$10, plus $8 museum admission. Closed Mondays.

New Leaf Cafe, 1 Margaret Corbin Drive, Fort Tryon Park; (212) 568-5323. Serves contemporary American cuisine for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch next to the Heather Garden. Dinner entrees $13-$21.

Wave Hill (address left) serves pre-made sandwiches, salads and snacks, $5-$10.

To learn more
Central Park Conservancy, 14 E. 60th St., New York, NY 10022; (212) 310-6600, https://www.centralparknyc.org .

Green Guerillas, 151 W. 30th St., New York, NY 10001; (212) 594-2155, https://www.greenguerillas.org .

Horticultural Society of New York, 128 W. 58th St., New York, NY 10019; (212) 757-0915, https://www.hsny.org .