Seasons — Black-Owned Brooklyn

“A lot of people look at plants as if they are art or accessories, and they’re not,” says Deborah Young, owner of Seasons, a nursery and garden center in Bed-Stuy. “They’re living things that will tell you what they need.”

But no worries if you never hear plants talking to you: Deborah is happy to tell you what they need, too. The Bed-Stuy native, 59, has been growing them since she was three — a skill encouraged by her North Carolinian father, and a passion that informed her college study of marine biology as well as her first business, back in the ‘80s, in floral design.

“When I sell somebody a plant, I find out which way their windows are facing, which street they live on, if they are putting it in the front of the building or the back,” she says. “Then I can direct them to what plant will work for them. And very few of my customers kill their plants.”

“A lot of people look at plants as if they are art or accessories, and they’re not. They’re living things that will tell you what they need.”

Deborah describes the vibe at Seasons as like being at your favorite auntie’s house. “It’s not sophisticated and glamorous, but it’s warm, cozy and everything you need is here,” she says of the lush urban sanctuary she created in 2012, after taking over what used to be a neglected pocket park. And, true to its name, the nursery carries plants according to their season (except for in January and February, when it closes and Deborah works by appointment only). This fall you’ll find ornamental cabbage and kale, cyclamen, pansies, mums, heather, celosia, hydrangea, ornamental gourds, pumpkins, evergreen shrubs and more, with Christmas trees and wreaths coming soon.

“There’s so much to discover here,” says Deborah, who keeps Seasons stocked with a rotation of fresh finds. “I have customers who come here every week and find something new. And you better buy it because I may not have it again!”

In spite of her lifelong experience with growing and gardening, Deborah says she’s always learning something new with plants. “You can have 10 of the same plant; eight will do the same thing, and two will do something completely different,” she says. “It’s fascinating to watch them react.” So don’t be shy about striking up a conversation about all things garden — or anything at all, really. Part of Deborah’s intention for opening Seasons seven years ago was to create a space for community and connection.

“Bed-Stuy was always a small bedroom community in the middle of a big city,” she says. “But a lot of these newcomers are bringing that ‘I don’t talk to you; you don’t talk to me’ attitude, and that’s not fun to watch. But Seasons is a great place to come and learn. And it’s a great place to just chill out.”