By Jordan Fields, NYC Business
Brooklyn is a concrete jungle, but for Elena Rodriguez, founder of GreenRoots Landscaping, it’s also a canvas for urban transformation. Based in Brooklyn, GreenRoots Landscaping has been designing and maintaining green spaces for 12 years, serving residential, commercial, and community projects across the borough.
Rodriguez’s passion for sustainability drives every project. “We want to create green pockets in a concrete city,” she explains. “Every rooftop garden or community plot we install is a chance to improve air quality, bring neighbors together, and make the borough more livable.”
GreenRoots Landscaping offers a wide range of services, including native plant landscaping, rooftop and backyard gardens, tree planting, seasonal maintenance, and eco-friendly irrigation solutions. The company works with both residential clients who want to enhance their property and commercial clients seeking sustainable landscaping for offices, retail spaces, and community centers.
Over the years, GreenRoots has grown from a small two-person operation to a team of 20 dedicated landscapers and designers, many of whom are Brooklyn residents trained in sustainable practices. Rodriguez attributes this growth to word-of-mouth referrals and a reputation for quality, reliability, and creativity.
Beyond beautification, the company partners with local schools and nonprofits to teach urban gardening skills, organizes community planting days, and supports neighborhood revitalization projects. “We view our work as a social mission as much as a business,” Rodriguez explains.
Being a New Yorker, Rodriguez notes, shapes her approach to business. “Brooklyn is resilient, diverse, and full of creative energy. That’s what we try to reflect in our designs and in the way we operate—community-first, innovative, and sustainable.”
Challenges like tight urban spaces, city regulations, and seasonal weather variations have pushed GreenRoots to innovate. Rodriguez shares that they’ve developed modular planting systems and eco-friendly irrigation solutions to meet the unique demands of city landscapes.
Looking ahead, Rodriguez plans to expand GreenRoots’ impact by partnering with more schools and community organizations, aiming to transform unused lots into vibrant, green spaces. “Our dream is a greener Brooklyn, where every neighborhood has a park, garden, or green corner that residents can enjoy and nurture,” she says.