The Parks Department is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its "Green Thumb" program, which supports more than 550 community gardens around the city. Juan Manuel Benítez recently spoke with a Manhattan woman who's dedicated nearly 40 years to taking care of one:

Jenny Benitez is a popular figure in her West Harlem neighborhood.

Just across the street from her building on Riverside Drive and 138th St., is one of the largest community gardens in the city, a stretch of green she has spent 40 years cultivating.

"I did it because I thought it was important for the community, I thought it was important for the children,” she says.

It’s in a section of Riverside Park that was known for abandoned cars, drugs and trash before residents cleaned it up in the late 1970s with the help of the National Guard.

"I was a volunteer, not for parks, but for the community,” she says.

As part of the effort to reclaim the park, the Riverside Valley Community Garden was born. But two years ago, a new name seemed in order.

"My volunteers decided it was about time they changed the name to Jenny's Garden, and that's how it's known now," she says.

Jenny Benitez says everything planted and grown is later donated to a soup kitchen in the area or to neighborhood residents.

"Eggplant, broccoli, okra, tomatoes, asparagus…” she says, ticking off some of the vegetables she will plant this season.

The place is also planted with dear memories.

Two trees honor her two late sons, both of their deaths drug-related.

And there is another memorial.

"They gave my husband this bench; it's gonna be two years that he passed,” she says.

Born in Puerto Rico, Benitez worked as an assistant teacher here for decades.

"I know I'm 85 and I'm getting older by the minute, and then with this situation with my lungs it's making it worse, because my legs are as strong as they can be.”

Benitez has no plans to give up her community gardening, saying, "I don't have a last year.” She points to the sky. “My last year is when he decides to make it last year.”