Richard Hartlage directed the development of the first new display garden added to the Herb Garden at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, a nationally recognized, historic institution. The Herb Garden was the first new garden incorporated in to this site since 1954. The former Herb Garden was to be displaced through a proposed visitor center and would need to be demolished, redesigned, and built in advance of the new building. The new design for the Herb Garden would determine an updated and modern direction for all future built features envisioned in the master plan of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.

Richard’s strong design concepts fully engaged the staff and donor community by providing visionary and effective leadership throughout the process. By simultaneously addressing the larger vision to update the design aesthetic of the project, while engaging the horticultural staff, he was able to create a dynamic design that was enthusiastically embraced by all involved. The garden has become a hugely successful new feature for the institution.