It's September, which means that we're in that precious sweet spot where NYC's temperature hovers between unbearably hot and unbearably cold. During this time, you may find yourself wanting to spend your weekends in the refuge of one of the city's many parks and gardens.

One of the best things about NYC is that there are so many hidden green spaces. Seemingly on every corner, there's a hidden patch of green or a little bench at the center of a ring of tulips, disrupting the sirens and the smoke. Even in Manhattan, where every square inch of real estate has value, there are a surprising number of green spaces to be found, creatively squished between buildings or even planted inside skyscrapers.

Here's a list of some of the island's best secret gardens, where you can find solitude and peace amidst the changing leaves.

3. West 111th St.'s People's Garden

This sprawling collection of green spaces stands in the shadows of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, a mystically gorgeous building in and of itself, but it has plenty of natural wonders to offer the wayward traveler. Stretching from Amsterdam Avenue to Broadway, it boasts lush walls of trees and flowers as well as stunning artwork. Stop by the community-maintained garden on Amsterdam, or take a breather on the circular benches surrounding the Peace Fountain on Broadway, pictured above.