NEW YORK, NY May 22, 2008 —Twenty five million dollars has been donated to the New York Botanical Garden and Prospect Park. That's the largest private gift to the parks in the city's history.

Philanthropist Shelby White says she grew up a block away from Brooklyn's Prospect Park and considered it her backyard:

WHITE: I went horseback riding here. I went rowing with my junior high school boyfriend from Walt Whitman Jr. High school and...sorry Mike - (yes) I smoked my first cigarette in this park....what can I tell you..(laughter)..."

White says she always wanted to give back to the city - and this donation was a natural choice.

The Botanical Garden will receive $15 million of the endowment and it will be used for the creation of a new native plant garden.

The $10 million going to Prospect Park will fund a new facility for skating and other year round activities - as well as pedestrian paths.