By the 17th Century the Dutch were making gardens throughout Europe, most of which combined a formal structure with either the production of food or creating an opportunity for the wealthy to showcase rare plants. In New Netherland, they followed the formal garden geometry, with the production of food, medicinal herbs, and fruits so important to the survival of the colony.
Often the 'quartered' garden plot at the back of each small house included potherbs, medicinal plants, and food production was part of each New Netherland family's daily lives.
See a detailed article on the archeology of plant life in New Amsterdam by Joel Grossman, PhD. here. Courtesy of the Holland Society of New York.
Fig 4.21 Crispijn de Passe, Hortus Floridus, Utrecht 1615, copyright New York Botanical Garden https://www.nybg.org/