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This study connects Green Gentrification and Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) to explore the social effects of urban greening. Using geo-located social media data from Flickr, I assessed CES value in 18 Barcelona parks, 9 of which previously experienced green gentrification. Analyzing 703 photos taken between 2004 and 2017, I found that gentrified parks were associated with aesthetics and recreational activities, while non-gentrified parks were linked to cultural identity and social activities. Photos predominantly depicted built infrastructure rather than nature, and level of greenness did not determine green gentrification. The results suggest that cultural value in green spaces explains green gentrification.