The garden of Susan and Coleman Burke, part of several Open Days and Society of Fellows garden-study tours in Nantucket, MA. Photo: Marion Brenner.

About the Garden Conservancy

Founded in 1989, the Garden Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to preserve, share, and celebrate America's gardens and diverse gardening traditions.

Our Mission

The mission of the Garden Conservancy is to preserve, share, and celebrate America's gardens and diverse gardening traditions for the education and inspiration of the public.

Our Vision

The Garden Conservancy will be the champion and steward of the vital role gardens play in America's history, culture, and quality of life.

Preserving

In partnership with garden owners, gardeners, communities, horticulturists, garden designers, and historians, we work to preserve outstanding gardens across America. We help new and emerging public gardens become community-based public resources by drawing upon the expertise from our own dedicated staff as well as that of our network of experts in all aspects of garden design, management, and restoration. We also contribute to the welfare of existing public gardens, helping them manage both natural and manmade challenges to their survival.

Many of the gardens we work with are National Historic Landmarks or on the National Register of Historic Places. Since 1989, the Conservancy has helped over 100 outstanding American gardens survive and prosper.

Sharing

The best way to learn about gardening, garden design, and the transformative power of gardens is to experience gardens in person. Since 1995, more than 4,000 private gardens have participated in our signature Open Days program, welcoming more than 1.4 million visitors in states across the country. We also offer Digger Deeper and Garden Masters Series educational programs in conjunction with garden visiting through the Open Days.

The Garden Conservancy also presents lectures, symposia, and other public education programs to foster the sharing of ideas and inspiration, as well as garden-study tours, which are open to members of our Society of Fellows.

Celebrating

Through all of our programs and outreach, we champion the vital role that gardens play in our history, culture, and quality of life.

The Gardens of Alcatraz. Photo: Caitlin Atkinson.

Panelists premiere of A Garden in Conversation: Louise Wrinkle's Southern Woodland Sanctuary in Birmingham, AL.

Garden at Clock Barn Open Day with Maureen Ruettgers. Photo: Faizal Westcott.

Our History

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in New York State, the Garden Conservancy was founded in 1989 by renowned plantsman Frank Cabot after his visit to Ruth Bancroft's dry garden in Walnut Creek, CA. He recognized that there was an opportunity to create an organization to help preserve such exceptional gardens for future generations.

The Garden Conservancy's preservation and education programs have grown significantly over the years. Since 1989, the Conservancy has helped more than 100 outstanding American gardens survive and prosper. Every year since 1995, our signature garden-visiting program, Open Days, has been unlocking the gates to hundreds of private gardens across the country, allowing thousands of visitors to explore beautiful spaces not usually open to the public.

In 2020, amidst the coronavirus pandemic, we launched our first virtual programs and celebrated the 25th anniversary of our Open Days program with the publication of a book, Open Days 25: A Quarter Century of America's Gardeners and Their Gardens. In 2021, we published a companion piece to Open Days 25, entitled Garden Preservation: Preserving, Sharing, and Celebrating America's Cultural Legacy, and also introduced pre-registration and e-ticketing to enable a careful resumption of in-person programs.

In 2023, the Garden Conservancy held the Garden Futures Summit, a two-day symposium in New York City. The event brought together prominent figures in gardening - architects, landscape architects, horticulturists, and media personalities - and delved into the extraordinary potential of gardens to enhance our physical, cultural, and emotional well-being.

In 2025, the Garden Conservancy will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of Open Days. The program's success is a testament to the passion and generosity of gardeners: Since its inception, Garden Conservancy Open Days™ has showcased more than 4,500 gardens in more than 40 states.