While annual garden visitation in the tens or hundreds of thousands provides one metric of success, productive relationships with fewer than 100 major donors can prove far more important to achieving a public garden’s mission, growth and success. Learn...

The Membership program at Longwood Gardens originally launched in 2007 and quickly grew to over 65,000 household Members by 2016. The program, as originally designed, was not able to support future growth while providing an extraordinary member...

Data and metrics run our lives today. Membership in the botanical garden and arboreta world is no different. In this session, participants will learn that metrics drive our industry in acquisition, renewals, online communications and member...

This session is a rapidfire mash-up of 5-minute snapshots of creative teacher engagement strategies, small-group brainstormings, and facilitated dialogues. Participants should bring their own ideas and be...

As fewer students choose careers in horticulture, it is imperative for public gardens to raise awareness for the diverse career opportunities available in our industry to inspire the next generation of...

Consisting of several 15-minute presentations, this session is devoted exclusively to having the future leaders of public horticulture share their latest research findings. Through these undergraduate and...

WARNING: Several Association members have teamed up to tell a series of terrifying tales – some so shocking, so creepy that you may not sleep a full night again. Topic titles include: Invasion of ...

This presentation will show the profound role that art, science, and technology play in building ecological literacy and resilience. Presented by award-winning landscape architect and educator, Roberto Rovira...

Searching for a new way to demonstrate your public garden is “more than just a pretty place?” Attend and learn to harness your garden’s power to improve lives. Public gardens can be a source of reflection and...

Are you an aspiring public garden leader or looking to find new talent for your team? We all know that emerging into the public garden profession isn’t always a straightforward process, so we’re here to open...

Join your garden colleagues of small, university, and large gardens as they share their creative success stories in a lively and focused “rapid fire” session. Each presenter must tell his/her story in six...

Although volunteers are among those most deeply engaged in your garden’s mission, there is a distinct reluctance by many institutions to ask for financial support from those who donate their time, energy, and...

The impacts of climate change—including higher temperatures, heavier rain, more frequent and intense droughts, wildfires, floods, and sea-level rise—are affecting public gardens. Many gardens use a climate-...

Are you sometimes frustrated with your partner? Your public garden partner, that is! Public gardens operating within “dual-governance” (between a non-profit organization and governments or universities) often...

Fundraising, master planning, and design are linked necessities for any public garden committed to mission-based stewardship and evolution. Designers and development professionals bring unique perspectives,...

Earth has daunting climatic and socioeconomic challenges. Gardens wish to do their part in preserving biodiversity, but best practices are essential when working with and protecting wild populations. We will...

Botanical gardens and their living collections have unique but underutilized resources for plant biology research. Living collections are essentially large common gardens able to advance fields of genetics,...

Wondering how to host a mud run without the mud? Come on a fun adventure and discover how to host a version of RBG’s Adventure Challenge Course in your garden or arboretum. Think about using your space...