The Garden Conservancy

The Garden Conservancy is a nonprofit organization that works to preserve, share, and celebrate America's gardens and gardening traditions. Through national programs, strategic partnerships, and public engagement, the Conservancy raises awareness of the role gardens play in the country’s cultural, historical, and environmental fabric. The organization is based in Garrison, New York.^[1]

The Garden Conservancy

Formation	1989
Founder	Francis Cabot
Purpose	To preserve, share, and celebrate America's gardens
Headquarters	Garrison, New York
Region served	United States
President	James Brayton Hall
Website	www.gardenconservancy.org

History and Mission

The Conservancy was established in 1989 and has since supported the preservation of more than 100 significant gardens across the United States while developing public programs to promote education and engagement with gardening. Its initiatives focus on helping both emerging and established gardens thrive as long-term community assets.^[1]

The organization was founded by Francis H. Cabot, who was inspired after visiting Ruth Bancroft’s dry garden in Walnut Creek, California. That visit led to the recognition of a broader need to protect privately owned gardens of horticultural or design significance.^[2]

Programs

Open Days

Launched in 1995, Open Days is the Conservancy’s flagship public program and the largest private-garden visiting initiative in the United States. It provides access to thousands of privately owned gardens, many of which are not otherwise open to the public. By 2025, the program had showcased more than 4,500 gardens in over 40 states. A 2024 New York Times profile described the program as “quietly unlocking some of the most impressive gardens in the country.”^[3]

Preservation

The Conservancy has worked with more than 100 gardens to preserve their horticultural, historical, and cultural value. Its efforts include advising on restoration, assisting with nonprofit transitions, and supporting long-term sustainability. Supported gardens include Alcatraz Island (California), Ruth Bancroft Garden (California), Greenwood Gardens (New Jersey), John P. Humes Japanese Stroll Garden (New York), Peckerwood Garden (Texas), and Van Vleck House and Gardens (New Jersey).^[1]

Gardens

Projects include:

• Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, California
• The Ruth Bancroft Garden, Walnut Creek, California
• The Chase Garden, Orting, Washington
• The Fells, the John Hay National Wildlife Refuge, Newbury, New Hampshire
• Greenwood Gardens, Short Hills, New Jersey
• The John P. Humes Japanese Stroll Garden, Mill Neck, New York
• Montrose, Hillsborough, North Carolina
• Peckerwood Garden, Hempstead, Texas
• Rocky Hills, Mount Kisco, New York
• George Schoellkopf’s garden, Washington, Connecticut
• Steepletop, Austerlitz, New York
• Van Vleck House and Gardens, Montclair, New Jersey
• Yew Dell Gardens, Crestwood, Kentucky