The Garden Conservancy

 

Photo credit: Mark F. Heffron

As I walk around my property to see what spring flower has newly opened or think about what new ideas to try to incorporate into my garden, I think about visiting other gardens. And the thought of visiting gardens, both public and private, to look at for the sheer beauty of the gardens or to see what others do with the plantings and get ideas for my own garden is something that I find very appealing. I especially enjoy the opportunity to see private gardens to see what other plant lovers are doing. I feel as if I am visiting secret gardens and am one of the privileged few.

Photo credit: Mark F. Heffron

To visit these gardens, I want to encourage TheGardenLady readers to become members of The Garden Conservancy. The Garden Conservancy provides access to some of America’s finest private gardens. Last year they allowed visitors into more than 360 private gardens in 21 states So what better way of seeing these gardens and having the pleasure of visiting gardens, many that one would not otherwise have the opportunity of visiting, than joining?

Photo credit: Mark F. Heffron

Joining the Garden Conservancy helps in other ways than allowing people to visit gardens. The Conservancy provides the horticultural, technical, management, and financial expertise needed to sustain many of these fragile environments and to ensure long-term stewardship of these gardens. They help reestablish outstanding gardens that may have gone into decay. Since they started, the Garden Conservancy has helped over 90 exceptional gardens across America survive and prosper. They have done more than any other national institution to save and preserve America’s exceptional gardens for the education and enjoyment of the public. They raise public awareness of the important role gardens play in America’s cultural and natural heritage by giving lectures and symposia. They offer jobs in some of the gardens. And they tell you which beautiful gardens may be for sale should someone be looking. In other words, The Garden Conservancy is an organization that I am hoping that readers of this blog will want to join or to give a membership gift to someone in your family or a friend.

Photo credit: Mark F. Heffron

And if you don’t become a member, go on line to see which gardens you wish to see during their Open Days Program and buy tickets to see these gardens. The programs and gardens start opening now, in late March, and there are gardens to see through November. The list of gardens is online. And this year there are going to be many never before seen gardens that will be open to the public.

But remember that by becoming a Member, you get special access to the Open Days events, the directory of all the gardens and you will enjoy all your garden visits at 50% off when you purchase special membership tickets!

 

A number of years ago I introduced the The Garden Conservancy to my brother by giving him a Garden Conservancy membership for Washington State. He has been joining and visiting the gardens ever since. He and his wife love it.