Making a Difference

Mission:

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s mission is connecting people to plants by inspiring communities to explore and conserve nature.

Vision:

We are a Virginia garden of international significance leading in horticultural and educational excellence. We cultivate experiences that enhance each person’s relationship with the natural world.

Our commitments:

Organizational Sustainability. We commit to ensuring the Garden’s successful future. Our responsible management and supportive culture assure the Garden and team reach their full potential.
Environmental Resiliency. We commit to implementing environmental best practices in our organization. Our gardens, partnerships, and programs demonstrate how we can adapt and thrive in a changing world.
Collaboration and Gathering. We commit to collaborative partnerships and relationships that support our communities. We bring diverse cultures together for meaningful moments in nature.
Social Responsibility. We commit to innovative approaches and bold actions that make our Garden more inclusive and accessible to all.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden connects people to plants by inspiring communities to explore and conserve nature.

The five core values

of Inspiration, Hospitality, Integrity, Responsibility, and Innovation define the ethos of the Garden and Reserve.

Inspiration

Provide an accessible, memorable, and transformational botanical garden experience through a beautiful environment that engages guests, connects them to the plant world, and encourages them to learn, share, and model our horticultural practices.

Hospitality

Invite, welcome, and celebrate individuals from diverse communities as visitors, members, partners, volunteers, and staff.

Integrity

Do professional work that is straightforward, honest, up-right, fair, and legal at all times. Steadfastly honor community partners who help the Garden engage with the region and volunteers and staff who carry the Garden and its mission in their hands.

Responsibility

Educate the community on the interdependence of human and plant life and the importance of environmental stewardship. Allocate resources of time, material, and money when proposed programs or projects are considered effective, efficient, and sustainable.

Innovation

Inspire guests with evolving garden design, new and creative displays, stimulating programs, and singular events. Expand the influence of the Garden and Reserve through community partnerships and imaginative projects.

Community Involvement

*Growing Food for the Hungry: The Community Kitchen Garden at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

*Gardening for the Future: Plant Diversity, Integrated Pest Management, Water Management and more.

WATER CONSERVATION

We care about protecting the environment’s limited resources and environmental stewardship is central to our mission. One thing we do is recycle water from Sydnor & Wick lakes to irrigate plants. Learn more and find out how to conserve water in your garden!

See How We Are Making a Difference

Looking to the Future:

Read Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s 2024–2029 Strategic Plan, (PDF).

We're Making a Difference

Read about our community enrichment efforts.

Learn More

We are Proud to Partner with:

Partner with Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden