The American Horticultural Society

Founded in 1922, the American Horticultural Society is one of America’s oldest and most respected horticultural organizations.

Headquartered at the historic River Farm estate along the Potomac River in Alexandria, Virginia—land once owned by George Washington—AHS occupies a unique position at the intersection of horticultural education, garden tourism, environmental advocacy, and community building.

Unlike organizations focused exclusively on home gardening or specific plant types, AHS takes a comprehensive approach to advancing horticulture in all its dimensions:

• Supporting public gardens
• Educating gardeners at all levels
• Recognizing horticultural achievement
• Promoting environmental stewardship
• Serving as a unifying force for America’s diverse gardening communities

Mission

The American Horticultural Society’s mission is to inspire a culture of gardening and horticultural practices that creates and sustains healthy, beautiful communities and a livable planet.

At its core, AHS’s mission centers on education and awareness—helping Americans understand plants’ importance beyond mere decoration or hobby. AHS emphasizes that plants, gardens, and green spaces aren’t luxuries but necessities for healthy communities and environmental sustainability. 

AHS works to ensure that decision-makers, community leaders, and citizens recognize horticulture’s value when making choices about land use, public investment, and community development.

Services

The American Horticultural Society delivers a range of services designed to:

• Advance horticulture 
• Support gardeners and gardens
• Recognize excellence
• Promote environmental stewardship

The American Gardener Magazine:

One of AHS’s flagship services is publishing The American Gardener, a bimonthly magazine distributed to members and subscribers. 

The magazine features in-depth articles on diverse horticultural topics including:

• Plant profiles
• Garden design 
• Regional gardening
• Conservation horticulture
• Public garden visits
• Book reviews
• News from the horticultural world

Reciprocal Admissions Program

AHS administers one of gardening’s most valuable membership benefits—reciprocal admissions to over 300 gardens and arboreta across North America. 

Members receive free or discounted admission to participating public gardens, making membership particularly valuable for garden enthusiasts who visit gardens regularly or travel to experience notable gardens.

Educational Programs and Workshops:

AHS offers educational programming through various formats:

• Workshops at River Farm covering topics like pruning techniques, plant propagation, or garden design 
• Lecture series featuring horticultural experts and garden designers
• Symposia addressing specific topics in depth
• Webinars expanding access beyond those who can travel to Virginia 
• Special courses for deeper learning

River Farm Estate Gardens:

AHS maintains the historic River Farm property as demonstration gardens, event venue, and educational site. The 25-acre estate features diverse garden areas showcasing different styles, plant palettes, and design approaches.

National Awards Programs: 

AHS administers awards recognizing horticultural excellence across multiple categories:

• The Great American Gardeners Awards honor individuals making significant contributions to horticulture—whether through breeding, design, writing, education, or leadership 
• Book awards recognize outstanding horticultural publications 
• Youth gardening program awards celebrate excellent garden-based youth education

Youth Education Initiatives: 

AHS supports youth horticulture education through grants, awards, and programs connecting young people with plants and gardens.

Seed Exchange Program: 

AHS operates a seed exchange where members share seeds from their gardens with other members. 

This program preserves plant diversity and allows gardeners to access unusual varieties not commercially available.

Gardening Information and Horticultural Resources: 

AHS provides information services answering gardener questions, offering plant recommendations, and troubleshooting problems. The organization also develops and distributes resources supporting gardeners and horticultural professionals:

• Fact sheets
• Planting guides
• Reference materials

Advocacy and Public Policy Engagement: 

AHS engages in advocacy for policies supporting horticulture:

• Funding for public gardens
• Protection of plant collections
• Support for horticultural research
• Policies promoting urban green space
• Positions on environmental issues affecting plants and gardens

While not primarily an advocacy organization, AHS uses its respected voice to influence policy discussions affecting horticulture’s future.

National Children & Youth Garden Symposium: 

AHS organizes symposia bringing together professionals working in youth garden education—teachers, garden coordinators, nonprofit leaders, landscape designers, and others.

Digital Resources and Online Presence: 

AHS maintains comprehensive digital resources including:

• Website content on diverse horticultural topics
• Newsletters with timely tips and news
• Social media sharing garden inspiration and information
• Virtual programming expanding access beyond River Farm

Collaborations and Partnerships

The American Horticultural Society’s broad mission and comprehensive approach to advancing horticulture requires extensive collaborations spanning organizations throughout the horticultural ecosystem:

• Public gardens
• Educational institutions
• Government agencies
• Corporations

AHS’s most extensive partnership network involves the hundreds of public gardens participating in the reciprocal admissions program. 

Public Gardens Network: 

Beyond reciprocal admissions, AHS collaborates with public gardens on:

• Educational programming
• Advocacy for public garden funding
• Collective efforts to advance public gardens’ role in communities

Relationships with gardens like Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden, Longwood Gardens, and hundreds more create a national network advancing horticultural excellence and public access.

American Public Gardens Association: 

AHS maintains close relationship with the American Public Gardens Association (formerly American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta), the professional organization for public gardens. 

While distinct organizations with different roles—APGA serves public garden professionals while AHS serves broader horticultural community.

Horticultural Societies and Plant Organizations: 

AHS partners with specialized horticultural societies focused on particular plant groups:

• North American Rock Garden Society
• Hardy Plant Society
• Various state and regional horticultural societies
• Specialty societies for roses, dahlias, hostas, and countless other plants

Universities and Research Institutions: 

AHS collaborates with university horticultural programs, botanical research institutions, and agricultural research centers. These partnerships involve:

• Supporting research
• Disseminating research findings to practitioners
• Providing student internships and employment opportunities at River Farm
• Connecting academic expertise with practical horticultural applications

Cooperative Extension Services: 

Relationships with Extension services nationwide connect AHS with research-based local expertise and county-level educators reaching gardeners in every community. Extension provides regional specificity complementing AHS’s national perspective.

National Park Service and Historic Sites: 

Given River Farm’s location near George Washington’s Mount Vernon and its own historical significance, AHS maintains relationships with:

• National Park Service sites
• Historic gardens
• Preservation organizations

Partnerships involve shared programming on garden history, preservation of historic landscapes, and interpretation of horticultural heritage.

Environmental and Conservation Organizations: 

AHS partners with environmental nonprofits on shared interests:

• Native plants
• Pollinator conservation
• Water conservation
• Climate resilience
• Sustainable land management

Organizations like the National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society, or Xerces Society partner with AHS when horticultural and conservation goals align.

Youth Education Organizations: 

Given AHS’s youth education interests, partnerships with organizations serving children and youth to support garden-based youth programming.:

• 4-H
• Scouts
• Schools 
• Youth development nonprofits

Corporate Partners and Sponsors: 

AHS receives support from corporations throughout the green industry:

• Seed companies
• Tool manufacturers
• Garden retailers
• Landscape service providers
• Businesses serving horticultural markets

AHS maintains editorial independence while acknowledging corporate support’s importance to organizational sustainability.

Foundation Funders: 

Philanthropic foundations interested in environmental conservation, education, community development, or cultural enrichment support AHS’s work through grants. Foundation partnerships enable:

• Specific initiatives
• Support River Farm development
• Fund youth programs
• Allow programmatic expansion

Local Community Partners: 

In its local Virginia community, AHS partners with:

• Schools
• Community organizations 
• Tourism entities
• Local government 

River Farm serves as community resource—venue for events, site for educational field trips, tourist destination—creating local relationships distinct from national horticultural partnerships.

Outreach Services

Advancing American horticulture requires reaching a large audience:

• Home gardeners seeking to improve knowledge and skills
• Garden tourists seeking memorable experiences
• Youth and families interested in plants and nature
• Public garden professionals 
• Horticultural industry members
• The general public whose awareness supports horticulture’s social value

Membership Recruitment and Engagement: 

AHS’s membership model makes outreach inseparable from membership recruitment. The organization promotes membership benefits to attract members:

• Reciprocal garden admissions
• The American Gardener magazine
• River Farm access

The American Gardener as Outreach Tool: 

The magazine functions as both member benefit and outreach vehicle. Eye-catching covers attract newsstand browsers and potential members. 

Distribution beyond members—to public gardens, horticultural societies, and libraries—extends reach to potential members and stakeholders.

Reciprocal Admissions Program Promotion: 

Marketing the reciprocal admissions program attracts members while promoting garden visitation broadly. 

Publicity about the program encourages garden tourism, benefiting participating gardens even from non-members who visit.

River Farm Public Visitation: 

Opening River Farm to public visitation serves outreach purposes beyond event revenue. Visitors experience AHS firsthand by:

• Encountering demonstration gardens showcasing plants and design
• Attending events introducing them to programming
• Becoming members or donors

Public Garden Partnerships and Network Visibility: 

The reciprocal admissions network creates 300+ touchpoints where AHS has presence.

 Participating gardens promote the benefit, display AHS materials, and represent the organization to their visitors and members.

Speaking Engagements and Conference Participation: 

AHS staff and leadership speak at garden shows, horticultural conferences, garden club meetings, and industry events.

Educational Programming as Outreach: 

Workshops, lectures, and symposia function simultaneously as member services and outreach. 

Virtual programming dramatically expands geographic reach, allowing participation from anywhere.

Book Awards and Literary Engagement: 

Recognizing outstanding horticultural books draws attention from literary audiences, book reviewers, publishers, and authors.

Youth Program Outreach: 

Youth education grants and recognition reach educators, youth program administrators, and families—audiences who might not identify as “horticulture enthusiasts” but care deeply about youth development and education.

Advocacy and Policy Engagement: 

Public policy engagement reaches a different audience:

• Legislators
• Government agency officials
• Urban planners
• Policy advocates

Strategic Geographic Expansion: 

While headquartered in Virginia, AHS works to maintain national relevance through:

• Reciprocal admissions partnerships nationwide
• Magazine content featuring gardens and practices from all regions 
• Virtual programming accessible everywhere 
• Recognition programs honoring achievement regardless of location

Financial Transparency Links

If you are interested in donating to The American Horticultural Society, you can review their performance stats.

• The American Horticultural Society at Charity Navigator
• The American Horticultural Society at Candid
• The American Horticultural Society at Propublica’s Non-Profit Explorer

Visit ahsgardening.org

For over 100 years, AHS has championed horticultural excellence, connected Americans with beautiful gardens, educated countless gardeners, and advocated for plants and green spaces as essential elements of healthy, sustainable communities.

AHS occupies a distinctive niche in American horticulture:

• More comprehensive than single-plant societies 
• More focused on horticulture than broad environmental groups
• More public-facing than purely professional organizations
• More national than regional societies 

This unique position allows AHS to serve as convener and connector, bringing together diverse horticultural interests under shared commitment to advancing plants, gardens, and green spaces.

Visit ahsgardening.org to explore membership benefits, browse reciprocal admissions gardens, subscribe to The American Gardener, and learn about River Farm and its programs.

Visit The American Horticultural Society’s YouTube channel to see their projects and services in action.