During World War II, the federal government asked Americans to grow their own food. Millions responded, planting beans and tomatoes in whatever soil they had. Behind many of those early efforts was a small nonprofit that had been quietly championing backyard gardening since 1920 — publishing posters, distributing guides, and working to make sure that ordinary homeowners had what they needed to grow something worth harvesting.
More than a hundred years later, that same organization is still at it. The National Garden Bureau (NGB) is a Downers Grove, Illinois-based nonprofit that works to educate, inspire, and motivate people across North America to grow more — whether that means a windowsill herb pot, a pollinator meadow, or a therapeutic garden that helps a stroke survivor regain fine motor skills.
NGB is, in essence, the green industry’s bridge to the general gardening public: a nonprofit that turns the expertise of professional horticulturists into free, accessible information and impactful programming for everyday people.
Mission & Origin
The National Garden Bureau was founded in 1920 by James H. Burdett, a man with an unusual résumé: part newspaper journalist, part advertising manager at a seed company.
Burdett saw a problem clearly. The suburbs were filling up with homeowners who wanted gardens and didn’t know how to grow one. More importantly, he understood something that most in the industry had missed — that the media could be a powerful tool for mass horticultural education, if someone was willing to build the bridge.
He founded NGB to do exactly that, enlisting garden writers and broadcasters (what today would be called garden communicators) to help spread practical, reliable growing information to the public. The organization was incorporated as a nonprofit in the postwar years, as it expanded from victory garden promotion into broader community beautification efforts.
NGB’s mission is simple: “Inspire. Connect. Grow.” The organization exists to educate, inspire, and motivate people to increase the use of garden seeds, plants, and products in homes, gardens, and workplaces — acting as the marketing arm of the horticulture industry while keeping its educational programming firmly public-facing and free.
In February 2024, NGB completed a significant organizational milestone: the merger of its longtime “sister” nonprofit, All-America Selections (AAS), under the NGB umbrella. Founded in 1932, AAS is the oldest independent plant testing organization in North America, trialing never-before-sold varieties at trial grounds across the continent and designating those that outperform the best existing options as AAS Winners.
The merger united two complementary missions — NGB’s consumer education focus and AAS’s rigorous plant vetting — into a single, more efficient organization.
Programs & Impact
The “Year Of” Program
If you’ve ever seen a garden center feature display dedicated to a specific plant — with coordinated signage, growing tips, and social media graphics — there’s a good chance NGB’s “Year Of” program was behind it. Running continuously since 1980, this annual campaign designates a small number of plant genera each year for concentrated consumer promotion.
The power of the program lies in what NGB provides entirely free of charge alongside those designations: hand-painted custom logos, pre-written social media posts, hundreds of curated photographs, PowerPoint presentations, “Did You Know” graphics, printable posters, and downloadable fact sheets.
A retailer, garden writer, cooperative extension agent, or backyard blogger can use all of it at no cost. The goal is to get more people growing more things, and to make sure the growing guidance they receive is backed by genuine horticultural expertise — not internet speculation.
The program continues to expand its reach through social media, trade shows, and partnerships with garden communicators across North America.
All-America Selections (AAS) Trials
Now operating as a program under the NGB umbrella, All-America Selections has been testing new plant varieties since 1932 — making it the oldest independent plant trialing program on the continent. The premise is straightforward but rigorous: seed and plant companies submit never-before-sold varieties to a network of trial grounds spread across North American climates.
Professional, independent volunteer judges grow the entries side by side with the current best-in-class comparison varieties, and award the AAS designation only to those that demonstrably outperform them.
The result is something like a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for garden plants: a designation that home gardeners, retailers, and growers can trust because it was earned through systematic, independent testing in real growing conditions — not corporate marketing.
AAS winners are announced three times a year and are subsequently promoted through NGB’s full media and communications infrastructure.
Therapeutic Garden Grant Program
One of NGB’s most community-facing programs is its annual Therapeutic Garden Grant, launched in 2014 in partnership with American Meadows, Ball Horticultural Company, and Sakata Seed America. Each year, the program awards $7,500 in grants to five therapeutic gardens across North America — gardens where people interact with plants as part of occupational, physical, vocational, or rehabilitation therapy.
Eligible recipients include programs serving patients recovering from illness or injury, older adults, people with disabilities, youth in transition services, and others for whom gardening is not a hobby but a healing practice.
Since its launch, the program has invested more than $55,000 in therapeutic gardens. The selection process involves a panel of horticulture therapy experts who narrow applications to finalists, followed by a public online vote that determines the final award distribution.
NGB has been explicit about why this program matters. Therapeutic gardens offer documented benefits including stress and anxiety reduction, improved physical health and motor skills, and stronger social connection.
Green Thumb Awards
NGB’s Green Thumb Awards, announced annually, recognize the most innovative plants and products of the season as evaluated by two separate panels: an industry expert jury (the Professional’s Choice awards) and thousands of home gardener voters (the People’s Choice awards).
Judging criteria include:
- Innovation
- Garden performance
- Appeal
- Durability
- Reliability
The Green Thumb Award winners span annuals, edibles, houseplants, perennials, shrubs, and garden products — a breadth that reflects NGB’s commitment to serving every type of home gardener, from apartment dwellers with a single potted plant to suburban homeowners with established beds. The award program also functions as a public education tool, surfacing the most promising new varieties and products and helping everyday gardeners make better-informed purchasing decisions.
Financial Snapshot
NGB is a membership-based nonprofit that funds its operations primarily through member dues paid by horticultural industry companies — seed companies, growers, retailers, suppliers, and related businesses — rather than through broad public fundraising. NGB does publish an annual report that covers financial standing alongside program and promotional accomplishments.
How to Get Involved
Whether you’re a home gardener, a garden writer, a healthcare organization, or simply someone who believes that growing things matters, NGB offers several concrete ways to engage.
Use and share the free resources
NGB’s website at ngb.org offers a growing library of free plant guides, “Year Of” educational materials, New Plants listings, and growing tips curated by professional horticulturists. Sharing them with fellow gardeners, garden clubs, or social media followers costs nothing and extends the organization’s reach.
Follow AAS Winners when choosing new plants
Looking for the AAS label at garden centers and in seed catalogs is a practical way to benefit from NGB’s work. Every AAS Winner has been independently trialed in diverse North American climates and outperformed the existing standard. Visit aaswinners.com to explore past and current winners by category.
Apply for (or nominate a garden for) the Therapeutic Garden Grant
Organizations running therapeutic horticulture programs in North America are eligible to apply each spring, with applications typically closing July 1. Grant recipients must have a defined therapeutic program with a registered horticulture therapist on staff or as an advisor, and must serve a significant number of participants each month. Full criteria and application details are available at ngb.org.
Vote in the Green Thumb People’s Choice Awards
NGB opens its annual People’s Choice voting to the general public each fall. Participating takes a few minutes, puts gardener voices directly into the award process, and helps surface the plants and products that will shape what shows up in retail garden centers the following season.
Engage on Social Media
NGB maintains active channels on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube, regularly publishing growing guides, plant spotlights, and program updates. Engagement and sharing from the general public helps the organization’s free educational content reach new gardeners.
For membership inquiries, general questions, or to learn more about supporting the organization, contact at info@ngb.org or 630-963-0770, or visit ngb.org.
