National Gardening Association

About NGA

The National Gardening Association (NGA), founded in 1973, is a nonprofit leader in plant-based education. We serve a national audience with timely materials designed to foster an appreciation for the benefits of gardening.

Plants have the power to change our lives. They enable the simple and therapeutic pleasure of working in one’s own garden. They play a basic role in providing clean air and serve as a nutritious basis for healthy living. And they are uniquely effective teaching tools. For more than 30 years, NGA has been working to renew and sustain the essential connection between people, plants, and the environment through gardening.

Our programs and initiatives highlight the opportunities for plant-based education in schools, communities, and backyards across the country. We serve as a bridge to connect people to gardening in five core fields: plant-based education, health and wellness, environmental stewardship, community development, and responsible home gardening.

National Gardening Association's Core Fields of Emphasis

Plant-Based Education

NGA is a leading national provider of K-12, plant-based educational materials. With teachers and community leaders serving as guides, our school and youth gardening programs help children gain knowledge in science, literacy, social studies, nutrition, the environment, and personal skills areas such as leadership, problem-solving, and team building.

Health and Wellness

The satisfying experiences of planting, cultivating, and harvesting fruits and vegetables creates a lifelong appreciation for healthy living. Beyond formal educational materials, our plant-based resources address pervasive health concerns such as poor nutrition and inactivity. By supporting thousands of school and community gardens nationwide, we help children and adults establish links between plants, gardening, food, and health.

Environmental Stewardship

Gardens are a microcosm of the environment. Landscaping with water, native plants, and habitat-friendly gardens is a portal for understanding concepts and issues in environmental education both at home and at school. NGA’s programs foster environmental stewardship by providing the resources, knowledge base, and tools to help learners become environmentally connected.

Community Development

We have a long-standing commitment to community initiatives. Founded as Gardens For All, NGA still strives to keep this philosophy alive by developing programs that help rebuild neighborhoods, instill community pride, build self-esteem, and “green up” urban environments. Community gardens provide a source of food, add aesthetic value, encourage physical activity, help preserve cultural identity and, most importantly, cultivate neighborhood relationships.

Home Gardening

Americans consistently rank gardening as a favorite hobby. To help people be successful in any setting, we provide a wealth of information, inspiration, and resources for novice and experienced gardeners alike. We actively promote “best practice” principles that result in healthier lawns and gardens, and encourage the public to appreciate and participate in a range of gardening activities.

General Programs and Activities

Adopt a School Garden® Program

The Adopt a School Garden® program links schools (K-12) and youth gardens that have voluntarily registered for aid to supporting funds, materials, and technical assistance through corporate and individual donors. The program’s main objectives are to solicit and direct donations to school gardens, provide expert assistance to educators during creation and maintenance of their school garden, and ensure project sustainability. Through this program NGA hopes to attain its goal of achieving A Garden in Every School®. Learn more about the Adopt a School Garden® program.

Curriculum Guides & Resources

NGA authors and publishes curricular materials that support plant-based education efforts in school and community gardens nationwide. Classic titles include GrowLab®: Activities for Growing Minds, Steps to a Bountiful Kids’ Garden, Schoolyard Mosaics, and Growing Ventures, as well as home gardening titles such as our well-received series of “… for Dummies” gardening books. As a publisher, NGA also brings curricula such as The Growing Classroom, Math in the Garden, and the LiFE (Linking Food and the Environment) series to the market, and produces custom projects such as the California School Garden Network’s Gardens for Learning and online curricula such as Harvest of History, Mountain Adventures, and Nature’s Partners.

Gardening with Kids Resource Catalog

School and youth gardens are ideal vehicles for teaching across the curriculum, enlivening learning, and helping young people develop lifelong social skills. Our print and online catalogs offer plant-based curricula, horticultural information, products that engage kids in active learning and exploration, and general items sized for young gardeners or designed to solve gardening challenges. Visit the Gardening with Kids store.

Grants & Awards Programs

Since 1983 NGA has supported plant-based education through its innovative Youth Garden Grants and an array of awards programs. Corporate partnerships provide funding, and NGA collects data to track the impact of these programs. For a complete list of our grants and awards programs and detailed Evaluation Survey results, visit www.kidsgardening.org/grants.

GROW™ Campaign

The GROW Campaign is NGA’s annual gardening awareness effort. It is an umbrella under which our partners and sponsors gather to help move us all forward in our shared vision of an America where everyone can experience the bountiful gifts of gardening: environmental and community resilience; better health; and engaging, lifelong learning. Learn more about the GROW Campaign.

Industry & Corporate Partners

NGA collaborates extensively with corporations in support of K-12, health and wellness, environmental, community, and home gardening educational programs and initiatives. Our partners share in our work and our recognition as a leader in gardening and plant-based education. Learn more about our sponsors.

Media Outreach

NGA is a trusted source for garden news and information. We provide vital data services to lawn and garden, educational, and trade publications. NGA’s education programs, research highlights, and gardening information regularly appear in national magazines and newspapers and a variety of consumer media. Visit our press room.

Research Services & Support

We actively work to expand the base of knowledge in the fields of lawn and garden care, environmental impact, sustainability of home gardening practices, and plant-based education. Our primary audience segments are home gardeners, educators, and students. Learn more about our research services at www.gardenresearch.com.

Teacher Professional Development

NGA helps teachers expand their knowledge of plant-based education and use school gardens effectively. We offer numerous online resources, including From Seed to Seed, a self-paced plant-based science course for K-8 educators. We also conduct seminars and workshops at educator conferences, and, in cooperation with universities and related nonprofits, we act as a clearinghouse for results of research on plant-based education.

Vermont Garden Park

NGA’s headquarters are located in South Burlington, Vermont, on 14 acres of conserved land. Working with individual volunteers, local garden clubs, Master Gardeners, and the University of Vermont, NGA has installed a number of flourishing demonstration gardens for the community, offering visitors a variety of themed gardens to enjoy. NGA also presents seasonal gardening workshops for children and families.

Web Sites

Our Web sites represent crucial hubs where gardeners and educators find information and inspiration. Each month, nearly half a million novice and experienced gardeners take advantage of the region-specific information found in our Regional Reports and participate in our gardening blogs. They peruse our extensive article, FAQ, pest and weed control, and how-to project libraries, and consult our planting guides, event calendar, horticultural news, online gardening courses, and garden industry research data. Visit www.garden.org or www.kidsgardening.org for a full appreciation of our virtual garden community.

Spotlight on Key Programs

Free Newsletters

NGA offers several free newsletters to educators and home gardeners. Our monthly online Kids Garden News supports educators with thematic, standards-based activities, and supporting resources. The bi-weekly online Regional Reports offer regionally specific gardening advice, news, and recommendations geared to home gardeners in 12 growing zones. Our monthly Moss in the City e-newsletter addresses urban and small-space gardening, and offers ideas for greening our cities. The monthly Edible Landscaping e-newsletter is full of ideas for integrating vegetables, herbs, fruits, and edible flowers into home gardens. Our quarterly print Growing Ideas offers articles, projects, and tips on topics of interest to home and school gardeners. View e-newsletters and subscribe.

GrowLab® Curriculum

With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), NGA developed GrowLab®: Activities for Growing Minds, a K-8 inquiry-based curriculum that uses plants and gardens as educational tools to help students learn about science and the environment. The inquiry approach encourages students to use their own questions and observations as springboards for learning. Teachers serve as guides, helping students develop the confidence and skills to solve problems on their own.

Lawn & Garden Market Research

NGA is a recognized authority on the U.S. consumer lawn and garden market. Published annually since 1973, the comprehensive National Gardening Survey, conducted by the Harris Poll, studies consumer gardening practices, industry trends, and retail sales in 120 categories. NGA also offers custom market research and online survey services to help corporate clients assess product needs and trends. Learn more at www.gardenresearch.com.

National Youth Garden Grants

Established in 1982, these grants provide schools and community organizations across the country with resources that enliven the curriculum while supporting state and national standards for learning. Youth Garden Grants provide critical funding for garden supplies like seeds, plants, and tools. This program reaches thousands of school age children annually and is generously sponsored by The Home Depot. Each year we collect data on the impact of this program. For survey results, visit www.kidsgardening.org/grants.