The landscapes and gardens of our Museum Properties are as rich and diverse as our architecture and collections, spanning the years from 1680-1930. The gardens have a wealth of botanical variety and play a significant role in the interpretation of our American cultural, natural and historical heritage. They range from cultivated fields, herb gardens, the urban townhouse formal gardens, to country estates. The landscapes and gardens tell the story of building a nation and include a wide spectrum of nationalities and social classes. They reflect the living synthesis of people and place with regional influences of culture and climate, important to local and national identity.
Early American gardens generally had two separate areas- the house plot for herbs, vegetables and flowers used every day, and when space permitted, another garden for larger scale crops and fruit trees. Garden history, restoration, and land conservation are important in telling the story of America’s historical landscape. Click Here to View the gardens of the NSCDA Museums.
The NSCDA is proud to partner with America’s only private garden-visiting program of its kind, The Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Program. The Garden Conservancy was founded in 1989 by well known horticulturist and gardener, Frank Cabot, to preserve significant American gardens for the enjoyment and education of the public. Since 1995 the Open Days Program has opened nearly 3,000 private gardens to the public. In 2014, sixteen of our NSCDA properties were included in The Open Days Program. Learn more about The Garden Conservancy and find out what days gardens are open in your region.