Welcome to Open Days

We were thrilled to be able to welcome visitors back to a limited season of Open Days in 2021! Thank you to all of our garden hosts, regional ambassadors, and garden visitors for making our return to in-person garden visiting a resounding success!

Please note that we made several big changes to the program in 2021, all of which will remain in place for our 2022 Open Days season, including:

• Online pre-registration is REQUIRED for each garden. In our calendar of Open Days, please click and register for each garden you would like to visit. Children under 12 are free and do not need to be pre-registered if accompanied by a pre-registered adult.
• Capacity is limited. Sorry, no walk-ins allowed; no paper tickets or cash payments will be accepted on-site.
• Masks are required, at the discretion of the garden owners, and social distancing is encouraged at all in-person events.
• Registrations are non-refundable. Sorry, we are not able to offer reimbursement or exchanges unless we cancel the event.

For more details about these changes for this season and other frequently asked questions, see 2021 Changes, and be sure to look for news of our 2022 season in your inbox!

Welcome to Open Days—Tours of America's best private gardens

Fueling America’s passion for gardens, Open Days is a nationwide community of gardeners and garden enthusiasts teaching and inspiring each other. From expert to novice, we think there is no better way to improve as a gardener than by experiencing a diverse range of gardens firsthand. Open Days provides opportunities to visit the country’s most exciting, creative, and innovative private gardens. It has become our best-known and most beloved program.

Since 1995, Open Days has welcomed more than 1.35 million visitors into thousands of inspired private landscapes—from urban rooftops to organic farms, historic estates to innovative suburban lots—in 41 states. Open Days is made possible thanks to the hard work and generous support of hundreds of volunteers who help us showcase regional horticultural and stylistic expressions in a national context, celebrating the rich diversity of American gardens.

About Garden Extras, Digging Deeper, and the Garden Masters Series
Many Open Days hosts supplement the guest experience with guided tours and additional activities such as book-signings, plant sales, or demonstrations. These Garden Extras are free with Open Days garden admission.

Inspired by the rich informal conversations that typify Open Days, special site-specific programs were added to enhance the Open Days roster in 2015 and quickly became popular. In these Digging Deeper events, small groups of visitors come together for informative yet informal talks and demonstrations with experts from every facet of the garden world: landscape architects, garden writers, plant collectors, artists, and more. Digging Deeper programs are a fantastic opportunity to explore the myriad connections between gardening and other creative pastimes. Advance registration and pre-purchase is required. Hurry! Space is limited and they fill up quickly!

In 2019, we introduced the Garden Masters Series: connoisseur-level educational and social opportunities at exclusive gardens not otherwise available through Open Days. These events provide a chance for deep learning, inspiration, and a unique experience with like-minded friends and fellow garden enthusiasts.

Connect With Us

• Register for special email updates and reminders about Open Days.
• Follow our popular Facebook page for beautiful photography, garden news, and last minute updates.
• Follow us on Instagram @thegardenconservancy and share your garden photos with hashtag #gcopendays

Join Us

We have a small staff in New York's Hudson Valley and we work hard to create the best garden-visiting program in America, but we can't do it alone. Hundreds of volunteers around the country help make Open Days possible and we couldn't do it without them. We hope you will consider joining them!

• Become a Regional Ambassador—Our regional ambassadors work directly with us to nominate and select gardens, schedule events, promote Open Days locally, and interact with gardeners and visitors in their area.
• Share Your Garden—Open Days gardens include everything from the inspirational work of weekend hobbyists and passionate beginners to professional designers. Enjoy the energy of interacting with fellow garden lovers who will be inspired by your garden. Click here for a PDF with the latest instructions for 2021 Open Days garden hosts. 
• Greet Visitors—Share your knowledge of the local area and spend time meeting new garden lovers. Work individually or volunteer with a friend for an enjoyable day in the garden that requires no pre-planning or garden work.

To learn more about how you can get involved with Garden Conservancy Open Days, click here.

Of course, you can always call us at 845.424.6502, M-F, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Eastern, or email us.