The American Horticultural Society

The American Horticultural Society We aim to inspire a culture of gardening and horticultural practices that creates and sustains healthy, beautiful communities and a livable planet.
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Fostering innovation and passion for gardening and horticultural excellence nationwide for over 100 years, the American Horticultural Society (AHS) serves as the country’s most respected and longstanding gardening organization. The Society’s membership includes over 22,000 avid gardeners and horticultural professionals, as well as numerous regional and national partner organizations. Through its e

ducational programs, awards, and publications, AHS connects people to gardening, raises awareness of earth-friendly gardening practices, introduces children to plants, and showcases the art and science of horticulture. AHS is headquartered at River Farm, 25-acre site overlooking the Potomac River that is part of George Washington’s original farmlands in Alexandria, Virginia.

Do you think you know parsley? Think again. Parsley has been pushing boundaries for centuries. Once a respected medicina...
06/10/2026

Do you think you know parsley? Think again. Parsley has been pushing boundaries for centuries. Once a respected medicinal plant and culinary staple, today’s culture disregards parsley as nothing more than a decorative garnish. But this surprisingly versatile herb is ready to make a comeback. ⁠
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🌿 A few standouts worth knowing: ⁠
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• ‘Giant of Italy’: big leaves, big flavor, the workhorse for pesto and salsa verde ⁠
• ‘Einfache Schnitt 2’: dark, aromatic, and almost too handsome to chop ⁠
• ‘Menuette’: ferny, dill-like, parsley in disguise ⁠
• ‘Katinka’: tall, sturdy, bred for harvest machinery rather than Michelin stars ⁠
• ‘Green Pearl’: curly, productive, winter-tough ⁠
• ‘Riccio Verde’: compact, ruffled, intensely green ⁠
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Parsley deserves a place beyond the plate’s edge. Which variety are you growing this season? ⁠
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Want to learn more about this undervalued herb? Read “Grower’s Almanac” in our January/February issue on our website.

Not a member? Join us at us at ahsgardening.org/join to become a member and gain full access to American Gardener magazine. ⁠
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⁠Writer: Matt Mattus
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📸 Creds: Unsplash, Chandan Chaurasia; Unsplash, Mostafa Agami

"Gardeners are no longer just caretakers of beauty; we are stewards of function in a changing climate. If we want our ga...
06/08/2026

"Gardeners are no longer just caretakers of beauty; we are stewards of function in a changing climate. If we want our gardens to endure and thrive, we must plant for resiliency—designing landscapes as ecosystems, not collections." ⁠
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Richard Hayden, Senior Director of Horticulture at The High Line in New York City, writes about gardening with climate change at the forefront of design strategy in the "Last Words" of our May/June issue. ⁠
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You can read past and present "Last Words" on our website.
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Not a member? Join us at us at ahsgardening.org/join to become a member and gain full access to American Gardener magazine.

The American plains has been the root inspiration of naturalistic garden design for a while. ⁠And while prairie-inspired...
06/05/2026

The American plains has been the root inspiration of naturalistic garden design for a while. ⁠And while prairie-inspired gardens of the Midwest have dominated conversation, there are plenty of plant palettes equally interesting and ready to be explored. ⁠
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In a recent story in American Gardener, we took a look at the southeastern coastal plain which takes cues from Maritime forests. Pine savannas. Longleaf pine ecosystems. And a long growing season.⁠
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Carolina-based landscape designer Matthew Turnbull turned his underutilized front yard into a showcase for the region with a mantra of “plant what thrives.” It is a naturalistic garden that rewrites the meadow model. ⁠
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“Wherever you live, the principles remain constant: know your growing environment, observe local ecosystems, experiment with plant possibilities, plant what thrives, and enjoy the process.” 🌱⁠
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For the full story, visit “Beyond the Meadow Model” in our May/June issue on our website.
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Not a member? Join us at us at ahsgardening.org/join to become a member and gain full access to American Gardener magazine. ⁠
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Writer & 📸 creds: Matthew Turnbull

This summer, invest in your growth🌱Join a community of educators at the 2026 National Children & Youth Garden Symposium,...
06/03/2026

This summer, invest in your growth🌱

Join a community of educators at the 2026 National Children & Youth Garden Symposium, July 13–16 in Pasadena, CA. Discover new ways to engage students, spark curiosity, and make learning come alive through gardens. 🌼

Attend NCYGS and leave with:
🪴 Practical ideas you can use in your classroom or community
🐝 New approaches for engaging students through nature
📝 Learnings from 36 interactive workshops led by experts in the field
🌴 Inspiration from curated, immersive garden tours
✨️ An expanded network of passionate colleagues

⏰️Don’t miss your chance to be part of this growing community. Register by June 12! ahsgardening.org/ncygs-2026/

Photos courtesy of The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens and Visit Pasadena

🌿Renowned horticulturist and award-winning plant explorer Panayoti Kelaidis is hosting an AHS journey to Greece this Sep...
06/01/2026

🌿Renowned horticulturist and award-winning plant explorer Panayoti Kelaidis is hosting an AHS journey to Greece this September. With personal ties to Greece, Panayoti offers a unique perspective, bringing its horticulture, history, and mythology to life.

🧳Travel with AHS September 17–26 and explore five UNESCO World Heritage sites — Olympia, Delphi, Mystras, Epidaurus, and Mycenae — along with the historic National Garden of Athens, the terraced gardens of the Patrick Leigh Fermor House, traditional olive estates, and local farms. The journey also includes wine tastings in Nafplion and immersive cultural experiences throughout the trip.

📌Discover what autumn moments Panayoti is most excited to experience and learn more about the journey on our website: ahsgardening.org/travel-study-program/greece2026/

🪻 When a garden becomes part of the conversation⁠⁠As part of our ongoing American 250 series in American Gardener, Maria...
05/29/2026

🪻 When a garden becomes part of the conversation⁠
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As part of our ongoing American 250 series in American Gardener, Marianne Willburn set out to explore an unexpected question—what role can a garden play in diplomacy? Her conversation with John Sonnier led somewhere more revealing than expected.⁠
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Sonnier, who manages the gardens at the British Ambassador’s Residence, described how landscapes quietly shape human interaction. Not symbolically, but practically. The way a space feels can shift the tone of a conversation, sometimes more effectively than words.⁠
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He calls it “soft diplomacy.”⁠
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A window framing a ginkgo in autumn can diffuse tension. A layered border can create just enough privacy for a candid exchange. Even something as small as a patch of clover at your feet can interrupt a moment and reset it.⁠
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And then there are the orchids—nearly 1,000 of them, grown in greenhouses where music plays continuously. Many are named as gestures of recognition and connection. Not decoration. Relationship-building.⁠
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Sonnier’s work has been recognized at the highest levels—he is the first American to receive the Elizabeth Medal of Honour from the British government.⁠
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What Marianne uncovered isn’t just a story about one garden. It’s a reminder that plants don’t sit on the sidelines. They participate.⁠
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Have you ever walked into a garden or space that shifted your mood instantly? What did it do?⁠
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Read more in “Let the Plants Do the Talking” in American Gardener on our website.⁠
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📸 credits: Jomar Ali by CC, Marianne Willburn, John Sonnier

As natural freshwater habitats decline, garden ponds are increasingly important. However, the growing number of private ...
05/27/2026

As natural freshwater habitats decline, garden ponds are increasingly important. However, the growing number of private ponds may also be accelerating the spread of invasive species. Many aquatic plants are acquired through international trade, making garden ponds a high-risk entry point for invasive “hitchhikers.” ⁠
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Scientists at the Institute of Aquatic Ecology at the HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research in Hungary launched a citizen-science initiative called MyPond. ⁠
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In this project, pond owners could report on biodiversity in their private water features. The findings revealed that nearly half of all surveyed ponds contained at least one of six targeted invasive plant species, the most frequent being the water hyacinth, or Eichhornia crassipes. ⁠
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To combat this in the future, scientists suggest that horticultural institutions should play a more active role in educating pond owners on the plants that they’re purchasing, starting with a list of alternative native plant species. ⁠
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We don't currently have any lists available - but if you know of an organization that does, can you share so we can help spread the information more widely? ⁠
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To read the full story visit phys.org/news/2025-12-garden-ponds-potential-sources-invasions.html
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Want more horticultural news? Become an AHS member on our website and gain full access to American Gardener magazine with more news stories like this one. ⁠
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📸 creds: Unsplash, Duy Le Duc; Unsplash, Priya Gupta; Unsplash, Karen Cann

*GARDEN TIP OF THE WEEK*⁠When to Prune Flowering Shrubs⁠⁠Do you have an old lilac that needs rejuvenation, or a viburnum...
05/25/2026

*GARDEN TIP OF THE WEEK*⁠
When to Prune Flowering Shrubs⁠
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Do you have an old lilac that needs rejuvenation, or a viburnum that’s outgrowing its space? ⁠
Pruning is needed, but because plants set flower buds at different times, doing it at the wrong time may sacrifice a year’s worth of blossoms. ⁠
Just remember the following two rules of thumb—thanks to horticulturist Tammy Burke, who manages the gardens at River Farm , headquarters of the American Horticultural Society:⁠
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If it blooms after June, prune in late February through early March. ⁠
Abelias⁠
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis )⁠
Cleyera⁠
Crape myrtles⁠
Hollies (Ilex)⁠
Hibiscus⁠
New Jersey tea (Ceonothus americanus)⁠
Panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata)⁠
Roses⁠
Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)⁠
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If it blooms before June, prune immediately after it finishes blooming. ⁠
Azaleas⁠
Camellias⁠
Daphnes⁠
Fothergilla⁠
Hydrangea arborescens, H. macrophylla, H. quercifolia⁠
Lilacs (Syringa)⁠
Loropetalums⁠
Mahonias⁠
Ninebark (Physocarpus)⁠
Pieris⁠
Spireas⁠
Weigelas⁠
Viburnums⁠
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⁠Note: Of course, if a shrub has a broken or diseased branch, remove it any time.⁠
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Photo: Lilac by allisynth at iNaturalist

Flowers have shaped the way we live, garden, and connect with the world around us for centuries. Across cultures, our lo...
05/23/2026

Flowers have shaped the way we live, garden, and connect with the world around us for centuries. Across cultures, our love of blooms has inspired landscapes, influenced design, and supported entire livelihoods. 🌸

Join Flora Culture author Christin Geall on May 29th as she explores the stories behind some of your garden favorites. Blending art, ecology, science, and history, Geall offers a fresh perspective on the connections between flowers, fashion, gardens, and design. 🌿

🕑️ Friday, May 29, 2-3pm ET
📍 Virtual
💻️ https://ahsgardening.org/ahs-live-flora-culture/

Corporate seed catalogs have been consolidating for years—fewer players, tighter offerings, more uniformity. But somethi...
05/20/2026

Corporate seed catalogs have been consolidating for years—fewer players, tighter offerings, more uniformity. But something new is happening alongside that trend. Independent flower farmers are expanding the market in unexpected ways, reshaping what’s available and how it gets there.⁠
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In “Seeds of Independence” in the March/April issue of American Gardener, Erica Browne Grivas follows that shift—into the fields and seed patches where growers are working outside traditional systems. What’s emerging isn’t just variation for its own sake. It’s a different kind of pipeline, driven by small-scale breeding, direct relationships, and a willingness to experiment.⁠
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>>Why Flower Farmers Are Driving This⁠
These growers sit at the intersection of production, design, and market demand. They grow, select, and sell—often directly—so they see quickly what resonates and what falls flat. That proximity makes them natural curators and accelerators of change. They’re not waiting for trends. They’re shaping them.⁠
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They aren’t competing on scale. They’re competing on distinctiveness, and breeding becomes a way to stand apart. Certain dahlias, zinnias, and sweet peas now circulate almost like insider knowledge—sought after and quickly sold out. ⁠
And larger seed companies are beginning to follow trends that started in these smaller, more experimental spaces.⁠
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>>A Shift in Taste⁠
Floristry once leaned hard toward uniformity. Now, there’s a growing appetite for variation—for flowers that feel specific, expressive, even a little unpredictable. Independent breeders are helping drive that change, acting as stewards of genetic diversity in a system that often favors sameness.⁠
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Have you ever grown or come across a plant that felt completely one-of-a-kind?⁠
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For more on independent flower farmers, read “Seeds of Independence” in our March/April issue of American Gardener at ahsgardening.org. ⁠
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Writer: Erica Browne Grivas ⁠
📸 creds:

Address

7931 E Boulevard Dr
Alexandria, VA
22308

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Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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