Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Announces Opening Date for New Conservatory and Gardens

From the Lewis Ginter Press Release

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is wrapping up a two-year expansion project and will open to the public on Saturday, May 23, 2026. The project will nearly double the size of the existing Conservatory, add 7.5 acres of new gardens, and incorporate an additional lake into the Garden experience. The result will increase opportunities for connections, wellness, learning and resiliency.

“We have continually seen an increase in visitation and engagement with our programs over the years,” said Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s President & CEO Brian Trader. “This expansion enables us to grow our mission by increasing opportunities to bring the community together for enjoyment, learning and connection to the natural world.

The project was designed to provide much-needed space for exciting new guest experiences and programming; increase outdoor classroom learning opportunities; advance botanical collections and create more diverse gardens; and expand the Kroger Community Kitchen Garden, allowing for more produce to be grown for regional food bank Feed More. Details include:

• Conservatory: Nearly doubling in size with the addition of tropical and subtropical houses, including a permanent butterfly house; conversion of existing houses to Mediterranean and desert climates.
• New Gardens: 7.5 acres of new gardens around the Conservatory and Wick Lake.
• Wick Lake: Will be incorporated into the guest experience, including Martha’s Way, a walking trail that encircles the lake. Enhancements have increased the lake’s size to four acres, adding wildlife habitat, creating a living classroom, and serving as a stormwater management resource.
• Kroger Community Kitchen Garden: Expansion will ultimately include a demonstration garden growing produce for Feed More, plus more fruit trees, berries and vegetables. Since 2009, the Garden has donated more than 75,000 pounds of fresh produce to Feed More, which translates to nearly 60,000 healthy meals.

The Conservatory and gardens have been designed by landscape architects and designers who were selected for their diverse backgrounds and to provide a variety of garden experiences. 3North designed the Conservatory addition. Others involved in the project include Charlottesville-based Waterstreet Studio, Phyto Studio out of Arlington, Chicago-based Austin Eischeid, New York designer Wambui Ippolito and Arizona-based Catalina LaFrance. The general contractor is Hourigan and Timmons Group is the engineer. A preview of the new Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden can be seen below.

This project has been made possible through the generous support of the community. T0 learn more about the new Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, visit the website at www.lewisginter.org/visit/gardens.