Thrive: A Campaign For Communities

 

Growing for Our Garden Community

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is expanding to better serve our growing number of visitors and members as a center for environmental education, programming, and community wellness. 

THRIVE: A Campaign for Communities will expand the Kroger Community Kitchen Garden to grow more food for Feed More, incorporate Wick Lake into the Garden experience, and create innovative, beautiful spaces designed by a diverse group of professionals including 7.5 acres of new Gardens, as well as a larger Conservatory featuring four distinct climate zones and a permanent home for our beloved butterflies exhibit.

“People visit gardens for many reasons, but one thing we know: spending time in a garden opens our senses, immersing us in the sights, sounds, and scents of the natural world. I truly believe that bringing people together with plants also opens our minds and elevates our lives, wellness, and growth as beings on this earth.”

– President & CEO, Brian Trader, Ph.D.

New Projects and Programs

Expanding the Conservatory

  • The Conservatory will double in size and include a permanent home for butterflies in our Subtropical House, which will immerse visitors in the life cycle of  pollinators.
  • The new space will feature four distinct climate zones, and preserve and display historic and threatened plants.
  • Expanded facilities mean we can welcome more students, families and community groups in all seasons and weather.

PRIORITIZING NATIVE PLANTS

  • Our 7.5 acres of new gardens will feature 70% native plants, supporting native birds and insects by providing food and habitat.
  • New plants will help demonstrate water conservation and horticultural strategies for a rapidly changing climate.

EXPANDING THE KROGER COMMUNITY KITCHEN GARDEN

  • By expanding the Kroger Community Kitchen Garden we will be able to grow more food for our community partner, Feed More. Since 2009, the Garden has donated more than 70,000 pounds of fresh produce, which translates to approximately 55,000 healthy meals.
  • We are creating a demonstration garden, the Kroger Courtyard, where community members will learn about backyard agriculture and nutrition.
  • The larger Kroger Community Kitchen Garden will add fruit to the variety of produce grown for Feed More.

REVITALIZING WICK LAKE AND IMPROVING WATER STEWARDSHIP

  • Martha’s Way, a new walking trail around Wick Lake, will provide space for healthful recreation and elevate public awareness of the need for watershed stewardship through interpretive signage.
  • Enhancements will increase the lake’s size to four acres, adding wildlife habitat and serving as a filtration system for water pollutants.
  • The Jane Hartough Outdoor Classroom will enable the Garden to offer water-based learning for the first time.
  • Wick Lake will be reconfigured into three distinct cells: a forebay, a wet pond cell and an irrigation cell.

EXPANSION OVERVIEW

 

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES

Oct 2025

Pathways have been completed in the Desert House. 

GREAT PROGRESS BEING MADE ON THE EXPANDED CONSERVATORY

It’s been so exciting to see the plans for the new Conservatory take shape. Late summer and early fall has also seen several construction milestones including the completion of:

  • The Hillside Garden rough grading
  • Tropical House concrete wall
  • Wick Lake planting and tree installation
  • Butterfly House shade cloth
  • Planting in Ann Lee’s Meadow
  • Exhibition courtyard pavers

In the coming months, we are excited to continue progress on the infrastructure that will support our broader mission to foster the next generation of environmental stewards, offer inclusive programming that resonates with all communities, and provide a lasting educational resource for Central Virginia residents.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

  • Construction will be completed in spring 2026.
  • Please note: this expansion is not related to the Garden’s purchase of 6.2 acres from Lakeside Baptist Church which is being supported by Henrico County. Ownership of that property will not transfer until July 2026, and the Garden is currently exploring master site planning for this addition. 

  • The Conservatory is currently closed to the public as we double its size to create a beautiful new space.
  • We will not have our butterflies exhibit during Conservatory construction. But, the new Conservatory will include a permanent home for butterflies in our Subtropical House, so you'll be able visit them year-round after reopening!
  • The majority of the construction is located behind the Conservatory in areas not normally accessible to the public. Please expect to see some fencing around the site and anticipate some noise during work hours.
  • Once the project is complete, guests will be able to enjoy exciting new experiences and programming.

  • DESIGN
    • We selected our designers based on their diverse backgrounds and ability to provide a variety of garden experiences.
    • Local design firm 3North is our site architect, working on site layout, pathway design, Wick Lake design, and the Conservatory addition.
    • Charlottesville-based Waterstreet Studio is designing the Kroger Courtyard, Shannon’s Orchard, and areas of Wick Lake.
    • Phyto Studio out of Arlington is designing Ann Lee’s Meadow.
    • Chicago-based Austin Eischeid is designing the Anne Cummings White Garden between the expanded Conservatory and Lake Sydnor.
    • New York designer Wambui Ippolito is designing the Mary Morton Parsons Courtyard, an exhibition garden outside the new Conservatory.
    • Arizona-based Catalina LaFrance is designing the Desert House within the Conservatory.
    • Our internal horticulture team will complete the plant design for all of the other Conservatory houses.

  • THRIVE has been funded by the generosity of over 200 individuals, families, charitable foundations, and corporations.
  • We have currently raised $26M of our $31M goal, which includes a gift from every member of our Board of Directors. 

  • To learn more or make a gift, please contact Chief Advancement Officer, Alice Baker, at [email protected] | 804.262.9887 x 294.
  • Naming opportunities are available for gifts $100,000+ and multi-year pledges are welcome.
  • We welcome gifts of Stock or Securities, gifts from Donor Advised Funds and Qualified Charitable Distributions.
  • Please mail checks to: Attn.: Alice Baker, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Avenue, Henrico, VA 23228. 
  • For checks, please include gift instructions or write "THRIVE" on the memo line.
  • To give online, please visit our THRIVE donation page

Our mission:

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s mission is connecting people to plants by inspiring communities to explore and conserve nature.