Roses are red, violets are blue, I just became a member and now so should you. By becoming a member of your local botanical garden, arboretum, or conservatory, you are supporting research, education, and conservation. (Plus, you get to hang out there as often as you like!)

Membership to these organizations comes with various benefits typically including free admission to the garden, discounts at the gift shop, a quarterly magazine, advance notification or special member previews of special events or exhibits, and discounts on classes.

Additionally, more than 160 botanical gardens are part of the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Gardens program. Through this program, any member of one of the participating gardens can typically enter other member gardens free or at a reduced rate.

Rebecca says: I just became a member of my local garden, Fairchild, this weekend. By purchasing a type of membership that allows me to arrive with one guest, I'm excited to use it to show visitors, hang out on the grass with my husband, and watch the many iguanas and turtles by the lakes.