The National Garden Bureau (NGB) was born in 1920 in the wake of World War I from the inspiration of James H. Burdett who perceived the need for basic instruction in backyard gardening. With his unique background as both a newspaper journalist and an advertising manager of a seed company, he appreciated the role of the media in public education. Not only did he pioneer the idea of enlisting horticultural writers and broadcasters in the effort of mass education to create a new population of gardeners, in the process, he also improved the lives of citizens.
NGB came of age during World War II when the government encouraged homeowners to grow Victory Gardens. By means of annual posters promoting “Beauty and Abundance in Your Garden” and other materials, the Bureau promoted seeds and gardening on the home front. In 1943, Mr. Burdett’s book, The Victory Garden Manual, was published to aid home gardeners in creating a successful garden. Then, the postwar years saw an emphasis on community beautification and the Bureau responded with a film, brochures, programs, and information sheets to help gardening communicators further this cause among the public. Incorporation as a not-for-profit organization soon followed.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, NGB relaunched the Victory Gardening concept with a series of blog posts with a Victory Garden 2.0 theme. Coincidentally, this relaunch just happened to occur at the same time as the 100th anniversary of NGB!
The National Garden Bureau launched a philanthropic program in 2014 that supports the building and growth of therapeutic gardens across North America. The Therapeutic Garden Grant program is part of that initiative.
Gardening is a great tool of healing for so many and we understand the importance of the grant program to allow for these programs to flourish and grow in our communities,” says NGB Past President Nick Pucci.
Grants have been used for programming, youth camps, additional sensory components for the courtyard gardens (including plants and outdoor musical instruments), as well as supplies such as containers, plants, seeds, and specialized container garden soil for all the gardens. You can read more about past grant recipients on their website to get an idea of what types of projects and materials have been supported in the past.
One of the 2021 GRANT RECIPIENTs was the Children’s Garden Center, Winston Salem, NC.
The Children’s Garden Center serves approximately 100 children with special needs each month. The center sees possibilities, not challenges in the children they serve. Their horticultural therapy curriculum brings nature-based programs into both the indoor and outdoor classrooms. Lessons have a hands-on focus and are designed to strengthen memory, enhance cognitive abilities, build task initiation, develop language skills and increase socialization levels. Funding from the Therapeutic Garden Grant will be used to purchase pine needles, soil, home gardening kits, adult tools, and adaptive gardening tools for students.
Want to know more?!
- 2024 Applications will open on April 1, 2024.
- National Garden Bureau website: https://ngb.org/
- Sign up to receive their newsletter and notification when the grant opens here.
- Check out past recipients of the grant
- Read more about Victory Gardens.
