Abstract
The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) was initially established in 1820, though a tumultuous beginning did not allow it to become a permanent institution until 1850. Nevertheless, it is one of the oldest botanic gardens in North America and one of the most visited. This article provides a brief history of the USBG and an overview of its operations and collections. With its centrallocation in a major US metropolitan region and free entry to visitors, the USBG has a strong focus on visitor services, experience and education. Approaching its 200th year, the Garden is well poised to play a leading role in exciting the American public about the importance of plants to humankind.
Highlights
The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) was initially established in 1820, though a tumultuous beginning did not allow it to become a permanent institution until 1850
President Washington is remembered primarily for his military and political achievements, but he was first and foremost a talented and enterprising farmer, who had a deep appreciation for the plant kingdom and the benefits plants provide to human well-being
In 1796, he wrote a letter to the Commissioners of the US Federal City, which would eventually be named Washington, DC. In it President Washington endorsed the creation of a botanic garden in the nation’s capital, which he envisaged as eventually forming part of a national university
Summary
The mission of the US Botanic Garden is to “demonstrat[e] the aesthetic, cultural, economic, therapeutic and ecological importance of plants to the well-being of humankind” (United States Botanic Garden, 2016). The Garden is an independent federal agency of the legislative branch of the US government. It is administered by the US Architect of the Capitol. This is a federal agency responsible to the United States Congress and the Supreme Court for the maintenance, operation, development and preservation of 17.4 million sq. The Garden is overseen by the US Congress Joint Committee on the Library of Congress. It is unique among botanic gardens in the United States as being wholly an institution of the federal government whose operational budget is completely provided through Congressional appropriations.
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