2023 National Children & Youth Garden Symposium
Cultivating Garden Educators Who Inspire Today’s Youth to Become Tomorrow’s Gardeners


We are excited to announce that the 2023 NCYGS will be held in Knoxville, Tennessee, July 12 – 15, in partnership with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and UT Gardens, Knoxville, the flagship location of the State Botanical Gardens.

Reinvigorate your passion to educate a new generation about the importance of gardening. Network, engage, collaborate, and learn from like-minded peers across the country. Explore the vibrant city of Knoxville with its numerous green spaces and innovative, citizen-driven gardening projects. Find out why NCYGS is one of the country’s longest-running, most prestigious gardening conferences for youth educators!

Learn more about the 2023 NCYGS:
– Educational Sessions
– Keynote Speakers
– Field Experiences
– Travel Accommodations
– Scholarships – NOW CLOSED
– Sponsorship Opportunities
– Full Program and Schedule

For more information about the Symposium, contact Director of National Programs Courtney Allen at programs@ahsgardening.org or call (703) 768-5700 ext. 121. You can also join our email list to receive periodic updates about the 2023 NCYGS.

 

Cultivating Community

This year, the American Horticultural Society’s National Children & Youth Garden Symposium examines how gardening both relies on and creates community. From July 12-15 in Knoxville, hundreds of educators from around the country will unite to explore ways that community support for youth gardening promotes cultural understanding and accessibility, physical and emotional health, and career and business development for the next generation.

Our 2023 symposium offers 26 interactive learning sessions, from basic building blocks to advanced topics, addressing pre-K-12 learning. Personalized visits to the area’s impressive and relevant gardens will offer opportunities to apply new concepts and connect with fellow youth garden educators from a diversity of communities. Come for the fun and learn skills, ideas, contacts, and resources to bring back to your own community!

 

 

NCYGS Itinerary & Schedule

Get the full schedule and read all the exciting details in the

2023 NCYGS Program

Be sure to download and print if you’d like a hard copy at the event,
or a mobile website will be available soon!

 

NCYGS Sponsors

 

Diamond Sponsors

Gold Level

 

Benefactors

 

National Garden Clubs Inc.

Local Host

UT Gardens Institute of Agriculture

UT Gardens, with locations in Jackson, Crossville, and its flagship garden in Knoxville, feature more than 1,000 woody plants under long-term observation and 2,000 varieties of herbaceous plants evaluated annually. The Gardens function as an outdoor laboratory, teaching and research facility and public gardens, sharing their beauty with more than 50,000 visitors yearly. Established in 1983 by the UTIA Department of Plant Sciences, the Gardens are recognized as an official All America Selections test site for evaluating new plants for the ornamental market, an American Conifer Association and an American Hosta Society reference garden, and a Tennessee certified arboretum. They are a valuable resource for home gardeners and landscape professionals.

The UT Gardens, Knoxville is nothing short of spectacular. We hope you join us for a guided tour, educational experiences, and a reception featuring remarks by UTIA’s senior leadership on their mission to provide Real.Life.Solutions.™ to many of society’s most pressing issues.

Local Partner

The Knoxville Botanical Gardens and Arboretum (KBGA), located on 47 acres of former Howell Nurseries, features walking trails, display gardens, unique & historic horticulture and over two miles of distinctive stone walls and timeless buildings. Located just five minutes from downtown Knoxville, KBGA offers beautiful gardens to the public at no cost, and is supported through membership and donations.