Past eventThu., March 12, 2026, 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
General: $25; Society of Fellows, Members & Readers: $15 (students and research fellows free) | Optional lunch: $20 (each day)
Rothenberg Hall
As part of The Huntington’s THIS LAND IS… programming commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence, this symposium explores the role of gardens in the American experience, from the founders who were avid horticulturists to the role of botanical gardens in shaping a more sustainable, biodiverse, and healthier future. The program brings together scholars, garden directors, and public intellectuals for a day of thought-provoking presentations and conversation plus a tour of the newly landscaped Oak Meadow followed by free time to visit The Huntington’s renowned gardens. Hosted by The Huntington’s director of research, Susan Juster, and gardens director, Nicole Cavender, the presenters include Natalia Molina (USC), Danika Cooper (UC Berkeley), Joy Columbus (Smithsonian Gardens), Sandy Masuo (The Huntington), and keynote speaker Andrea Wulf, author of Founding Gardeners: The Revolutionary Generation, Nature, and the Shaping of the American Nation.
For questions about this event, email researchconference@huntington.org or call (626) 405-3432.
Top image: Maynard L. Parker, Suburban Development Model Shoot, Southern California, 1945–46. Color transparency, 5 × 4 in. The Huntington, Gift of Ann Carawan, Elizabeth Buxton, and Diane Parker Carawan, 1995, photCL MLP 2222. Copyright Maynard L. Parker, photographer.
8:30 a.m. | Registration and coffee
9: a.m. | Welcome
9:15 a.m. | Session 1: What is a garden in the American context?
10:45 a.m. | Break
11 a.m. | Session 2: Garden Archives and “The Missing Story”
12:30 p.m. | Lunch
1:45 p.m. | Keynote
3 p.m. | Tour of Oak Meadow
