Open Days Intake Form - New Gardens

Items with an asterisk* are required for the form to be submitted. The two boxes at the end must be checked before the form can be submitted.

You can save your progress at any time by clicking "Save Progress" at the bottom of each section. Your data will be saved, allowing you to return later to complete your submission. If you are not signed in, you will be prompted to sign in before saving.

About the Garden Owner

Tell us a bit about the Primary Garden Owner

First Name*

Last Name*

Garden Owner's primary address

This will be your Primary Address in your Account Profile and may be different than the location of the Garden, see below.

Street*

City*

County*

Country

Zip/Postal Code

Garden Owner's primary phone

This is your Primary Phone in your Account Profile.

Phone Number*

Garden Owner's e-mail address

Please make sure that this is an email that is frequently checked as this is our main form of correspondence.

Email*

Is your Garden Location Address the same as your Primary Address (above)*

Yes

Open Days Communications

Please let us know who we should include in our email correspondence.

Is there a co-owner or co-gardener? If so, please enter their information.

First Name

Last Name

Is there a head gardener, landscape designer, estate manager, or other contact you would like included in our correspondence? Please list their name and relationship to the garden.

Name & Relationship

For Open Days-related emails, who should we include in our correspondence? (Select as many as applicable)

Please include all contacts listed

The Garden Host

The Co-Owner or Co-Gardener

The Head Gardener, Landscape Designer, Estate Manager or other contact

Is this Open Day a part of a Non-Profit Partnership?

Yes

How did you hear about the program? Please list the name of the Regional Ambassador, Garden Host, or other person who told you about the Open Days program.

Referral Name

Have you been working with a Regional Ambassador for the upcoming Open Days season?

Yes

Creating Your Garden's Listing

Now comes the fun part! This section collects information about your garden to help guide Open Days visitors. The description and images will be used to build your garden's page on the Open Days website.

The garden name and description will appear in the Open Days Directory along with other information to help guide visitors.

Garden Name

How would you like your garden to be named in the Open Days Directory?

Garden Name Listing*

Garden Description

A description of your garden - in your own words - is a hallmark of the Open Days Directory. Please provide a brief, 350 word maximum - approximately 3-5 sentences in length - description of your garden.

Some suggestions to help you draft your garden's description are to include brief descriptions of garden rooms, how long you've been gardening, plant collections you have amassed, or enticing descriptions of defining features of your garden. Give a taste of what visitors will experience (but don't feel you need to describe everything!)

This is your opportunity to tell visitors not only about your horticultural passions but about you as a gardener!

Garden Description* (max 1,000 characters)

Trowel Talk

Since 2022, we have asked Garden Hosts to provide colorful anecdotes for a feature called Trowel Talk that appears in the Open Days Directory. The purpose of this section is to give readers a bit of insight into your personality as a gardener.

Some suggested prompts to inspire you include:

What is your favorite plant?
Tell us about your first garden.
What is a plant that you have never had success with?
What is your favorite garden tool and why?
Tell us about who inspired you to garden.

There are no right or wrong answers!

Trowel Talk (max 1,000 characters)

How would you like to "sign" your Trowel Talk? If you do not wish to include your full name, you can include your first name and initial of your last name (for example "John G.") or a gardening pseudonym. Unsigned entries will be signed "The Gardener."

Trowel Talk Signage

Information for Visitors

Driving Directions, Parking Instructions, and other information for visitors.

Is GPS Navigation (using Google, etc) typically accurate for your property?

Yes

Please provide brief driving directions to help guide visitors to your property. This is especially important if GPS is not accurate for your property.

Driving Directions* (max 1,000 characters)

Upon arrival, where should visitors park? (For example, "Please park along Main Street" or "Please do not park in the driveway, park in the field" etc. are helpful for visitors).

Parking Directions (max 1,000 characters)

Is parking for your Open Day at the same address as your garden (or along the same street, etc?) (Please let us know if parking for your Open Day will be offsite or at a different location so we can help guide visitors).*

Yes

Thinking of visitors with limited mobility, are there any areas of terrain that you would like visitors to know about beforehand? We frequently receive calls from visitors asking about the terrain they should anticipate.

For example, "Visitors to this garden must traverse a steep driveway" "There are uneven cobblestones throughout the garden," or "This garden features stepping stones across a pond" are very helpful for visitors.

Anticipated Areas of Terrain (max 1,000 characters)

Preferred Open Day Dates

When would you like to open your garden? Whenever possible, we try to honor date requests. We try to have several gardens in the same area opening on the same day.

In early autumn, we will reach out to propose and finalize dates based upon responses received from other nearby Garden Hosts. If you are working with a Regional Ambassador, they will assist with date selection.

When would you like to hold your Open Day? Please state as "early May" or "late June" to help us with date selection.

Preferred Open Day Date*

Would you like to have more than one Open Day this season?

Yes

Open Days Hours

Please tell us a bit more about your Open Days visiting preferences.

Please select the hours for your Open Day:

Open Day Hours

Do you want your garden to have a capacity?

Yes

More for Your Directory Listing

More information about your garden to let visitors know what to expect.

Since 2022, "Nibbled Leaf" icons indicate nature friendly gardens - gardens that not only bring great pleasure to their owners and visitors but also share their bounty with as many other lifeforms as possible. There are no rules or requirements, but rather a commitment that you make to yourself, your space, and the life that it supports.

Would you like to include a "Nature Friendly" icon for your garden in the Open Days Directory?

Yes

What is the approximate size of your garden? (for example, 5,000 square feet, .25 acres, 1 acre, etc.)

Garden Size

About how long does it take the average visitor to walk through your garden?

Average Time

Which of the following characteristics apply to your garden? You may choose as many characteristics as necessary. Designations will be used on the website to help guide visitors to gardens with their preferred features.

Alpine or Rock Garden

Dry or Xeriscape Garden

Fruits & Vegetables

Garden features substantial native plants

Garden has a water feature

Garden Structures or Sculptures

Historic Garden

Meadow Garden

Organic or toxin-free gardening practices

Rare plants or plant collection

Scenic view

Woodland or Shade Garden

Do you know of anyone with a great garden who may be interested in joining the program? If you select yes, we will reach out to learn more

Yes

Are you interested in offering a Digging Deeper this Open Days season? Digging Deepers are in-depth looks and experiences at a variety of garden topics, typically offered alongside Open Days. If so, we will reach out.

Yes

Would you be interested in assisting other Garden Hosts in your area with registration if the timing did not conflict with your Open Day?

Yes

Would you like this garden to have a "Wheelchair Friendly" icon appear on the Open Days Directory and website?

Yes, portions of my garden are wheelchair accessible

No, please omit this icon

May visitors take photographs in your garden?

Yes

Garden Images

Open Days visitors are very visual!

The best Open Days photos give a feel for the garden and its spaces. Several examples are:

Great garden photos can highlight a garden feature, offer a view of the landscape, or a long view of a particular garden bed or room that typifies the garden.

We are unable to use photos that are very low resolution or very blurry, plant portraits, or close up photos of individual beds. Some examples of less effective images include:

Photos

Please upload a minimum of 3 and maximum of 5 photos. Accepted file formats are jpg or png. Maximum file size is 5MB.

Photo 1*

Photo 2*

Photo 3*

Photo 4

Photo 5

Would you like to add a description or credits for this gallery?

Gallery Description

Consent & image release

I hereby authorize The Garden Conservancy and affiliated partners in the use of these garden image(s) in perpetuity for advertising, publicity and/or promotional purposes without further consent by myself or other persons.

Permission is also granted for the use of these images on a non-exclusive basis throughout the world on all forms of media, including the internet, by The Garden Conservancy and its sponsorship companies.

I acknowledge and consent that The Garden Conservancy and affiliated partners may use my Images. I hereby authorize The Garden Conservancy to include my garden's physical address on tickets, provided to registered visitors upon completion of their registration.*

I acknowledge and consent that The Garden Conservancy to share my garden's physical address with registered visitors.*

To save your progress and submit at a later time, please click "Save Progress". A link to return to the from can be found in your account profile. When the form is complete, please click "Submit Form".