On Saturday, May 23, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden will open its gates for the public to enjoy the Garden's beautiful new landscape extension, two years in the making. The project nearly doubles the size of the existing Conservatory, adds 7.5 acres of new gardens, and incorporates an additional lake into the Garden experience. The result increases opportunities for connections, wellness, learning, and resiliency.

Dr. Brian Trader, President and CEO, has been overseeing this exciting project that allows even more guests to enjoy nature’s beauty.  He has served as its leader since early 2021 and believes in the healing power of gardens, as a place where we can come to be nurtured and restored.  Coming to Virginia with experience at Longwood Gardens and the Delaware Botanic Gardens, he earned his doctorate, master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Virginia Tech and has also taught at Virginia Tech, Mississippi State University, and the University of Delaware.