2026 IDEA, Historic Landscapes, and Design & Planning Symposium

Hosted by:

Presented by the IDEA, Historic Landscapes, and Design & Planning Professional Communities

Early Bird Pricing ends September 11, 2026

The Enduring Garden: Design, Accessibility, and Landscape Evolution

Join us in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Daniel Stowe Conservancy and Wing Haven for a critical discussion on the future of public gardens. The "Enduring Garden" theme challenges us as public garden professionals to examine how to honor a garden's history and design intent while evolving to create spaces and experiences for all visitors which embrace IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Accessibility) principles. Thus, ensuring your garden’s long-term resilience. Connect with colleagues, explore Charlotte’s many public gardens, and leave with practical insights to help your garden endure, evolve, and thrive.

Who Should Attend? This symposium is designed for all public garden professionals who are engaged in big picture thinking and change making at their institutions. 

If your work touches historic landscapes, site master planning, capital projects, operational resilience, sustainable horticultural practices, visitor accessibility, marketing and communications, or inclusive programming and interpretation you need to be here. This is a unique cross departmental opportunity to collaborate with peers from the Design and Planning, Historic Landscapes, and IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Accessibility) communities to forge cohesive strategies that will enable your garden to endure, evolve, and thrive. We encourage gardens to send change makers representing a multitude of departments.

Hotel

DoubleTree by Hilton Charlotte City Center
230 N. College Street, Charlotte, NC, 28202

Registration Fees

View the Fees page for registration costs. Prices will be charged in USD.

Registration is Open

Registration is now open.
We look forward to seeing you in Charlotte!

Schedule

View the Schedule page to see the full agenda. All times will be in ET.

Host Gardens

View the Host Gardens page to learn more about these essential partners.

Event Policies

Review the Policies page for important information and general protocols.

Thank you to our Symposium Sponsors!

Countdown to the Event