The Oregon Garden

What The Oregon Garden does

The Oregon Garden is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit botanical garden located at 879 W Main St in Silverton, Oregon, operated by the Oregon Garden Foundation. It encompasses more than 130 acres featuring 20+ specialty gardens that showcase the flora of the Willamette Valley and Pacific Northwest, including a Sensory Garden, Rose Garden, Children's Garden, Medicinal Garden, Conifer Garden (one of the largest collections of dwarf and miniature conifers in the United States), and an 80-acre Pet-Friendly Garden. The organization was conceptualized by the Oregon Association of Nurseries beginning in the 1940s, broken ground in 1997, and opened to the public in 2001; the Foundation resumed direct management in 2020 after a 14-year outsourced arrangement with Moonstone Garden Management. Heritage assets include a 400-year-old Signature Oak (an Oregon Heritage Tree) and a Hiroshima Peace Tree descended from ginkgo trees that survived the 1945 atomic bombing. The Garden partners with the City of Silverton on a unique wetland cooling system that uses treated municipal wastewater for irrigation, and with Oregon Forest Resources Institute on the Rediscovery Forest and Natural Resource Education Program.

The Garden generates revenue across nine distinct streams: tiered admission ($7-$14 adults), annual memberships ($60-$1,000 individual tiers; $250-$5,000 corporate tiers), wedding and event venue rentals ($300-$5,000 per event across four venues with capacities from 20 to 400 guests), propane-fueled narrated tram tours ($4 per person, April-October), Garden University workshops, group and school bookings, a $200 Photographer Membership, memorial programs ($125-$10,000), and donations. Distribution is direct-to-consumer and direct-to-event-booking through the Foundation's website, on-site Visitor Center, email, social media (Facebook, Instagram), and reciprocal partnerships with the American Horticultural Society (300+ gardens) and lodging partners including Oregon Garden Resort, Silver Spur RV Park, and Silverton Inn & Suites. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and depends on 12,000+ volunteer hours annually to serve 50,000+ visitors each year. The core technology is horticultural and environmental rather than software-driven, with no AI/ML capabilities, APIs, or proprietary digital platforms disclosed.

Name

The Oregon Garden

Legal name

Oregon Garden Foundation

Website

https://oregongarden.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Oregon Garden is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit botanical garden in Silverton, Oregon, operating 130+ acres and 20+ specialty gardens that serve 50,000+ annual visitors through admissions, memberships, weddings, events, educational programs, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Botanical Gardens & Public Horticulture Venues

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJADAL

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

SECONDARYTHAJACAH

Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Attractions & Landmarks (Observation Decks, Monuments, Scenic Sites)

Keywords

• Botanical garden
• Garden admissions
• Wedding venue rental
• Horticulture education
• Nature education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Silverton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Fees: Daily admission fees charged to visitors based on age categories. Adults $14 (April-October), $10 (November-March). Children under 4 free. Members free admission.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership programs (Individual Iris $60, Trillium $90, Rose $120, Rhododendron $250, Conifer $500, Oak $1000) and Corporate memberships (Orchid $250 to Hellebore $5000) providing free admission, discounts, and exclusive benefits.
3. Venue Rental: Wedding and event venue rentals including Grand Hall + Garden Green ($3000-$4500), Bosque + Garden Green ($5000), Discovery Pavilion ($2000), and elopement packages ($300).
4. Tram Tours: Approximately 25-minute narrated tram tours operating April through October. $4 per person age 5+, free for members and children 4 and under.
5. Photography Membership: Specialized $200 Photographer Membership for professional photographers granting full rights to sell Oregon Garden photos, free admission, and facility rental discounts.
6. Memorial Programs: Memorial bricks ($125-$500), memorial trees ($3,000), and memorial benches ($10,000) as commemorative donation options.
7. Donations: One-time and recurring monetary donations supporting the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Also includes in-kind gifts of materials, services, and volunteer time.
8. Garden University Workshops: Educational workshops and lectures on topics such as pruning, beekeeping, cooking, floristry, and haiku. Members receive free or discounted admission.
9. Group Tours and School Programs: Discounted group admission (minimum 15), guided tours, and Natural Resource Education Program for schools at $3 per student.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

The Oregon Garden operates a 130+ acre botanical garden in Silverton, Oregon, offering public admission to 20+ specialty gardens showcasing Pacific Northwest flora, narrated propane-fueled tram tours, and educational programming. Revenue is generated through daily admissions, annual memberships, wedding and corporate venue rentals, professional photography memberships, adult workshops (Garden University), and a school-based Natural Resource Education Program in partnership with Oregon Forest Resources Institute. Operations are supported by the Oregon Garden Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, with additional revenue from donations, memorial programs (bricks, trees, benches), and grants.

Product overview

The Oregon Garden is a 130-acre botanical garden offering a unified visitor experience centered on garden admission, supplemented by fee-based services including tram tours, venue rental for weddings and events, educational programs, and membership. The core product is general garden admission providing access to 20+ specialty gardens. Add-on offerings include narrated tram tours (April-October), venue rental of multiple indoor/outdoor spaces for events up to 400 guests, Garden University adult education workshops, and the Natural Resource Education Program for school groups. Membership programs at various price points provide free admission and benefits. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit supported by the Oregon Garden Foundation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Garden Admission Day passes for individual visitors and families to explore the 130-acre botanical garden featuring 20+ specialty gardens including the Children's Garden, Pet-Friendly Garden, Sensory Garden, Rose Garden, Conifer Garden, and Northwest Garden. Pricing varies by season and age group.
• Tram Tours

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000+ visitors annually from Oregon and abroad
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, foundational and minor.

• Oregon Forest Resources Institute (OFRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between Oregon Forest Resources Institute and Oregon Garden Foundation providing Natural Resource Education Program for Oregon 4th through 6th grade students. Students explore wetland habitat and Rediscovery Forest learning about Oregon's forests, wetlands and wildlife. Also provides at-home learning materials and homeschool programming. OFRI co-funds the program and provides educational publications.
• City of SilvertoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnique environmental partnership where the Garden's wetlands and A-Mazing Water Garden cool the City's treated wastewater, which is then used to irrigate the Garden. Partnership developed as part of original site selection agreement in 1995.
• Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN)foundationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal founding partner. OAN explored botanical garden concept in 1940s, contacted City of Salem in 1980s, and included garden in long-range plan in 1990. Oregon Nurserymen's Garden Foundation formed in 1994 to develop the garden.
• Western Region of American Conifer SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConifer Garden built in partnership with Western Region of American Conifer Society. The Society provides ongoing expertise to maintain the Conifer Garden as one of the finest showcases for conifers in the country, housing one of the largest collections of dwarf and miniature conifers in the United States.
• Oregon Garden ResortminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNeighboring property recommended for lodging to garden visitors. Offers 10% discount to Oregon Garden members at Garden View Restaurant and Fireside Lounge. EV charging stations available at the resort.
• Silver Spur RV ParkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRecommended RV park for overnight visitors to The Oregon Garden, located nearby in Silverton.
• Silverton Market GardenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompleted in 2001 as part of the original garden development, representing a specialty garden area.
• Gordon HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric house opened in 2002 as part of The Oregon Garden complex, adding architectural and educational element to the property.
• Silverton Inn & SuitesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRecommended lodging partner for wedding and event clients at The Oregon Garden, located in Silverton.
• Silverton Area Community Action Partnership (SACA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner for 25th Anniversary Community Day food drive. Garden collects non-perishable food donations for SACA and Sheltering Silverton.
• Brian Bainnson / Quatrefoil IncminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape designer of the Conifer Garden, working with American Conifer Society Western Region partnership.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• United States Botanic Garden: A federally-operated public botanical garden in Washington, D.C., with educational programming, themed collections, and ticketed admission—an institutional peer with similar educational mandate and visitor-experience model.
• Chicago Botanic Garden: One of the largest U.S. public botanical gardens with specialty gardens, tram/shuttle tours, adult education, weddings, and reciprocal membership—closely mirrors Oregon Garden's mix of attractions, programs, and event revenue.
• Longwood Gardens: A nonprofit display garden featuring themed outdoor gardens, special events, performances, ticketed admission, and educational programs—comparable revenue mix and visitor-destination model.
• New York Botanical Garden: Large-scale nonprofit botanical garden with extensive themed collections, adult education, group/school programs, membership tiers, and event venues—comparable across all primary product lines.
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Historic nonprofit botanical institution with similar specialty gardens, tram tours, membership programs, and educational workshops serving a regional catchment.
• Denver Botanic Gardens: Public nonprofit gardens with themed collections, ticketed admission, memberships, and event venue rentals—mirrors Oregon Garden's diversified monetization across admissions, events, and education.
• Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens: A nonprofit coastal botanical garden of similar scale offering ticketed admission, memberships, workshops, and event venue use—a closely analogous small-to-mid sized peer.
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Urban nonprofit botanical garden with themed collections, education programs, events, and tiered memberships—a direct operational peer despite different geography.
• Butchart Gardens: Iconic Canadian display garden operating on ticketed admission, seasonal programming, weddings, and themed collections—comparable destination botanical garden business model.

Regional players

• Portland Japanese Garden: A nearby Oregon-based nonprofit cultural garden with ticketed admission, memberships, educational programs, and event venues; overlaps significantly with Oregon Garden but specializes in Japanese-style horticulture rather than Pacific Northwest ecology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheOregonGarden
• Instagraminstagram.org/oregongarden
• Xx.com/TheOregonGarden

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Oregon Garden