Aldridge Gardens

What Aldridge Gardens does

Aldridge Gardens is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public botanical garden operating a 30-acre property at 3530 Lorna Road in Hoover, Alabama. Originally the Coxe Family Estate, the land was purchased by founder Eddie Aldridge in 1977 and acquired by the City of Hoover in 1997 under a resolution guaranteeing perpetual public use; the garden opened to the public in 2002. The site features a 5-acre lake with walking trails, the Meyer Bonsai Terrace (one of the finest bonsai collections in the southeastern United States), the signature Snowflake Hydrangea cultivar, the Apiopolis honey bee apiary, the Eddie and Kay Aldridge Art and Historical Collections Museum, and the Veterans Memorial Arbor. It serves multiple constituencies: free general public visitors (110,000+ in 2022), wedding and corporate event clients, annual garden members, professional photographers, elementary school field trip groups, and summer camp attendees. It is an active stop on the Alabama Garden Trail and the Appalachian Highlands Alabama Birding Trail.

The organization monetizes through a diversified nonprofit revenue model. Free general admission drives foot traffic and donor pipeline development, while paid streams include wedding and corporate venue rentals (Pavilion up to 200 guests, Aldridge House, Art Gallery, lakeside and garden sites), eight-tier annual memberships ranging from $50 (Harmony) to $1,000 (Propagator), a $100 Photography Guild subscription with $50 single-session fees, summer camps ($130–$150), field trips ($5/student), plant sales, gift shop retail at the Roots Garden and Gift Shop, and signature annual events including the Hydrangeas Under the Stars gala and Taste of Hoover culinary event. Sustaining sponsors include Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, NaphCare (naming sponsor of the Education Building), Regions Financial, the City of Hoover, and several regional businesses. Technology is limited to a Firespring-powered nonprofit website with event registration; no proprietary platform, app, or AI tooling is in evidence.

Name

Aldridge Gardens

Legal name

Aldridge Gardens

Website

https://aldridgegardens.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aldridge Gardens is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a 30-acre public botanical garden in Hoover, Alabama, serving general visitors, wedding and corporate clients, members, professional photographers, and school groups through free admission, venue rentals, tiered memberships, and educational programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Botanical Garden and Event Venue Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

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

• Public botanical garden
• Event venue rentals
• Garden membership programs
• Horticultural education
• Nonprofit nature center

Headquarters

HQ city

Hoover

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Venue Rental: Revenue from renting facilities for weddings, receptions, corporate meetings, and family gatherings. Various venues include the Pavilion, Aldridge House, Art Gallery, Lakeside locations, Shade Garden, and Pavilion with different capacity limits.
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees ranging from $50 to $1,000 across multiple tiers providing discounts, reciprocal garden benefits, and members-only event access.
3. Donations and Sponsorships: General donations, memorial/honorarium gifts, planned giving, sustaining sponsorships, and naming opportunities for trees, benches, and ornaments.
4. Gift Shop Sales: Roots Garden and Gift Shop sells gardening supplies, local items, jewelry, and gift items.
5. Plant Sales: Annual Spring Plant Sale featuring hydrangeas, native plants, and companion plants with 10% member discount.
6. Annual Fundraiser: Hydrangeas Under the Stars premier annual fundraiser with reception, silent/live auctions, and dinner generating support for garden operations.
7. Taste of Hoover Event: Annual culinary event featuring local restaurants and caterers with ticket sales and vendor fees.
8. Photography Guild: $100 annual membership for unlimited photo shoots, plus $50 per single photo session for non-members.
9. Summer Camps: Educational summer camps for children entering kindergarten through 3rd grade at $130 for members and $150 for non-members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Aldridge Gardens is a 30-acre public botanical garden and nature center that offers free admission to visitors along with paid membership tiers, wedding and corporate venue rentals, educational programs (summer camps, field trips, adult workshops), annual events (Hydrangeas Under the Stars, Taste of Hoover, Spring Plant Sale), and an on-site gift shop. The Garden operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, funded primarily through memberships, donations, sponsorships, and venue rentals.

Product overview

Aldridge Gardens is a 30-acre public botanical garden and nature center in Hoover, Alabama operated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The organization offers a single integrated experience combining free public garden admission with paid membership tiers, venue rentals for weddings and events, educational programming including summer camps and field trips, and annual signature events. The product portfolio centers on garden admission as the free core offering, supplemented by tiered memberships (Harmony through Propagator at $50-$1,000) that provide reciprocal garden benefits, plus venue rental services for weddings, corporate events, and gatherings. Educational offerings include bonsai workshops, birding walks, art gallery exhibitions, and seasonal plant sales. All services are interconnected through the membership program, with venue rentals and events serving as both community offerings and fundraising mechanisms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Roots Garden and Gift Shop: On-site garden and gift shop selling gardening supplies, local items, jewelry, and gift items.
• Hydrangea Society
• Bonsai Society
• Photography Guild
• Apiopolis

Products and services

• Public Garden Admission Free daily admission to the 30-acre public botanical garden featuring walking trails, a 5-acre lake, formal gardens, and seasonal horticultural displays, open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily for the general public.
• Annual Garden Membership Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 110,000 visitors annually (2022 gate count)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Alabama Department of TourismminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartners in tourism promoting Alabama travel and tourism. Aldridge Gardens is part of Alabama Garden Trail showcasing gardens across the state.
• Birmingham Convention and Visitors BureauminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartners in tourism working to promote Birmingham area attractions and events.
• Alabama Garden TrailminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial membership in Alabama Garden Trail trail system featuring gardens throughout Alabama from top of state to the Gulf.
• Appalachian Highlands Alabama Birding TrailminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAldridge Gardens is an ideal location for bird watching and part of the Appalachian Highlands Alabama Birding Trail, promoting wildlife tourism.
• American Horticultural SocietycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough reciprocal garden admission program, Aldridge Gardens members can visit nearly 300 gardens across the country with special admission privileges and discounts through AHS.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of AlabamaminorOthersSustaining Sponsor providing annual financial support to help sustain the Gardens and provide activities, events, and educational opportunities.
• NaphCarecoreOthersSustaining Sponsor and naming sponsor of the NaphCare Education Building. Major supporter of educational programs and facility.
• Regions FinancialminorOthersSustaining Sponsor providing annual financial support to the Gardens.
• City of HoovercoreOthersCity of Hoover purchased the land in 1997 to ensure it remains public space in perpetuity. Major sustaining sponsor and municipal partner. Property tax exempt as city-owned property.
• Fi Plan PartnersminorOthersSustaining Sponsor providing annual financial support.
• T. Fox SalonminorOthersSustaining Sponsor providing annual financial support.
• Wild Birds UnlimitedminorOthersSustaining Sponsor providing annual financial support. Natural fit given Gardens' bird watching offerings.
• Sovereign CPA Group, LLCminorOthersSustaining Sponsor providing annual financial support.
• AmFirstminorOthersArt and Sculpture Corporate Sponsor for the gallery and museum.
• Hoover Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of Storywalk at Aldridge Gardens featuring 18 panels with books changed quarterly. Collaborative educational program for early readers.
• Cawaco RC&D CouncilminorOthersProvided grant funding for the Fort Aldridge Trail spur, improving access to the children's free play area.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Brookgreen Gardens: A 9,100-acre public garden and wildlife preserve in Murrells Inlet, SC. Directly comparable nonprofit public garden with paid admission, weddings, art exhibitions, and educational programming.
• Huntsville Botanical Garden: A 112-acre public botanical garden in Huntsville, Alabama offering free admission, weddings, events, and educational programming. Compares directly on mission, business model, and visitor offerings within the same state.
• Memphis Botanic Garden: A 96-acre public botanical garden in Memphis, TN offering free admission, weddings, classes, and youth education. Comparable as a Southern regional public garden with a similar diversified revenue model.
• Bellingrath Gardens and Home: A 65-acre public garden estate in Theodore, Alabama featuring formal gardens, a historic home, and event venues. Closely mirrors Aldridge Gardens' combination of botanical gardens, historic estate heritage, and event-driven revenue.
• Birmingham Botanical Gardens: The largest public botanical garden in Alabama, located in Birmingham. Directly comparable to Aldridge Gardens as a free-admission public botanical garden serving the Birmingham-Hoover metro with venue rentals, education, and memberships.

Broad incumbents

• Atlanta Botanical Garden: A 30-acre major metropolitan botanical garden in Atlanta, GA. Compares on core offerings (gardens, weddings, memberships, education) but operates at significantly larger scale and serves a much larger metro market.
• Longwood Gardens: A 1,100-acre premier botanical garden in Kennett Square, PA. Comparable as a public garden with memberships, events, and educational programs, but operates at a national-international destination scale.
• Callaway Gardens: A 2,500-acre destination resort garden in Pine Mountain, GA. Comparable as a Southern public garden with event venue capabilities, weddings, and nature-based programming, but with broader resort and lodging offerings.

Others

• American Horticultural Society: National nonprofit that runs the reciprocal garden admission program connecting Aldridge Gardens to ~300 gardens nationwide. Relevant as an ecosystem enabler rather than a direct competitor.
• Wild Birds Unlimited: National franchise retailer of birding supplies and a sustaining sponsor of Aldridge Gardens. Relevant as an ecosystem partner supporting the Gardens' birding programming and Apiopolis initiative.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Aldridge-Gardens-169097700352
• Instagraminstagram.com/aldridgegardens
• Pinterestpinterest.com/aldridgegardens
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aldridge-gardens

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Aldridge Gardens