An Often Underused Benefit Of FROGS Membership
Gioia Caiola Forman, FROGS Board Member & Green Spring Extension Master Gardener
I love gardening, nature, plants, birds and bees, and just being outdoors. I love to volunteer at Green Spring, and I have the privilege of serving on the FROGS board and being a Green Spring Extension Master Gardener. My husband of over 50 years can identify one growing flower: the dandelion. He wears a t-shirt in the summer that on the front says, “My wife is a Green Spring Master Gardener.” On the back it says, “I’m an invasive.” This sums up our togetherness with gardens.
Recently, we attended a family gathering in the Bronx, my husband’s birthplace. I suggested while there we visit Wave Hill, a 28-acre estate in the Hudson Hill section of Riverdale in the Bronx. It has beautiful gardens. He wasn’t thrilled but agreed when he realized it was in walking distance of the apartment house where he spent the first 20 years of his life.
It was a fabulous visit, a beautiful fall day exploring the grounds situated on the slopes overlooking the Hudson River, with expansive views across the river to the New Jersey Palisades…but…why am I sharing this? When we got to the entrance gate to buy our tickets, we were asked if we were members of any gardens and if we had our membership card with us. I carry our FROGS membership card, and they were delighted to honor it under the American Horticultural Society’s Reciprocal Garden Admission Program, which includes more than 400 botanical gardens, arboreta, and other cultural sites in the US, Canada, and the Caribbean. This is often an overlooked but important membership benefit of being a FROG.
In Virginia alone there are 13 participating gardens, including the American Horticultural Society (Alexandria), Botanical Garden of the Piedmont (Charlottesville), Edith J. Carrier Arboretum at James Madison University (Harrisonburg), Community Arboretum at Virginia Western Community College (Roanoke), Hahn Horticulture Garden at Virginia Tech (Blacksburg), Heritage Museum and Gardens (Norfork), Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (Richmond), Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (Winchester), Norfolk Botanical Garden (Norfolk), State Arboretum of Virgina (Boyce), and Green Spring Gardens (Alexandria). You can find these Reciprocal Gardens by using the American Horticultural Society's (AHS) Garden Network Directory.
There are many other benefits to FROGS membership, including discounts in the Green Spring plant and gift shops and at certain nurseries (see Membership for the updated list), the Gardenline newsletter, advance notice of programs, and knowing that your joining FROGS helps support the goal of “Keeping Green Spring Growing.”
In 2026, there will be a few changes when renewing your membership. One exciting addition will be a new membership category called “FROGS Canine” (Furry Residents of Green Spaces), specifically designed for our four-legged friends, each of whom will receive a FROGS charm for his/her collar.
FROGS thanks you for your continued support, and we hope you will take advantage of the Reciprocal Garden Admission Program.
