Brookgreen Gardens renews prestigious Level II ArbNet accreditation
October 26, 2026
International accreditation recognizes Brookgreen’s continued commitment to plant collections and public education
Brookgreen Gardens has renewed its Level II accreditation through the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum. The renewal recognizes Brookgreen’s continued work to care for its tree and woody plant collections and to educate visitors about horticulture and the natural environment.
ArbNet is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta based on a set of professional standards. Level II requirements include at least 100 labeled or publicly mapped types of trees and other woody plants, paid staff responsible for their management, documented collectionspolicy, and expanded educational programming.
“Our gardens and arboretum are an important part of what brings people to Brookgreen and what they learn while they’re here,” said Page Kiniry, president and CEO of Brookgreen Gardens. “This renewal recognizes the care our team puts into these collections and our responsibility to preserve them for future generations.”
Live Oak Allée, estimated to be more than 275 years old.
Brookgreen’s botanical gardens include the historic Live Oak Allée featuring live oak trees estimated to be more than 275 years old, and many other garden areas feature beautiful trees. The over 14-acre arboretum focuses on tree species. It includes an evergreen collection, many species of oaks, and other hardwoods, and is anchored by a huge China fir, Cunninghamia lanceolata, planted in 1968 that now stands over 80 feet tall. This tree has become famous for serving as the lighted holiday tree for Brookgreen’s Nights of a Thousand Candles event.
Throughout the Gardens, visitors can explore mature trees, shrubs and seasonal plantings alongside American figurative sculpture, experiencing the connections between art, nature and Lowcountry history.
Brookgreen remains listed as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboreta, an international database of arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants.
To learn more about Brookgreen Gardens, visit www.brookgreen.org/. To explore Brookgreen’s online plant collection database, visit https://brookgreen.hortis.com/public/site/brookgreen.
About Brookgreen Gardens
Brookgreen Gardens, a National Historic Landmark and 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is located on U.S. 17 between Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and is open to the public daily. Founded in 1931 by Anna Hyatt Huntington and Archer Huntington, Brookgreen is home to the largest and most significant collection of American Figurative Sculpture in the country, and continues as a leader in sculpture conservation, environmental conservation, and protection of the plants, animals, and history of the South Carolina Lowcountry. For more information, visit our website at www.brookgreen.org/ or call 843-235-6000.
About ArbNet
ArbNet is an interactive, collaborative, international community of arboreta. ArbNet facilitates the sharing of knowledge, experience, and other resources to help arboreta meet their institutional goals and works to raise professional standards through the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program. The accreditation program, sponsored and coordinated by The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois in cooperation with American Public Gardens Association and Botanic Gardens Conservation International, is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta based on a set of professional standards. The program offers four levels of accreditation, recognizing arboreta of various degrees of development, capacity and professionalism. Standards include planning, governance, public access, programming and tree science, planting and conservation. More information is available at www.arbnet.org.
