Growing from its humble beginnings as an ash dump in the late 1800s, Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) has come to represent the very best in urban gardening and horticultural display. Its mission is to connect people to the world of plants, fostering delight and curiosity while inspiring an appreciation and sense of stewardship of the environment. In the Garden, in its community, and well beyond, BBG inspires people of all ages through the conservation, display, and enjoyment of plants; with educational programs that emphasize learning by doing; and with research focused on understanding and conserving regional plants and plant communities.