Brian Trader, president and CEO of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (Photo by Julianne Tripp)
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden President and CEO Brian Trader might be new to Richmond, but he’s quite familiar with Virginia.
The Eastern Shore native, who started in the top job at Lewis Ginter on Jan. 4, holds three degrees in horticulture from Virginia Tech: bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate. He’s taught at his alma mater, at Mississippi State University and the University of Delaware, and he has worked at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania and, most recently, at Delaware Botanic Gardens, where he was deputy executive director and director of horticulture.
Richmond magazine recently sat down with Trader to discuss his new post.
Richmond magazine: What attracted you to Lewis Ginter?
Brian Trader: Honestly, it was the reputation. It’s truly highly revered by peers all around the country. Here, you have a garden that’s attracting high-quality team members and retaining them. Plus, there’s the beauty, the collections. Lewis Ginter is young — most public gardens are 80 to 100 years old. The fact that Lewis Ginter, in such a short amount of time, has grown and expanded is truly commendable. One of the things that makes our garden unique is that we have great latitude for how it grows, where it grows, how we build on the collection. Because there wasn’t a collection already — there were plantings, but not an established design aesthetic — we have great latitude to evolve and change, and to be progressive.
RM: Lewis Ginter had staff layoffs and closures in 2020 due to the pandemic. What does the future hold?
Trader: Just about every other public garden has faced similar challenges. In the short term, we are working to ensure the safety of everyone — our guests, staff, volunteers — as we welcome more guests back according to the directives of the governor. We are still missing larger wedding events, classes, guided tours, in-person continuing education, school groups — that is the livelihood of the garden, and we can’t facilitate that now, so we’ve made virtual tours available. [The pandemic] challenged us to think differently, and we can capitalize on that. We have a strategic plan that we’re continuing to work on and refine. We want to increase accessibility of the garden to the community. For example, there’s no bus stop at the entrance and no bike lane. We can build on strategic partnerships with other nonprofits that will ensure the garden’s relevancy. Long term, we’re thinking about how we can engage our constituents not only inside the garden but outside the garden.
RM: You are the first head of Lewis Ginter to hold a doctorate in horticulture. How does your academic background support the mission of the garden?
Trader: While it takes a lot of time to earn the degree, it’s the life experiences and the work experience, and the colleagues and connections you build along the way, that prepare you for a role like this. My background in higher education naturally supports the garden’s mission; I feel like I’ve been connecting people with plants through teaching, research and outreach for decades. I feel like it’s only natural that I’m able to work with a team here to facilitate those connections with this beautiful, immersive garden. This is a place where you are taken away from the worries of the world and the challenging times. Our hope is this is a place where people can come to be nurtured and restored.
RM: What area of the garden are you drawn to?
Trader: I have a hard time saying just one! I’ll start with the Kroger Community Kitchen Garden [which grows produce for Feed More’s Meals on Wheels]. There are so many youth — and quite honestly, quite a few adults — who don’t know where their food comes from. The whole mission behind that garden is truly inspiring. I love the Martha and Reed West Island wetland garden, with lots of native species and carnivorous plants. And my very favorite group of plants are succulents and cacti, so I love that area of the conservatory.
RM: How are you settling in?
Trader: One of the draws to Richmond was the sense of pride the people of this area take in the region. My husband and I feel welcome here. Our neighbors and, especially, the team here at Lewis Ginter have been warm and welcoming — they have gone over and above in ensuring the hospitality is sincere and felt.
