American Horticultural Society

As a VENUE: Host an event…

Our many gardens and sprawling lawns, as well as the main level of our Estate House, are included with your rental. Located four miles south of Old Town Alexandria, River Farm rests on 25 acres of gardens and woods overlooking the Potomac River. Tucked conveniently close to the Washington, D.C. metro area, it serves as an ideal location for your: * Wedding * Social Gathering,* Retreats, or * Business Meeting. The manor-style house, formal and informal gardens, and sprawling lawns offer endless options for your creativity in planning a memorable event:

• Enjoy glorious year-round views of the Potomac River from our spacious slate patio. The patio accommodates up to 160 seated guests and is canopied April through November. A second identical tent is available to seamlessly expand the dining experience to 240 seated guests.
• Our gorgeous canopy features elegant chandeliers and perimeter bistro lights against a backdrop of classic fabric liners. Sides with Palladian windows open or close depending on your preference and weather. Individually-controlled and adjustable-position fans are included.
• Our chandeliered Ballroom holds 80 guests seated theater-style or 50 guests at tables, and our parlor is a welcoming and comfortably elegant space for up to 25 guests.
• Facilities for your caterer include a full kitchen and indoor and outdoor prep porches. AND we have plenty of parking!

Professional Photography: Are you looking for the perfect outdoor setting to bring your clients for a photography session? River Farm features a variety of colorful backdrops for your next shoot.

Support the American Horticultural Society …by simply booking your next special occasion here:
https://ahsgardening.org/about-river-farm/facility-rentals/

As a SHOP: Discover unique gifts…

River Farm’s Garden Shop features an array of crafts from local artisans. Lovingly staffed by volunteers, the shop also sells garden tools, gardening supplies for kids, and one of the best selections of gardening books in the D.C. area. Free parking. Popular merchandise includes: * Exclusive AHS Four Seasons Floral Garden Mugs * Wooden Bowls & Serving Spoons * Hand-Drawn Natural Wonder Illustrations * Unique Metal Art, and * Handcrafted Bamboo & Stainless Steel Necklaces.

Support the American Horticultural Society …by simply purchasing your specialty merchandise here:
https://ahsgardening.org/about-river-farm/garden-shop-at-river-farm/

Be a DONOR: Show that you care…

Membership:

AHS offers various membership levels to suit your individual and family needs. AHS members receive The American Gardener magazine, special admission privileges and discounts at more than 345 public gardens throughout North America and the Cayman Islands, high quality seed, plant and book discounts, access to members-only online gardening resources, and all of the rewards of supporting AHS and gardening in America. Gift memberships are also available. Memberships at specified levels are offered: * National * Sustaining * Int’l – Individual * Int’l – Couple * Contributor * Benefactor * Patron, and * President’s Council.

Donations:

Why does AHS need your support? Membership dues account for only a portion of our annual expenses, so additional contributions to continue the many programs that bring the world of gardening to people across the country are essential. Donations to the AHS are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

• President’s Council: The AHS is pleased to offer President’s Council members additional benefits, recognition, and involvement opportunities with participation at one of five giving circle levels: * Council Member’s Circle *  Sustainer’s Circle * Haupt Circle * Liberty Hyde Bailey Circle, and * Founder’s Circle.
• Planned Giving: All good financial stewards reach a point where they initiate estate plans. They want to leave their affairs in good order and take care of the people they love. Far fewer of us consider the non-material things we will leave behind—our values and our reputations. These we can address through legacy planning, a thoughtful process of taking inventory of our values and making plans to preserve them after we’re gone. People who value the earth and treasure the joy of gardening look to the American Horticultural Society (AHS) to preserve their values. They know that gardens are not planted for today. Gardens are planted for tomorrow. By investing labor and nutrients today, we make possible a bountiful future.  So it is with planned gifts to the AHS. Will provisions and other estate gifts sow seeds that produce harvests for generations to come. An investment in the AHS is an investment in the future of horticulture. Gifts to the AHS create a legacy by preserving the donor’s values. Planned gifts can also memorialize the names of donors or the people they love. The AHS offers named endowment funds and named spaces in buildings for a wide range of gift amounts. Donors can also create giving vehicles that provide them a lifetime income stream with the remainder going to the AHS to create a named fund or space.
  • Gifts of Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds: Gifts of securities are especially advantageous if they have appreciated in value. Gifts of stocks held longer than one year avoid capital gains tax completely. In addition, donors receive a tax deduction for the market value of the gift.
  • Beneficiary Designation: You can designate the AHS as beneficiary of a life insurance policy, a retirement fund, or a bank account.
  • Life Insurance: Transfer ownership of a policy to the AHS and gain an immediate charitable tax deduction for the lesser of the policy’s fair market value or the premiums paid. Give a paid-up policy and receive a deduction for the policy’s cash value. You can also make the AHS a partial beneficiary of your employee life policy.
  • Bequests: Will provisions are the most frequently used deferred giving vehicle. All you need is an attorney and appropriate bequest language.
  • Charitable Gift Annuities: These are popular among older donors because of high payment rates. A CGA is a contract between the donor and a charity. Donors get lifetime income, and the AHS receives the remaining balance.
  • Charitable Remainder Trusts: These life income vehicles can be set up to focus on either predictable payments or inflation abatement. Upon the death of the payee(s), the AHS receives the principal value.
  • Charitable Pooled Funds: Available through Fidelity Investments or The U.S. Charitable Gift Trust (Eaton Vance), these accounts function like Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs), providing donors lifetime income, with the principal balance passing to the AHS. Unlike a CRT, they entail no set-up costs or complications, and can be set up with as little as $20,000.
  • Real Estate: Give a residence, farm or vacation property, gain a charitable gift deduction and retain the right to live in it.
  • Donor Advised Funds: These donor-held accounts function like personal foundations. They allow donors to make tax-deductible contributions when circumstances warrant and defer allocation decisions until donors are ready to make them.
  • Memorial Gifts: The AHS is pleased to accept gifts made in honor of persons deceased or living. Families will be notified as appropriate.
• Corporate Support: Enhance Your Brand Recognition & Image. Numerous opportunities exist for businesses and organizations to support the AHS and to gain visibility among our members, including by sponsoring educational programs and becoming corporate members.
• Companies Giving Back: Support the AHS while shopping online.
  • FabulousFlorals.com will donate 5% of your purchase to AHS by using code AHSFF to make your purchase. Please enter this code in the “coupon code” field or in the “order notes” field during checkout. It will not discount your order but ensure 5% of your product purchase goes back to AHS. Fabulous Florals is committed to providing the finest fresh-cut wholesale flowers by the bunch, in assortments, wedding flower packages and individual varieties. Place your order today!
  • Brent and Becky’s Bulbs: You can support the AHS’s national educational programs and outreach through purchases made at Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, Renee’s Garden, and Amazon.com. For Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, designate the AHS as the organization you want to support through Brent and Becky’s Bloomin’ Bucks program.
  • Renee’s Garden offers only non-GMO varieties that are very special for home gardeners, based on great flavor, easy culture, and exceptional garden performance. Enter code FR19A8 upon checkout and AHS will receive a donation equal to 20% of your purchase.
• American Horticultural Society’s Virtual Garden Market: The Garden Market features a curated group of specialty vendors offering garden-themed products and services for our virtual community of passionate gardeners and AHS members. A portion of each sale (10%) will go to AHS to help support our national educational programs.

Support the American Horticultural Society …by simply joining, giving, and volunteering here:
https://ahsgardening.org/ways-to-support/planned-giving/giving-options/