Chattanooga Botanical Garden Project Gains Momentum as Nonprofit
Photo by Caroline Ashley on Unsplash
In The Know with Gino…
A new nonprofit organization is working to bring a botanical garden to Chattanooga, aiming to enhance the city’s natural beauty and community engagement. The Chattanooga Botanical Garden nonprofit has recently achieved federal recognition as a 501(c)3 organization and secured a business license, marking a significant step forward in their development plans according to Local 3 News.
The group’s president, Hannah Lanning, explained to Local 3 that establishing the nonprofit was essential to gaining credibility and laying a solid foundation for the project. Over the past nine months, her team has focused on completing necessary paperwork and organizational steps to formalize their efforts.
Lanning’s inspiration for the garden came from a visit to the Huntsville Botanical Garden in Alabama. She was struck not only by the garden’s visual appeal but also by its origins, which began with a grassroots movement in the 1980s. Recognizing what Huntsville’s community accomplished decades ago, Lanning believes Chattanooga can follow suit, especially now that it is recognized as a National Park City.
The project is structured around three phases: establish, envision, and empower. Having achieved nonprofit status, the current focus is on envisioning the garden’s future. The group plans to partner with architecture and master planning firms to develop detailed renderings and plans. These visual representations aim to garner support from residents, city officials, and potential donors.
Lanning emphasized that presenting concrete plans and visuals would help rally community backing and encourage city support. She recently attended an open house with Mayor Tim Kelly’s office to share her vision and gather insights, hoping that clear plans will make it easier for stakeholders to get behind the project. When reached for comment, the office clarified that the city is not currently affiliated with the botanical garden project.
Similarly, Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors indicated that there are no active plans for a large botanical garden within their current initiatives, although they are actively working on native plantings and restoration projects across parks and wetlands.
Since launching efforts in July 2025, Lanning reports that support from hundreds of residents online has been encouraging. While the project has yet to identify a specific site, she hinted that promising leads are in the works, with plans to share location details soon.
Looking ahead, the organization plans to apply for grants and seek funding to bring their vision to life. Lanning mentioned the potential for city support through tax grants, similar to those used for the new Erlanger Park, which is funded through property and sales taxes. She expressed optimism that the project could eventually generate enough revenue to gain city backing.
As the Chattanooga Botanical Garden project continues to develop, community members and city officials alike will be watching closely for updates on the plans and progress of this exciting new addition to Chattanooga’s landscape.
Special Thanks to Local 3 News for this story!
SOURCES: Local 3 News & NOOGAtoday
