Impact of setting, scale of operations, and governance and funding in the offering of public programs at Canadian botanical institutions

Canadian Botanical institutions vary in their purpose and operations, yet most provide learning opportunities for the public. This study documented the factors and components of setting, scale of operations, and governance & funding affecting public programming at botanical institutions. Six gardens, representing the diversity of Canadian institutions by their geographical context, size, and governing body were chosen as case study sites. Case studies were performed to assess the similarities, differences and the strengths and challenges in offering public programs.; The case study results indicate that the factor of setting determines the demand and accessibility of potential participants and is therefore the most important factor in the garden's ability to offer public programming. The factors and components of scale of operations and governance & funding play a secondary role in determining whether or not a garden with a less than ideal setting will prosper in public programming, or alternatively whether or not a garden with an ideal setting will struggle with public programs. The ability of a garden to offer public programming that is of service to its constituency will only be realized if the garden first understands its community (setting), and secondly, uses its resources (scale of operations) to benefit society, and has a supportive board (governance & funding) that provides for these endeavors. While this study focused on Canadian institutions, the findings can be applied to any botanical garden or cultural attraction to assess how the factors of setting, scale of operations, and governance & funding impact its ability to offer public programming.