Unique among botanical gardens, all of the plants in the gardens are edible －fruits, vegetables, herbs or edible flowers have been individually selected for their aesthetic style and elegance. 

Future developments at the Gardens include a reception center, and state of the art conservatory with an education center and expanded exhibits. 

Our mission is to exhibit excellence in the world-class artistry, innovation and practice of elegant, edible landscaping to educate and inspire sustainable applications, including hyper-local food production, at home and in communities worldwide.

To accomplish our mission, we: 

• Model hyper-local, sustainable food production practices
• Develop educational programs and services that teach regenerative sustainability 
• Exhibit plants, designs and artistry that inspire others 
• Collaborate with nature, people and organizations
• Show enthusiasm for what we do and who we serve
• Cultivate innovation and research into new and proven methodologies 

Lonnie McCleve, Founding Director

Lonnie McCleve is founding director of the Gardens. A land developer by trade, he is passionate about finding ways to provide needed amenities to the public and supporting the Queen Creek community. As a cancer survivor, Lonnie credits his recovery to a change in his diet to eating clean, plant-based foods that were as close to their natural state as possible. Realizing how essential this is for the local population’s overall health and well-being, Lonnie began to look for ways to teach and increase hyper-local food production while providing a world-class botanical garden to the town and surrounding communities.