Department of Economics

University of Delaware

Working Paper #2005-13

Take Time to Smell the Flowers, Please!

Public Gardens and Economic Development

William R. Latham

 Adrienne Donald

 ABSTRACT

 A model of economic impacts of public gardens on their communities is developed stressing the roles of visitors as well as staff and suppliers in creating impacts. The model is implemented for four different gardens using a combination of survey and normal business data from the gardens with a well-known impact model system. . The gardens selected span the major types in terms of metropolitan-nonmetropolitan locations and walk-in vs. destination facilities as well as being located in different regions of the U.S. The results show significant direct and multiplier effects which vary systematically with the typed of facility. The model can be applied to other facilities using a workbook available from the authors.

JEL Codes: O18, R11, R58

Key Words: Public Gardens, Economic Impact, Economic Development Policy