The inspiration of James H. Burdett, the National Garden Bureau was born in 1920 in the wake of World War I. He perceived the need of the increasing number of suburbanites for basic instruction in backyard gardening. Because of his unique background as both a former newspaper journalist and an advertising manager of a seed company, he appreciated the role of the media in public education. He pioneered the idea of enlisting horticultural writers and broadcasters in the noble effort of mass education to create a population of gardeners. In the process he improved the lives of citizens.

The Bureau came of age during World War II when the government encouraged homeowners to grow Victory Gardens. By means of annual posters promoting “Beauty and Abundance in Your Garden” and other materials, the Bureau promoted seeds and gardening on the home front. Then, the postwar years saw an emphasis on community beautification and the Bureau responded with a film, brochures, programs, and information sheets to help gardening communicators further this cause among the public. Incorporation as a not-for-profit organization soon followed.