Richard Hayden
Senior Director of Horticulture

Richard Hayden is the Senior Director of Horticulture at the High Line, where he oversees all aspects of the design, care, and horticultural practices for its world-renowned gardens.

Hayden previously served as the Assistant Deputy Director at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, where he was the primary project manager for the reimagining of the La Brea Tar Pits Museum. He also oversaw the Nature Gardens, a wildlife habitat garden.

Previously, Hayden was the Garden Director for the Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden from November 2017 to January 2020, where he designed several garden spaces focused on sustainability and wildlife habitat and facilitated educational and public programs, volunteer services, and a wide variety of public garden management tasks.

Hayden started his career in public horticulture as the Head Gardener for the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County from 2012 – 2017, where he managed the Nature Gardens, a 3.5-acre wildlife habitat garden that serves as a living laboratory for the study and educational promotion of biodiversity in urban Los Angeles. He also oversaw the planting and maintenance of the gardens at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum. In his role at the museum, he collaborated with scientists, educators, and fundraisers to promote the Nature Gardens as a leading site for the study of urban nature. He taught classes, led tours, and gave talks related to habitat gardening, working with native plants, and best practices in horticultural management, including soil health, composting, and organic pest management.

Prior to working at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, he was the Principal Landscape Designer at Hayden Landscape Design, helping to create exceptional garden environments from 1992 – 2012. He began his career in New York City in the commercial film business, working as a production manager for Arc Films, Inc.

Hayden currently serves as Vice President of the Metro Hort Group, a Tri-state Area, New York City-based horticultural nonprofit. From 2020 to– 2022, he served as the Board Chair of the Pacific Horticulture Society, a 50-year-old nonprofit horticulture educational institution dedicated to promoting resilient, climate-appropriate gardening. He now serves as Vice President of the Metro Hort Group, a Tri-state Area, New York City-based horticultural nonprofit. Previously, he also served a two-year term as President of the Los Angeles District of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers.