Major James and Sallie Dooley acquired 100 acres of land in 1886 to build their estate, which later became Maymont park. In 1925, the estate was donated to the city of Richmond. The Maymont Foundation now maintains the park with $3.6 million in annual donations. Mrs. Dooley had a passion for horticulture and established the Italian and Japanese gardens. The horticulture department now maintains over 200 plant species at Maymont, using environmentally friendly practices like limited pesticides and water conservation.