The Institute of Leisure Agriculture is the first research institute to specialize in leisure agriculture among all the agricultural academies in China. The Institute consists of five research teams respectively engaged in ornamental plants, creative agriculture, tea, agricultural landscapes and culture, and utilization of leisure agricultural resources.

Targeting at the strategic requirements of modern agricultural development and major problems in leisure agriculture of Jiangsu Province, the Institute caters to the needs of the leisure agriculture industry and works for the rural vitalization strategy. With the research emphasis on the integration of agricultural research and art, the Institute aims to continuously improve innovation ability and provide strong support for the development of leisure agriculture in China.

The Institute also hosts many high-level horticultural research platforms, including Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Genetic Improvement and National Rhododendron Germplasm Bank.