Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Feb. 28, 2015
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of Griffin Land & Nurseries, Inc. (“Griffin”) reflect Griffin’s real estate business, which is conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Griffin Land, LLC (“Griffin Land”). The growing operations of Griffin’s landscape nursery business, previously conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Imperial Nurseries, Inc. (“Imperial”), is reported as a discontinued operation (see below). Griffin Land is principally in the business of developing, managing and leasing industrial and commercial properties. Periodically, Griffin Land may sell certain portions of its undeveloped land that it has owned for an extended time period and the use of which is not consistent with Griffin Land’s core development and leasing strategy. Imperial was engaged in growing landscape nursery plants in containers for sale to independent retail garden centers and rewholesalers, whose main customers are landscape contractors. Imperial’s operations are reflected in the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements as a discontinued operation due to the sale, effective January 8, 2014, of its inventory and certain of its assets (the “Imperial Sale”) to Monrovia Connecticut LLC (“Monrovia”), a subsidiary of Monrovia Nursery Company (see Note 8). Concurrent with the Imperial Sale, a subsidiary of Griffin and Imperial entered into a long-term lease with Monrovia for Imperial’s Connecticut production nursery. As the growing operations of Imperial are reflected as a discontinued operation in Griffin’s unaudited consolidated financial statements, Griffin’s continuing operations presented in the accompanying financial statements solely reflect its real estate business and, therefore, industry segment information is not presented. These financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the standards of accounting measurement set forth by Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) ASC 270, “Interim Reporting” and in accordance with the accounting policies stated in Griffin’s audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2014 (“fiscal 2014”) included in Griffin’s Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 13, 2015. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements appearing in that report. All adjustments, comprising only normal recurring adjustments, which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of results for the interim periods, have been reflected and all intercompany transactions have been eliminated. The consolidated balance sheet data as of November 30, 2014 was derived from Griffin’s audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses in the reporting period. Griffin regularly evaluates estimates and assumptions related to the useful life and recoverability of long-lived assets, stock-based compensation expense, deferred income tax asset valuations, valuation of derivative instruments and the estimated costs to complete required offsite improvements to land sold. Griffin bases its estimates and assumptions on current facts, historical experience and various other factors that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and the accrual of costs and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. The actual results experienced by Griffin may differ materially and adversely from Griffin’s estimates. To the extent there are material differences between the estimates and the actual results, future results of operations will be affected. As of February 28, 2015, Griffin was a party to several interest rate swap agreements to hedge its interest rate exposures. Griffin does not use derivatives for speculative purposes. Griffin applies FASB ASC 815-10, “Derivatives and Hedging,” (“ASC 815-10”) as amended, which establishes accounting and reporting standards for derivative instruments and hedging activities. ASC 815-10 requires Griffin to recognize all derivatives as either assets or liabilities on its consolidated balance sheet and measure those instruments at fair value. The changes in the fair values of the interest rate swap agreements are measured in accordance with ASC 815-10 and reflected in the carrying values of the interest rate swap agreements on Griffin’s consolidated balance sheet. The estimated fair values are based primarily on projected future swap rates. Griffin applies cash flow hedge accounting to its interest rate swap agreements that are designated as hedges of the variability of future cash flows from floating rate liabilities based on the benchmark interest rates. The change in fair values of Griffin’s interest rate swap agreements are recorded as components of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders’ equity to the extent they are effective. Any ineffective portions of the changes in fair values of these instruments would be recorded as interest expense or interest income. The results of operations for the three months ended February 28, 2015 (the “2015 first quarter”) are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The three months ended February 28, 2014 are referred to herein as the “2014 first quarter.”
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	Recent Accounting Pronouncements In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers,” which outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry specific guidance. This standard requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. Additionally, the update requires improved disclosures to help users of financial statements better understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue that is recognized. The update permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. This update will be effective for Griffin in fiscal 2018 and early adoption is not permitted. Certain aspects of this new standard may affect revenue recognition of Griffin Land. Griffin is evaluating the impact that the application of this update will have on its consolidated financial statements.

Disclosure of accounting policy regarding (1) the principles it follows in consolidating or combining the separate financial statements, including the principles followed in determining the inclusion or exclusion of subsidiaries or other entities in the consolidated or combined financial statements and (2) its treatment of interests (for example, common stock, a partnership interest or other means of exerting influence) in other entities, for example consolidation or use of the equity or cost methods of accounting. The accounting policy may also address the accounting treatment for intercompany accounts and transactions, noncontrolling interest, and the income statement treatment in consolidation for issuances of stock by a subsidiary.

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