Right in Framingham is one of the best botanical gardens in Massachusetts. Open year round. Located on Marthas Vineyard, the native woodland on this site is both beautiful and unique. $17.50 adults; $10 kids age 5-17; kids 4 and under free; $40 family rate (two adults, two kids under 17). The garden sits adjacent to the Connecticut River, and visitors can opt to book a river tour by kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddleboard followed by a self-guided walk through the gardens. Home gardeners, take note: The trust also sells a selection of ready-to-travel natives at its two seasonal shops, here and at Nasami Farm in Whately. The Berkshires is genuinely one of the most breathtaking places to visit in Massachusetts, so the garden is also surrounded by more true beauty. Whether enjoyed inside or out, flowers and plants help breathe life and joy into our lives. Some 125 varieties of roses bloom starting in late June. Augustas Viles Arboretum (207-626-7989, vilesarboretum.org) offers free visitor access to 6 miles of trails through 150 acres of fields and 74 acres of forest featuring more than 5,000 varieties of trees and shrubs most of which are handily tagged and labeled. But the real draw is the museums 30-acre sculpture park, which typically contains up to 60 large-scale modern and contemporary works of art discoverable over lovely lawns, garden spaces, and woods. Dont miss the second-to-none childrens garden: two acres of universal fun for all ages. Because its right downtown, its often hard to enjoy the park without any other tourists or locals! It was established in 1872. There are a few different gardens there, including the butterfly and pollinator garden, the herb garden, the wildflower garden, and of course, the very picturesque fern collection. In Boylston, the Tower Hill Botanic Garden (508-869-6111, towerhillbg.org) offers guided tours of its 17 gardens over 171 acres by foot or by golf cart, including the handicap-accessible Garden Within Reach, featuring multi-sensory plantings and a vertical green wall. The mission of Dinosaur State Parks Arboretum of Evolution (860-529-8423, dinosaurstatepark.org) in Rocky Hill is to grow plants and trees from the Mesozoic Era, when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Only 21 miles from Boston, Garden in the Woods is a magical spot unlike any other botanic garden. If variety is the spice of life, it also makes for an eye-catching botanical garden at this historic summer estate just off a scenic stretch of Route 1A. Best New England Arboretums & Botanical Gardens, https://newengland.com/today/travel/new-england/best-new-england-garden-museums/, Yankee Magazines Ultimate Guide to Autumn in New England, Yankee Magazines Ultimate New England Winter Guide, Yankee Magazines Ultimate New England Summer Guide, 63 Reasons Why We Love the Cape & Islands, Best 5 Lesser-Known New England Coastal Towns to Visit This Summer, Best Blueberry Recipes | 10 Summer Berry Favorites, 7 Old-School New England Ice Cream Favorites. This garden, in particular, has a breathtaking trail that leads right through the forest. 5 W Stockbridge Rd, Stockbridge, MA 01262, is one of the top botanical gardens in Massachusetts. Highlights include extensive lilac, chestnut, and conifer collections as well as a collection of heritage apple trees. But the perennial favorite is the gardens signature field of 25,000 daffodils, which come into bloom in late April. $15 adults; $12 seniors and students; kids under 12 free . They sell special hatching kits for butterflies, so you can learn how butterflies hatch on your own. Instead, its in a suburb! Guided public tours are available every day but Sunday. Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site in Cornish, N.H., was the summer home of one of the countrys greatest sculptors, Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907). Send comments to, Black News Hour presented by The Boston Globe. These are offered throughout specific times of the year but are best experienced in the spring. Its very forested compared to other botanical gardens on this list, but thats truly part of what sets it apart! Its also the oldest garden of its kind in all of North America, making it an absolute must-visit for anyone who loves the outdoors. This is one of the most well-known botanic gardens in Massachusetts and has seventeen different gardens in it, making it incredibly unique. On Marthas Vineyard, the Polly Hill Arboretum (508-693-9426, Worth a mention for locals who somehow havent yet been, the Arnold Arboretum (. Over two hundred acres make for a vast expanse of trees, shrubs, plants and flowers, and a perfect research area for Harvard faculty and students. Sadly I have never been to your neck of the woods in person, so I depend on Yankee to show me its beauty and interesting history. Read on for locations, descriptions, and pricing of 14 New England gardens. A white clapboard Victorian house that served as the estates original owners summer residence is also available to tour. This is the most northern and oldest topiary garden in the United States, started just after 1900. At the Alexandra Botanical Garden visitors are treated to a vast array of trees and shrubs from around the world. Amy is the founder of New England with love. Enjoy beauty both inside and out at New England Botanic Garden. Check state and local regulations before traveling. The Bedrock Gardens (603-659-2993, bedrockgardens.org) in Lee may be best known for its annual Fairy & Hobbit House Festival, which features childrens story time and a beekeeper show-and-tell (along with honey to take home). Where to look first, on a college campus designed to double as a living museum of plants from New England and around the world? in West Tisbury is a breathtaking garden to visit on. Run by the New England Wild Flower Society, the Garden in the Woods is set on 45 acres and features an abundance of both rare and native plants and flowers. The gardens host art and sculpture exhibits throughout the season, as well as a program in horticultural therapy, a multisensory healing experience held in the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses, meant to let guests experience firsthand how plants and garden activities can improves their lives. The Path of Life Sculpture Garden (802-674-9933. Forests and woodland trails surround the 22-room Colonial Revival house, set along Lake Sunapee in the shadow of the White Mountains, and are conserved and maintained under a preservation easement with the state of New Hampshire. The seaside nonprofit Fuller Gardens (603-964-5414, fullergardens.org) in North Hampton take pride in being one of the last working formal estate gardens of the early 20th century, with formal rose gardens designed in the Colonial Revival style and commissioned during the late 1920s by Massachusetts Governor Alvan T. Fuller, who summered here. The herbarium includes dried, pressed plant specimens from as far back as the 1840s and serves as a sort of living lab for students in the CMBGs native plants and ecological horticulture and botanical arts continuing education programs. It lasts about 90 minutes and includes seasonal highlights with a tour guide who knows almost everything there is to know about plants and the garden. Stay up to date with everything Boston. Plan to spend an afternoon in mild weather. A super fun way to explore the gardens is to go on a guided tour. Plus, since its located on Cape Cod, theres so much to do right in the area where the gardens are located. The seaside nonprofit Fuller Gardens (603-964-5414. Some of them are located at colleges, while others are found in small towns or even in Boston. These events can include workshops and other classes so guests can get hands-on as they learn more about plants. Located just outside of downtown Boston on the former grounds of the Boston State Hospital, the Boston Nature Center (BNC) is a community-based urb the Best Things-To-Do and Places To Go around you. Theres food available right at the garden, too, at the Farmer and the Fork Cafe. While many are open year-round, some are seasonal, so check websites before planning your trip. Read more here: https://newengland.com/today/travel/new-england/best-new-england-garden-museums/, Great ideas of where to go this spring summer and fall. It leads guests right along the hosta, herb, and butterfly gardens. After a winter that was certainly more housebound than usual for most of us, spring feels especially welcome this year an ideal time to get reacquainted with the outdoors in all its forms. 7 Weekend Getaways in Massachusetts for Bay State Fun! Former Massachusetts governor Alvan T. Fuller liked his formal English perennials and masses of roses, but he was fond of Japanese gardens too. Strawbery Banke Museum, 14 Hancock St., Portsmouth, N.H. 603-433-1100. www.strawberybanke.org. Overlooking Narragansett Bay, its a family favorite for its 7 acres featuring 80 trees and shrubs shaped like animals, birds, and geometric figures from varieties that include English boxwood, yew, and California privet, as well as for its picturesque, and fully functional, vegetable garden. Watch the pigs, sheep, goats, chicken Our MissionTo protect the nature of Massachusetts for people and for wildlifeOur VisionA Massachusetts in which nature whether found in a city park VISIONNew England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill envisions a world where people and plants thrive.MISSIONNew England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill cre Broad Meadow Brook in Worcester is the largest urban wildlife sanctuary in New England, with more than 400 acres cooperatively managed or owned by Moose Hill is Mass Audubon's oldest sanctuary and one of the largest with nearly 2,000 acres. Local researchers discovered new ways of creating hybrids and propagating plants during their time in the Public Garden. Significance
The most unique botanical garden in MA that you can visit is The Butterfly Place! If youre fascinated by butterflies, this is the garden to visit. Berkshire Botanical Garden, 5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge. On Marthas Vineyard, the Polly Hill Arboretum (508-693-9426, pollyhillarboretum.org) in West Tisbury was started from a single seed by the legendary horticulturist Polly Hill, who cultivated 20 acres while preserving 40 additional acres as native woodland. Free. Location: 809 State Rd, West Tisbury, MA 02575. $5 adults; kids 12 and under free. Memberships are available. In the past, theyve even hosted Bulb Shows with landscape curators, which can be a super unique way to learn more about plants and how they connect with problems in our world. Featuring three distinct gardens on campus, the Wellesley College Botanic Gardens showcase a wealth of natural beauty. There are also occasional events held at the botanic garden throughout the year! GET BACK TO NATURE WITH THESE STORIES: Getting outside | Birding | Fly-fishing | Cape Walks. Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 900 Washington St., Wellesley, MA 617-933-4900. www.masshort.org. The Butterfly Place also has a great gift shop that youll want to be sure to visit while youre there. Located in Northampton, The Botanic Garden of Smith College is one of the top botanical gardens in Massachusetts. Run by Black journalists at The Boston Globe, Black News Hour, a new radio program, delivers reliable news that connects with our community and expands on deeper issues impacting our city. . Its in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood and is a welcome break from the city of Boston. As the name suggests, this is a butterfly botanical garden located indoors. The late Polly Hill grew thousands of woody plants from seeds and kept meticulous records for half a lifetime on 20 acres of this former farm, creating an arboretum in the process. It has frequent festivals and special events. These eight New England arboretums and botanical gardens offer the perfect nature escape. The Public Garden in Boston was the first public botanical garden in the country, and is still one of the most popular. 508-869-6111. www.towerhillbg.org. The 39 architecturally historic structures that make up the museum, meanwhile, include barns, a lighthouse, a jail, a general store, and a steamboat. New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, Boylston, MA, Berkshire Botanical Garden, Stockbridge, MA, Wellesley College Botanic Gardens, Wellesley, MA, The Botanic Garden of Smith College, Northampton, MA, The Polly Hill Arboretum, West Tisbury, MA, The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Boston, MA, Massachusetts Botanical Gardens and Nature Centers, Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon, The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Boston Nature Center And Wildlife Sanctuary. You missed Bedrock Gardens in Lee, NH http://www.finegarden.com. Whats great about this garden is that even though its located at the college, its completely open to the public to stop by and check it out. 9 Best Sites for Camping in Massachusetts. Its located in. The Margaret C. Ferguson Greenhouses features some unusual plant life from places including Africa, Mexico, and Malaysian and Brazilian rain forests. Location: 16 College Ln, Northampton, MA 01063. This living arbor of interwoven hornbeam trees is one of the notable features at the Polly Hill Arboretum. Being a gardener myself, I love to read and see the beautiful gardens of the New England area. Location: 67 Grove St, Sandwich, MA 02563. Green Animals Topiary Garden, 380 Corys Lane, Portsmouth, R.I. www.newportmansions.org. A 5-mile trail network (groomed in the winter for dogsledding and snowshoeing) presents an opportunity for quiet reflection and contemplation in spring and summer when wildflowers abound. Open year-round, the Polly Hill Arboretum is well worth a visit. Free, but donations are appreciated. Check out some of the family activities planned at the Arnold Arboretum this year. In Shelburne, the Shelburne Museums 20 lavish gardens feature lilacs, peonies (more than 700 in 25 varieties), daylilies, and an heirloom vegetable garden, as well as flowering fruit trees, all of which sprout among decorative garden ornamentation (802-985-3346. Follow Boston.com on Instagram (Opens in a New Tab), Follow Boston.com on Twitter (Opens in a New Tab), Like Boston.com on Facebook (Opens in a New Tab), 'I just stopped flying its not worth getting my chair broken', New England has one of the most beautiful wedding venues in America, according to Architectural Digest, 62 Massachusetts beaches you need to visit at least once. Opens in May. In addition, Covid-19 concerns may affect operations this spring and beyond. There are more than one hundred acres to explore, and there are also museums located right on-site if you also want to learn a bit while visiting. Hi Douglas. This thriving site has color year-round, thanks to its indoor gardens, antique apple orchard, and hilltop views. Luckily, there are so many beautiful botanical gardens in Massachusetts to do just that! Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Fells (603-763-4789. I cant wait. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This setting should only be used on your home or work computer. Its located in Westford and is particularly popular among families visiting the area. These include more than 250 varieties of species such as cedar of Lebanon (part of the parks extensive cedar collection), Persian ironwood, and Oriental sweet gum. Keep an eye on their online calendar on their website to see if any events are coming up to plan your trip around it. From Nov. 25 through Jan. 8, their Winter Reimagined program warms up even the chilliest of souls. Here are more gardens in the Berkshires. The Orangerie hosts winter displays. Right in Framingham is one of the best botanical gardens in Massachusetts, Garden in the Woods. Green Animals Topiary Garden in Portsmouth, R.I., is great for children. When not working on websites, Amy is probably reading, cuddling with her husband, son, and cats, & drinking a maple latte. I love reading the interesting articles in Yankee. $12 adults; $9 seniors; $56kids age 3 to 17; kids under age 3 free. The Acton Arboretum is definitely one of the lesser-known Massachusetts botanical gardens, making it a bit more of a hidden gem. Here are more gardens in the Berkshires. Open year round (closed Mondays unless a holiday), $12 adults; $9 seniors; $7 kids age 6 to 18; kids under 6 free. Location: 120 Tyngsboro Rd, Westford, MA 01886. There are usually different ones throughout the year and often include art pieces to illustrate whatever the topic is. Its truly a green sanctuary that will allow you to relax and think while being amongst beautiful nature. Located on the campus of Smith College, the Botanic Garden of Smith College includes a conservatory and greenhouses, affording visitors up close and personal views of native New England trees, shrubs, herbs and flowers. ! Swan boat rides: $3 adults; $2 seniors; $1.50 kids age 2 to 15. Its also located right in the heart of the city. f you are a hands-on gardener, youll find plenty to like at the Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge. The Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury is a breathtaking garden to visit on Marthas Vineyard. Located on 36 acres in the historic Elm Bank Reservation is the Massachusetts Horticultural Societys several gardens including Weezies Garden, The Bressingham Garden, The Italianate Garden, and more. Gardens open year round. Located right in Boston, the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University is a beautiful public park! Send comments to magazine@globe.com. The arboretums plant sale lets guests take home trees, shrubs, and perennials especially picked to suit the island and Northeast climate. 11 Amazing Things to do in Summer in Massachusetts. If youre in the area, be sure to explore the Berkshires and the garden itself. Catch color at the Japanese garden and dahlia display. Open year round. In neighboring Portsmouth, visit the Green Animals Topiary Garden (401-683-1267, newportmansions.org/explore), the oldest topiary garden in the United States. Open year round. Its definitely one of the most peaceful botanical gardens that youll come across in New England, mainly because its not directly in a city. In Stamford, the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens (203-322-6971. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Location: 180 Hemenway Rd, Framingham, MA 01701. They are great options to visit, though if you just want to relax! Heres a guide to some gardens, arboretums, and other curated outdoor spaces of note in all six New England states. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, ME. he Botanic Garden at Smith College has thousands of plants, including those grown under glass in the Lyman Conservatory and outdoors in the campus arboretum. Whats so great about the Acton Arboretum is that its completely free to visit, and its open between sunrise and sunset, so hours are a bit longer in the summer. No matter where in the state youre visiting, youll find a great botanical garden nearby. Below are all of the best botanical gardens in Massachusetts! Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive Boylston. This spring, Tower Hill will debut more colorful planting beds throughout, including an expanded succulent collection, as well as new flowers along their trail system to encourage meandering for hours. A seasonal special eventGardens Aglow: A Treasured Holiday Traditiontakes place in the lighted gardens from Nov. 25 to Dec. 18, and has become a favorite holiday tradition for many locals. Rare and unusual specimens in the East Asian Garden include yellow-groove bamboo and a weeping katsura. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. There are more than 80 pieces of topiary throughout the gardens, including animals and birds, geometric figures, and ornamental designs. Far more than just parks, these are curated collections of trees and plants from around the world, offering an exotic-feeling trip to somewhere else, all within driving distance. At Blithewold Mansion (401-253-2707, blithewold.org) in Bristol, the gardens and arboretum were designed by Rhode Island-born landscape architect John DeWolf, whose original notes outlining his vision of rolling lawns with wide borders of trees and flowers and several separate and distinct garden areas, are here on display. In Boylston, the Tower Hill Botanic Garden (508-869-6111. Located in Sandwich, the Heritage Museum & Gardens is one of the great botanical gardens in Massachusetts. The significance of the Case Estates Area to Weston, and the region, derives principally from the horticultural activities of Marian At Drumlin Farm, you can experience life on a working farm and explore a wildlife sanctuary at the same time. A pond, a bog, a brook and a few springs afford even more plant growth. Alyssa Giacobbe is a frequent contributor to the Globe Magazine. $14.50 adult; $5.50 kids age 6 to 17; kids under 6 free Please note: No strollers or carriages allowed. Theres also top-notch birding, and the arboretum counts the elusive warbler as among its many feathered residents. Naumkeag in Stockbridge is widely considered the most iconic public garden in New England. A proud Vermonter, she hopes to share her love of New England and help you find the best adventures in the region. Shouldnt Heritage Museums & Gardens in Sandwich, Mass. In Stamford, the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens (203-322-6971, bartlettarboretum.org), open year round, puts an emphasis on education with hyper-specialized tours of pollinator plants and trees, for example, or one aimed at teaching guests about the effects of weather and erosion as well as classes that include plant identification, professional landscaping, and master gardening. Around the Boston Public Garden, you can also find lots of local food trucks if you get hungry. Plants from around the world, like the monkey puzzle tree, set among stone walls, meadows, and fields, keep a primary focus on the floras of Marthas Vineyard (including Hills famous North Tisbury azaleas), the Atlantic coastal plain, and eastern Asia. is one of the top botanical gardens in Massachusetts. The headquarters for Native Plant Trust (formerly the New England Wild Flower Society) is a 45-acre property that holds the Northeasts largest landscaped collection of native wildflowers and woody plants. $15 adults; Kids 12 and under free. Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road, Framingham. Bring the family or go alone; take a DIY walk, or sign up for a class. Open year round. If you live near the area, be sure to visit a few times throughout the year because visiting in spring is entirely different from visiting during summer or fall. Summer in New England is the perfect time to explore the many gardens we have to offer. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. Named for tree expert Francis A. Bartlett, who once made his home and research lab here, this 93-acre Eden does have a wonderful collection of trees (dwarf conifers are a standout), but oh so much more. A visitor center features programs for the public. Staffers harness a truly rugged environment and demonstrate what can be done with ledge, hillside, woodland, and waterfront. While there, youll truly feel like youre in another world. There are 60,000 pressed specimens available for research in the herbarium. $11 adult; $10 seniors; $3 kids age 6 to 17. Blithewold Mansion, 101 Ferry Road Bristol, R.I. 401-253-2707. www.blithwold.org. Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston is only an hours drive west of Boston. Theres also lots of inspiration in the dahlia collection, sculpted hedges, and tropical conservatory. Linden Ponds in Hingham has a beautiful arboretum! Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site, 139 Saint-Gaudens Road, Cornish, N.H. 603-675-2175. www.nps.gov. In Boothbay, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (207-633-8000, Alyssa Giacobbe is a frequent contributor to the Globe Magazine. One of the things that makes this garden very unique is that it also has many different events throughout the year. 508-888-3300. www.heritagemuseumsandgardens.org. One of the best ways to get outdoors while traveling is to head to gardens to get some fresh air and enjoy the tranquility. Free, donations are accepted. But just as fun is an afternoon spent wandering its 12 gardens, parkland, and hiking trails across 93 acres. The best time to visit is definitely in springtime, when everything is just starting to bloom! The gardens include the largest collection of Dexter Rhododendrons in the world, as well as the North American Hydrangea Test Garden, with the greatest collection of hydrangeas on display on the entire East Coast. Next, if you find yourself out near Worcester, consider going to the. Its incredibly picturesque and will make you feel like youre in another world. 413-298-3239. www.thetrustees.org. At H.H. The property is especially well known for its exotic trees many from Europe, China, and Japan and other hard to find plants.