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. A visitor center features programs for the public. Opens May. changing is one of the top botanical gardens in Massachusetts. Bring the family or go alone; take a DIY walk, or sign up for a class. Here are more gardens in the Berkshires. Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway Boston. Catch color at the Japanese garden and dahlia display. 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. 508-888-3300. www.heritagemuseumsandgardens.org. Enjoy 20 acres under cultivation as well as the 40 acres of woodland. 508-877-3658. www.newfs.org. bicton The Path of Life Sculpture Garden (802-674-9933. Theres The Flume & Donald Marvin Daylily Garden which features LEGO dragonflies on fake lily pads, the McGraw Family Garden of the Senses with beautiful water fixtures, and the Dexter Rhodendron Garden, which is incredibly picturesque, and more. Open year round. garden england wild woods flower society plants woodland native website throw showcases redesign its help landscaping spring areas framingham stairs 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 about 0.2 miles long and is accessible. In 2020, the arboretum added a Sensory Garden devoted to plants that emphasize the five senses: sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste, the last of which includes a bed of sugar snap peas and cherry tomatoes for sampling. Former Massachusetts governor Alvan T. Fuller liked his formal English perennials and masses of roses, but he was fond of Japanese gardens too. liverpool tripadvisor botanical garden There are many grassy areas throughout where you can relax on a blanket. A garden shop sells native plants for your garden. Throughout the area, youll find a few different gardens. 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. Theres food available right at the garden, too, at the Farmer and the Fork Cafe. oadby botanic $5 adults; kids 12 and under free. Location: 67 Grove St, Sandwich, MA 02563. Any nature lover will feel right at home here. 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. The Path of Life Sculpture Garden (802-674-9933, pathoflifegarden.com) in Windsor was envisioned as a walking tour taking guests through the circle of life from birth to death and beyond as represented by 18 sculptures nestled among features like a hemlock maze and stone labyrinth. There are also occasional events held at the botanic garden throughout the year! southport gardens botanic victorian botanical tripadvisor england Amy is the founder of New England with love. 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. 15 Coziest and Best Cabins in Massachusetts. One of the best ways to get outdoors while traveling is to head to gardens to get some fresh air and enjoy the tranquility. Opens in April. Local researchers discovered new ways of creating hybrids and propagating plants during their time in the Public Garden. * Official COVID-19 guidance changes frequently. TRAVEL NOTE: Operating seasons and hoursas well as peak bloom timeswill vary by location. I love reading the interesting articles in Yankee. 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). This is a tranquil way to explore the park while also getting acquainted with your surroundings. Send comments to magazine@globe.com. Strawbery Banke Museum, 14 Hancock St., Portsmouth, N.H. 603-433-1100. www.strawberybanke.org. Open year round. f you are a hands-on gardener, youll find plenty to like at the Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge. But the perennial favorite is the gardens signature field of 25,000 daffodils, which come into bloom in late April. 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. One of the things that makes this garden very unique is that it also has many different events throughout the year. Guests can also tour inside the mansion, furnished just as it was when the 45-room English-style manor house was featured in Country Life magazine in 1910. Open year round (closed Mondays unless a holiday), $12 adults; $9 seniors; $7 kids age 6 to 18; kids under 6 free. Their flowers, plants, and trees are extraordinary. Naumkeag, 5 Prospect Hill Road, Stockbridge. 617-524-1718. www.arboretum.harvard.edu. 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. Located on 15 acres, the grounds often have farm animals roaming among the flora. Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site, 139 Saint-Gaudens Road, Cornish, N.H. 603-675-2175. www.nps.gov. The mission of Dinosaur State Parks Arboretum of Evolution (860-529-8423. If youre fascinated by butterflies, this is the garden to visit. 508-869-6111. www.towerhillbg.org. Hunnewell Arboretum, several natural habitats afford views of a dwarf conifer garden, a maple swamp, and more. Featuring three distinct gardens on campus, the Wellesley College Botanic Gardens showcase a wealth of natural beauty. Hi Douglas. Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road, Framingham. Opens in May. But just as fun is an afternoon spent wandering its 12 gardens, parkland, and hiking trails across 93 acres. New Englands largest botanical garden is a 295-acre masterpiece that offers living proof that the coast can be a great place to garden, despite the wind and salt air. Check out these 9 beautiful Massachusetts botanical gardens when you need a taste of nature at its very best. Opens Memorial Day Weekend, $5 adults; free for kids under 16. 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. There are many green spaces to sit and enjoy the citys beauty throughout the park, especially in the early morning before it gets busy. 11 Amazing Things to do in Summer in Massachusetts. One of the newest attractions: a Sensory Garden emphasizing sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch thats designed to be accessible for all. There are more than 80 pieces of topiary throughout the gardens, including animals and birds, geometric figures, and ornamental designs. is definitely one of the lesser-known Massachusetts botanical gardens, making it a bit more of a hidden gem. Some of them are located at colleges, while others are found in small towns or even in Boston. A super fun way to explore the gardens is to go on a guided tour. Right in Framingham is one of the best botanical gardens in Massachusetts, Garden in the Woods. Enjoy beauty both inside and out at New England Botanic Garden. 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. There is no admission fee, but donations are appreciated, as they allow the program towait for itgrow! Its very forested compared to other botanical gardens on this list, but thats truly part of what sets it apart! Being a gardener myself, I love to read and see the beautiful gardens of the New England area. Green Animals Topiary Garden in Portsmouth, R.I., is great for children. One of the best ways to explore the garden is by going on a self-guided tour. Last but not least is the Boston Public Garden! 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. Share your favorites in the comments below! 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. Located in Northampton, The Botanic Garden of Smith College is one of the top botanical gardens in Massachusetts. In Boothbay, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (207-633-8000, Alyssa Giacobbe is a frequent contributor to the Globe Magazine. Gives me ideas for trips! Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Fells (603-763-4789, thefells.org) in Newbury was the early 20th-century summer estate of diplomat John Milton Hay, who served as a private secretary to Abraham Lincoln and as secretary of state under Presidents William McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt. Guided public tours are available every day but Sunday. 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. $14.50 adult; $5.50 kids age 6 to 17; kids under 6 free Please note: No strollers or carriages allowed. Gardens open year round. In addition, Covid-19 concerns may affect operations this spring and beyond. These are offered throughout specific times of the year but are best experienced in the spring. 9 Best Sites for Camping in Massachusetts. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This setting should only be used on your home or work computer. Summer in New England is the perfect time to explore the many gardens we have to offer. Its located in Stockbridge and covers around fifteen acres of land but is filled with a few thousand different types of plants and flowers. $17.50 adults; $10 kids age 5-17; kids 4 and under free; $40 family rate (two adults, two kids under 17). It also contains a three-quarter acre grass painting made up of green, red, and blue grasses; a wildlife pond; and sculptures made from salvaged farm equipment, kitchen tools, and car parts. 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. Open year-round, the Polly Hill Arboretum is well worth a visit. The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum (781-259-8355, decordova.org) in Lincoln is a contemporary art museum on the former estate of Lizzie de Cordova and her husband, Julian, who in 1930 gifted the property to the town on the condition that it would become a public art museum after he died. It has frequent festivals and special events. 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. I have been getting Yankee magazine for years now even though I live in Montana. Its incredibly picturesque and will make you feel like youre in another world. The showstopper here is New Englands largest indoor public garden: 23,000 square feet of greenhouse space filled with plant life in its myriad forms, from delicate orchids to spiky cacti and soaring palms. wellesley college edu gardens $12 adults; $9 seniors; $56kids age 3 to 17; kids under age 3 free. I live in Florida now, but visit New England every summer! Located on Marthas Vineyard, the native woodland on this site is both beautiful and unique. The 39 architecturally historic structures that make up the museum, meanwhile, include barns, a lighthouse, a jail, a general store, and a steamboat. Owned by Harvard and designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the oldest public arboretum in North America is home to more than 15,000 plantsincluding some 4,000 kinds of trees, shrubs, and vinesbut may be best known for the hundreds of lilacs that seemingly perfume the entire 281 acres each spring. Check state and local regulations before traveling. They all have incredible food! Opens in May. Its truly a green sanctuary that will allow you to relax and think while being amongst beautiful nature. cambridge botanic garden university tripadvisor england The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University is the oldest public arboretum in North America. 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. While there, youll truly feel like youre in another world. 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. These events can include workshops and other classes so guests can get hands-on as they learn more about plants. 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. 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. Green Animals Topiary Garden, 380 Corys Lane, Portsmouth, R.I. www.newportmansions.org. burlington places botanical gardens royal play The Boston Public Garden was created in 1837 (the Boston Common in 1634) and features flowers, plants, monuments, fountains, the Lagoon, and the Swan Boats that have been operating for more than 100 years. Opens in April. They are great options to visit, though if you just want to relax! Location: 16 College Ln, Northampton, MA 01063. Next, if you find yourself out near Worcester, consider going to the. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Fells (603-763-4789. kew Instead, its in a suburb! 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. While in the garden, one of the best things to do is to have a picnic on the grounds. New England Wild Flower Societys Garden in the Woods will offer a Family Activity Area this year, as well as more than 100 rare and endangered species. kew gardens botanic london botanical royal garden park most england temperate united unique britannica richmond five centre states york flowers It includes an experimental attempt to test the hardiness of the giant sequoia, native to central California. . The most popular trail is the short Orchard Loop Trail. Only 21 miles from Boston, Garden in the Woods is a magical spot unlike any other botanic garden. Delight in the cutting-edge plantings, fragrant secret garden, heirloom apple trees, hardwoods, woodland folly, plant evolution display, wildlife garden (a birders paradise), and three miles of woodland trails. Located in Sandwich, the Heritage Museum & Gardens is one of the great botanical gardens in Massachusetts. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, ME. Opens in May. 7 Weekend Getaways in Massachusetts for Bay State Fun! 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. Its located in. Here are more gardens in the Berkshires. 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. 413-298-3926. www.berkshirebotanical.org. . Similar to other New England botanical gardens, its only open seasonally, so be sure to plan your trip wisely if you wish to visit it. Berkshire Botanical Garden, 5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge. island rhode newport botanical providence visitrhodeisland roger williams travel oh places center This thriving site has color year-round, thanks to its indoor gardens, antique apple orchard, and hilltop views. A proud Vermonter, she hopes to share her love of New England and help you find the best adventures in the region. Before making your travel plans, please check the latest visitors information forindividual businesses and attractions by going to their websites or contacting them directly. 617-723-8144. www.cityofboston.gov. They sell special hatching kits for butterflies, so you can learn how butterflies hatch on your own. Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 900 Washington St., Wellesley, MA 617-933-4900. www.masshort.org. kew 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. Where to look first, on a college campus designed to double as a living museum of plants from New England and around the world? Heritage Museum and Gardens, 67 Grove St., Sandwich. A white clapboard Victorian house that served as the estates original owners summer residence is also available to tour. But there are 100 acres of other attractions. botanic southport $18 adults; $8 kids age 3 to 12; kids 2 and under free. 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. Its definitely one of the most peaceful botanical gardens that youll come across in New England, mainly because its not directly in a city. Gardens include a heather bed that contains 20 varieties of heather, a rock garden where lichen-speckled rocks are shrouded by azaleas and Japanese iris, and the Perennial Border, a bed of early-to-late summer flowers like iris, delphinium, hollyhocks, and phlox set alongside a 100-foot-long stone wall built in 1926. Located right in Boston, the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University is a beautiful public park! The seaside nonprofit Fuller Gardens (603-964-5414. paths sloped shade naturalness waldgarten yankeemagazine maravillosos rhododendron gardenplanter hillside landschaftsbau engineer botanique horticulture 101gardening homegardenlandscape Because its right downtown, its often hard to enjoy the park without any other tourists or locals! This garden, in particular, has a breathtaking trail that leads right through the forest. Theres also lots of inspiration in the dahlia collection, sculpted hedges, and tropical conservatory. Location: 809 State Rd, West Tisbury, MA 02575. 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. 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. Memberships are available. $15 adults; $12 seniors and students; kids under 12 free . If youre fascinated by butterflies, this is the garden to visit. 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. This living arbor of interwoven hornbeam trees is one of the notable features at the Polly Hill Arboretum. Check the campus website or call for hours of operation, as although it is well worth a visit, they are known for closing early some days. We love Heritage Museums and Gardens! 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. Naumkeag in Stockbridge is widely considered the most iconic public garden in New England. The best time to visit is definitely in springtime, when everything is just starting to bloom! botanical diarist As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Boston Public Garden, 4 Charles St. Boston. Its also located right in the heart of the city. When not working on websites, Amy is probably reading, cuddling with her husband, son, and cats, & drinking a maple latte. Whether enjoyed inside or out, flowers and plants help breathe life and joy into our lives. From a topiary filled with animal designs, to an archway of interwoven trees, to the oldest public arboretum in North America, theres something for everyone.