View source for New England Botanic Garden

{{Short description|Botanic garden in Boylston, Massachusetts}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{how-to|date=December 2024}}
{{primary sources|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox museum
| name = New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill
| logo =
| image = File:Tower Hill Botanic Garden - secret garden.jpg
| caption = Secret Garden
| map_type =
| former_name = Tower Hill Botanic Garden
| established = 1986
| location = 11 French Drive <br>[[Boylston, Massachusetts|Boylston]], [[Massachusetts|MA]]
| type = [[Botanic Garden]]
| parking = On site (no charge)
| website = {{URL|www.nebg.org}}
}}
[[File:Peace temple 1, Tower Hill Botanic Garden.JPG|thumb|Temple of Peace]]
'''New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill''' is a 200-acre four season [[botanic garden]]
located in [[Boylston, Massachusetts]], approximately {{convert|10|mi|km}} north of central
[[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]] in [[Worcester County, Massachusetts]].<ref name="plan">
[https://www.nebg.org/plan-your-visit/ NEBG.org: Plan Your Visit]</ref>
The garden features 18 distinct garden spaces, preserved woodlands, and miles of walking
trails. More than 200,000 people visit New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill each
year to explore gardens and conservatories that showcase diverse collections of native,
ornamental, tropical, rare, and edible plants.<ref>[https://www.nebg.org/about-the-gardens/ NEBG.org: About the Gardens]</ref><ref>[https://www.nebg.org/about-us/ NEBG.org: About Us]</ref>

==History==
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, formerly known as Tower Hill Botanic Garden, was
founded in 1986 on the former Tower Hill Farm by the [[Worcester County Horticultural Society]]
(WCHS), the third oldest active horticultural society in the U.S. Established in 1842, WCHS grew
to be a cornerstone institution in the central Massachusetts region. For decades, from its
downtown Worcester headquarters, the society held exhibitions that celebrated Worcester
County’s thriving agricultural community. By the 1940s, however, the large country estates that
had supported such shows began to diminish and exhibition entries declined. In response,
WCHS set out to cultivate its own permanent botanic garden for the public to enjoy.<ref>[http://www.nebg.org/history-and-mission/ THBG.org: Tower Hill Botanic Garden history & mission]</ref>

==Features==
[[File:Pond, Tower Hill Botanic Garden.JPG|thumb|Wildlife Refuge Pond]]
The Stoddard Education and Visitors Center is the hub for visitor activities at New England
Botanic Garden at Tower Hill. The complex houses the Farmer & The Fork café <ref>[https://www.nebg.org/farmer-and-the-fork/ NEBG.org: Farmer and the Fork]</ref> and Garden
Shop, as well as space for special events, art exhibitions, educational classes and workshops,
concerts, and private event rentals that include weddings and corporate events. There are views of
[[Mount Wachusett]] and the [[Wachusett Reservoir]] from the café terrace and the Reservoir Room.<ref name="plan"/>

===Gardens and grounds===
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill features a variety of themed specialty gardens and
focused plant collections. Sections include:
* '''The Ramble''' – This "whimsical" woodland garden opened in 2022. Designed for families, it includes interactive play features and is landscaped with hundreds of perennials, shrubs, trees, and a pond of seasonal aquatic plants.<ref>[https://www.nebg.org/the-ramble/ NEBG.org: The Ramble]</ref>
* '''The Court: A Garden Within Reach''' – This universally accessible garden features raised beds, living walls, and plants selected for their multisensory appeal.<ref>
[https://www.nebg.org/the-court-garden-within-reach/ NEBG.org: The Court: A Garden Within Reach]</ref>
* '''The Lawn Garden''' – A variety of different species and cultivars of trees and shrubs, along with thousands of spring bulbs and summer blooming perennials, make this garden space an attraction year-round.<ref>[https://www.nebg.org/the-lawn-garden/ NEBG.org: The Lawn Garden]</ref>
* '''Inner Park''' – This 5-acre garden space is New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill’s premier native plant garden. It offers examples of how to create naturalistic gardens with a focus on an everblooming display that has interest in all seasons.<ref>
[https://www.nebg.org/the-inner-park/ NEBG.org: The Inner Park]</ref>
* '''Vegetable Garden''' – The oldest garden at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, this space features sustainably grown heirloom vegetables and herbs planted in designs "to inspire the home gardener".<ref>[https://www.nebg.org/the-vegetable-garden/ NEBG.org: The Vegetable Garden]</ref>
* '''Orangerie and Limonaia''' – These subtropical conservatories house collections of non-hardy plants such as citrus, palms, agave, camellias, orchids, and more.<ref>
[https://www.nebg.org/the-orangerie/ NEBG.org: The Orangerie]</ref><ref>
[https://www.nebg.org/the-limonaia/ NEBG.org: The Limonaia]</ref>
* '''Frank L. Harrington Sr. Apple Orchard''' – The orchard displays the Davenport Collection of heirloom apples, 250 apple trees representing 119 pre-20th century heritage apple varieties. In 2018, New England Botanic Garden began a restoration project to replace the trees in this collection, which had reached the end of their intended lifespans and were facing increased disease pressure. Using scionwood collected from trees in the Davenport Collection, Fedco Trees in Maine helped propagate new saplings which were planted at the Garden in the spring of 2021.<ref>[https://www.nebg.org/orchard/ NEBG.org: Orchard]</ref>
* '''Field of Daffodils''' – This expansive garden space attracts visitors from around the region each spring. It features more than 25,000 daffodil bulbs that, depending on the weather, reach “peak bloom” around the third week of April.<ref>[https://www.nebg.org/the-field-of-daffodils/ NEBG.org: The Field of Daffodils]</ref>

== Today ==
[[File:Tower Hill Botanic Garden - orchard.jpg|thumb|Harrington Apple Orchard]]
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill has grown dramatically in the decades since its
establishment. Just between 2017 and 2023, the organization expanded its footprint by more
than 50 acres, increased accessibility of its spaces through a universal design entry way, added
more accessible, ADA-compliant pathways throughout formal garden spaces, and expanded
educational offerings. Roughly 15,000 adults, youth, and children attend a class or workshop at
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill each year. More than 250 people support the
Garden as volunteers.<ref>[https://www.nebg.org/accessibility-at-the-garden/ NEBG.org:  Accessibility at the Garden]</ref><ref>[https://nebg.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Press-Release_Botanic-Garden-Expansion_January-2024.pdf NEBG.org: Botanic Garden Expansion Press Release]</ref><ref>[https://nebg.org/2023/12/22/reflections-looking-back-growing-garden/ NEBG.org: Reflections: Looking Back on Our Growing Garden]</ref>
In 2022, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill became the first botanic garden in the U.S.
to be certified a Green Zone by the American Green Zone Alliance for the organization’s
commitment to sustainability and its ongoing efforts to decarbonize its horticulture operations.
<ref>[https://www.nebg.org/agza-green-zone-certification/ NEBG.org: AGZA Green Zone Certification]</ref> In 2023, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill was voted “Top Botanic
Garden in the U.S.” by TravelAwaits.<ref>[https://www.travelawaits.com/2890274/best-us-botanical-gardens/ TravelAwaits "10 Best Botanical Gardens in the U.S."]</ref>

== See also ==
* {{C|Botanical gardens in Massachusetts}}
* [[List of botanical gardens in the United States]]
* {{C|Tourist attractions in Worcester County, Massachusetts}}

==References==
{{reflist|25em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{official website|https://www.nebg.org|name=New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill website}}
*[http://caryaward.towerhillbg.org/ Cary Award website]

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[[Category:Botanical gardens in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Parks in Worcester County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Libraries in Worcester County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Worcester County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:1986 establishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1986]]
[[Category:Woodland gardens]]
[[Category:Boylston, Massachusetts]]