Come, Learn, Grow with Mass Hort

Save the date for the Gardeners' Fair

May 12, 2018

Join us for a Garden Party in our Italianate Garden

Learn More

Getting ready for your summer of gardening? Join us for a horticultural course!    

Photos : Douglas Lyons

 Join Mass Hort's Bicentenary Master Plan initiative "Imagining the Future"

Tour the magnificent Manor House

Read more about the Manor House: The House of Many Stories in the Spring Issue of Wellesley-Weston Magazine

Learn more about our Master Plan initiative for Elm Bank. Click here!

The Gardens at Elm Bank

Visiting the Gardens at Elm Bank

Massachusetts Horticultural Society welcomes you to our gardens and horticultural center, located on 36-acres in the historic Elm Bank Reservation. The site includes open fields and meadows, streams and pools, wooded areas and formal gardens. Mass Hort is uniquely positioned, not only to protect these natural resources, but also to develop spaces that enhance visitors’ appreciation of the landscape and the surrounding Charles River. The grounds and gardens of Elm Bank are handicap-accessible.We offer hands-on opportunities for adults and children to experience, enjoy, and learn about plants and the environment.

The site includes various gardens, including the Bressingham Garden designed by Adrian Bloom, the historic Italianate Garden, our new Garden to Table Chef's Garden and its Food Pantry Garden, an educational New England Trial Garden, and Weezie's Garden for Children, a whimsical children’s garden designed as a series of small spiraling gardens, each with its own theme and unique way of engaging the senses. There are children’s activities Tuesday-Sunday at 10:30 am. Several plant societies and garden clubs have also installed permanent demonstration and display gardens at Elm Bank. Please check our calendar for our schedule of events, lectures, and classes that are held during the year. Additionally, we offer a unique event venue for weddings, receptions, parties, and corporate outings. Please visit our events or education section to learn more.

HOURS OF OPERATION

The Gardens at Elm Bank are open from May 1 through October 12, Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm. Closed Monday. Garden Admission: $10 for non-members, FREE for members. Free for Children under 12 when accompanied by parent/adult. Non-members are encouraged to join Massachusetts Horticultural Society to help support the maintenance of the Gardens at Elm Bank. The Gardens at Elm Bank are located on Massachusetts Horticultural Society's 36 acres on the Elm Bank Reservation at 900 Washington Street in Wellesley, MA 02482.Visitor Center Art Gallery. Click here for directions.   No dogs allowed.

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY POLICY

In order to schedule a photography session, either the client or the photographer must have a supporter membership for Massachusetts Horticultural Society. All arrangements must be made through the functions department which can be reached by telephone at 1-617-933-4921 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Read the full policy here.

GROUP TOURS

Minimum Private Group Size: 10 people; Costs: $50 for a Tour Guide (up to 25 people) plus Admission of $8 per adult. Picnic area: box lunches may be preordered. For more information, please contact 617-933-4904.

PLEASE SUPPORT MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

Funding for the society's operations comes from an endowment, proceeds from the flower show, membership, an annual fund, and grants from foundations, corporations, and government sources. We do not receive State or Federal funds to care for our property at Elm Bank. The Massachusetts Horticultural Society is governed by a board of trustees and overseers who also provide governance and support, and a dedicated team of volunteers helps carry out numerous activities.

The Massachusetts Horticultural Society is a 501 (c ) (3) non profit organization and we are able to care for our horticultural center at Elm Bank and deliver our mission because of the generosity of supporters like you. Please consider a donation today.

MEMBERSHIP

Joining the Massachusetts Horticultural Society is the perfect way to grow your gardening skills throughout the year, receive some great benefits, and support the work that we do. To learn more about membership and to join the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, please check out our membership pages.

VOLUNTEERING AT THE GARDENS AT ELM BANK
Volunteering at the Gardens at Elm Bank is a great way to learn, enjoy the beauty of the surroundings, and meet new friends. With over 8 gardens at Elm Bank, our volunteer gardeners get to experience a variety of gardens types...from the trial garden, to Weezie's children’s' garden, to the Bressingham Garden, to a chef's and food pantry vegetable gardens...to the Crocket Memorial Garden and the Italianate Garden. Work alongside our Garden Keepers, Staff, and Master Gardeners...and people just like you.
Volunteer Opportunities at The Gardens at Elm Bank

MASS HORT LIBRARY

Massachusetts Horticultural Society maintains a library that is one of the oldest horticultural resource centers in the world and is renowned for its collection of books related to early agriculture, horticulture, and landscape design.

MASTER GARDENERS AT MASS HORT

Massachusetts Master Gardeners (MMGA) provides horticultural information and education resources to the gardening public, offers technical support for horticulture projects and contributes outreach programs for community events. They hold a Master Gardener training class at Elm Bank each year. They also staff our year-round Mass Hort Help Line. See the schedule for times and dates.

AWARDS
Mass Hort has a long tradition of recognizing excellence in its various awards programs. These include the Massachusetts Horticultural Society Honorary Medals, Visiting Gardens Awards, and the annual Boston Flower & Garden Show Awards.

For more detailed information on our programs, please visit the other sections of this site, or call 617-933-4900.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Mass Hort has joined several other non-profits along Route 16 to collaborate and share resources for the betterment of the community. The group includes Mass Hort, the Bacon Free Library, Natick Historical Society, the Natick Organic Farm, Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary (Mass Audubon), and the Old Town Calendar. One of the things we all have in common is programming and we wanted to create an easy way to share our offerings with our patrons. The Charles River Community Groups has a website featuring all of our upcoming programs. Here, you can find anything coming up at any of our organizations: http://crcgroups.wordpress.com/

NEED HELP IN YOUR GARDEN?

Look to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society for all your horticultural information needs in or our world-renowned horticultural library — Mass Hort offers expertise for gardening novices and academics alike.

Gardening Advice: Mass Hort Help Line: staffed by the Massachusetts Master Gardeners (MMGA)

Call or email the experts from the Master Gardeners: Mass Hort Help Line for free gardening advice.
See the schedule for times and dates.

Thank you to the Massachusetts Master Gardener Association volunteers for Mass Hort to provide answers your gardening questions throughout the year.