MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK:MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY (MHS) IS LOCATED ON 36 ACRES IN THE HISTORIC ELM BANK RESERVATION. ELM BANK IS ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES FOR ITS MANOR HOUSE, DESIGNED BY CARRERE AND HASTINGS, THE ARCHITECTS WHO DESIGNED THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY; ITS ORIGINAL OWNER, BENJAMIN CHENEY, ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF AMERICAN EXPRESS; AND THE LANDSCAPES CREATED BY THE OLMSTED BROTHERS FIRM IN THE EARLY 1900S.WITH 20 ACRES UNDER CULTIVATION, THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK OFFERS ADULTS AND CHILDREN FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE, ENJOY AND LEARN ABOUT PLANTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THERE ARE A WIDE VARIETY OF DISTINCT GARDEN AREAS INCLUDING THE HISTORIC ITALIANATE GARDEN DESIGNED BY THE OLMSTED BROTHERS, THE NEW ENGLAND TRIAL GARDEN THAT TESTS PLANT VARIETIES FOR HARDINESS IN OUR ZONE, THE WHIMSICAL WEEZIE'S GARDEN FOR CHILDREN, AND BRESSINGHAM GARDEN, WHICH DEMONSTRATES PERENNIAL PLANTS FOR THE NEW ENGLAND GARDEN, DESIGNED BY ADRIAN BLOOM.MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY IS OPEN YEAR-ROUND FOR CLASSES, WORKSHOPS AND SYMPOSIA HELD IN THE EDUCATION BUILDING, THE HUNNEWELL CARRIAGE HOUSE, AND THE PUTNAM BUILDING WITH WET LAB. THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK IS OPEN FOR GARDEN VISITORS, APRIL THROUGH DECEMBER, 5-7 DAYS A WEEK, FROM 10 A.M. TO 7 P. M. MEMBERS ENTER WITHOUT CHARGE AND OTHER GUESTS PAY ADMISSION.THE GARDEN FUNCTIONS AS THE PROGRAMMATIC FOUNDATION FOR ALL OTHER PROGRAMS OF MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. IN SEEKING TO HELP PEOPLE LIVE BETTER, HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER LIVES IN COMMUNITY, WE BOTH MODEL THIS IN THE GARDEN OURSELVES AND PROVIDE THE PRACTICAL CLASSROOM FOR THESE ACTIVITIES. OUR PROGRAMS ARE ACTIVATED BOTH THROUGH THE BEAUTIFUL 'COMPLETED' GARDEN AREAS, AND THROUGH THE ONGOING AND OFTEN LESS BEAUTIFUL PROCESS OF GARDEN DEVELOPMENT. NOTABLY, MHS IS CURRENTLY UNDERTAKING A LONG-TERM RESTORATION OF THE HISTORIC OLMSTED BROS DESIGNED TEMPLE GARDEN AREA.GARDEN EVENTS:THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK PROVIDES AN EVENT VENUE THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE BEAUTIFUL GARDENS AND HORTICULTURAL WONDERS OF THE UNIQUE SETTING. WITH A FOCUS ON THE OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE OF THE GARDEN, MHS SEEKS TO PROMOTE THE ROLE OF HORTICULTURE IN CREATING AND ENHANCING LIFE'S MOST IMPORTANT MEMORIES. OVER 25,000 GUESTS ARE INTRODUCED TO THE GARDENS IN THIS WAY.HORTICULTURAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL EDUCATION:ADULT EDUCATION: ADULT EDUCATION INCLUDES A COMPREHENSIVE CATALOG OF HORTICULTURAL, GARDENING AND ENVIRONMENTAL LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS TO EDUCATE ADULTS, SUCH AS YEAR-ROUND CLASSES IN HORTICULTURE, LANDSCAPE DESIGN, AND BOTANY TO NAME A FEW, FOR THE NOVICE TO EXPERT PRACTITIONER. A PROGRAM OF GARDEN TOURS BOTH IN MHS GARDENS AND OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE GARDENS IS HOSTED AND EXTENSIVE VOLUNTEER GARDENING TRAINING IS DELIVERED. IN SPRING 2023, MHS TOOK OVER LEADERSHIP OF THE FORMER WELLESLEY COLLEGE BOTANIC GARDEN CERTIFICATE IN BOTANICAL ILLUSTRATION AND THIS FORMS A LARGE AND GROWING COMPONENT OF ACCREDITED EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS RECOGNIZED AT A NATIONAL LEVEL.YOUTH EDUCATION: MHS'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH FOCUS ON THE SCIENCE OF GROWING PLANTS, HEALTHY NUTRITION, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THE PLANTMOBILE IS A TRAVELING PLANT SCIENCE WORKSHOP THAT PROVIDES EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN IN GRADES K-8. A MEMBER OF MHS EDUCATIONAL STAFF WILL COME TO YOUR CLASSROOM TO PRESENT EACH PROGRAM. OUR EMPHASIS IS ON HANDS-ON INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP ACTIVITIES. OUR PROGRAM IS BASED ON THE MASSACHUSETTS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FRAMEWORKS, STEM. EACH WORKSHOP IS DESIGNED TO DELIVER A POSITIVE AND UNIQUE LEARNING EXPERIENCE TO STUDENTS. ADDITIONALLY, PROGRAMMING FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AT MHS TAKES PLACE DURING THE SEASON IN WEEZIE'S GARDEN FOR CHILDREN.LIBRARY:MHS'S HORTICULTURAL LIBRARY IS THE OLDEST HORTICULTURAL LIBRARY IN THE COUNTRY AND IS RENOWNED FOR ITS COLLECTION OF BOOKS RELATED TO EARLY AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN. THE CIRCULATING LIBRARY IS COMPRISED OF OVER 20,000 BOOKS AND 5,000 RARE BOOKS AND A MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION STORED OFFSITE.MHS HAS AN ONGOING PROGRAM OF DIGITIZATION, INCLUDING ITS COLLECTION OF EDWIN HALE LINCOLN PLANT PHOTOGRAPHY PLATES, MAKING THEM AVAILABLE ONLINE TO STUDENTS, SCHOLARS, WRITERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. VISITING THE DIGITAL COMMONWEALTH SITE, ONE CAN FIND THE LINCOLN COLLECTION, AS WELL AS OUR COLLECTION OF BOTANICAL PRINTS DATING FROM 1620 TO 1969. UPDATING CATALOGS AND SEARCH TOOLS ARE A PRIMARY FOCUS OF OUR WORK AS WE SEEK TO MAKE THE COLLECTION ACCESSIBLE TO SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS GLOBALLY.MEMBERSHIP:MEMBERSHIP IN MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY PROVIDES ACCESS TO INFORMATION, LEARNING AND HORTICULTURAL EXPERIENCES, WHILE SUPPORTING AMERICA'S OLDEST HORTICULTURAL INSTITUTION. MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS INCLUDE FREE ADMISSION TO THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK, AS WELL AS A MONTHLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER, THE LEAFLET, BORROWING PRIVILEGES AT OUR CIRCULATING LIBRARY, DISCOUNTS TO OUR HORTICULTURAL LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS, NURSERY CERTIFICATES, FREE/DISCOUNTED ADMISSION TO GARDENS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY RECIPROCAL PROGRAM, AND DISCOUNTS AT OVER SEVENTY OF OUR GREEN PARTNER NURSERIES.HONORARY MEDALS HORTICULTURAL AWARDS:AT THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY, MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY BEGAN THE PRACTICE OF CONFERRING HONORARY MEDALS ON THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONS IT REGARDED AS IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTORS TO THE ART AND SCIENCE OF HORTICULTURE. THIS 120-YEAR-OLD TRADITION HONORS EXCELLENCE IN HORTICULTURE. OVER TEN AWARDEES RECEIVED VARIOUS MEDALS: GEORGE ROBERT WHITE MEDAL OF HONOR, JACKSON DAWSON MEMORIAL AWARD, THOMAS ROLAND MEDAL, AND GOLD AND SILVER MEDALS. THE KEYNOTE LECTURE IN 2023 WAS BY THE THOMAS ROLAND MEDAL HONOREE TONY KIRKHAM, MBE, VMH, FORMERLY OF KEW GARDENS, LONDON, UK.FESTIVAL OF TREES:MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S FESTIVAL OF TREES IS NOT ONLY AN IMPORTANT FUNDRAISER, IT IS THE MOST FESTIVE OCCASION AT THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK. STARTING THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING, WE DISPLAY OVER 60 BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED TREES, WHICH ARE RAFFLED OFF AT THE END OF THE FESTIVAL. DURING THE FESTIVAL, VISITORS PURCHASE TICKETS FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THE TREE(S) OF THEIR CHOICE. IT'S FUN, AND FOR MANY IT HAS BECOME A FAMILY TRADITION. WHILE THE BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED TREES ARE THE CENTERPIECE OF THE EVENT, THE FESTIVAL OF TREES ALSO INCLUDES GARDEN LIGHTS, THE SNOW VILLAGE MODEL RAILROAD DISPLAY, AND A FIRE PIT WITH S'MORES. OVER 14,500 GUESTS VISIT THE FESTIVAL ANNUALLY.