New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill is Growing Boldly! Please enjoy this short video about the Garden and the many ways in which we are working to make the world a better place by connecting more people with plants and nature.
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill Botanic Garden Today
Spanning 171 acres of formal gardens, woodland trails, meadows, and educational facilities, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill is establishing itself as one of the nation’s premier botanic gardens. Operating on the core values of learning, stewardship, sustainability, inclusivity, joy, and excellence, the garden strives to build a better world for people and plants.
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill’s gardens now serve as a source of inspiration for over 150,000 visitors per year. Yet, on its perch overlooking the Wachusett Reservoir, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill is much more than just a beautiful place. It is a significant collection of plants, an environment steeped in education, and a place where its rich history guides everything that is done. From its historic beginning in 1842 as the Worcester County Horticultural Society, to the innovative botanical garden of today, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill’s mission has always focused on connecting people with plants.
Boldly Relevant
Interest, concern, and awareness continue to grow about the precarious state of Earth’s ecosystems. It is estimated that as many as one million plants and animal species are no extinction due to pollution, global warming, and a general degradation of the environment.
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill bears witness to these disquieting trends and their possible consequences. It stands at the forefront of seeking to educate a wider audience about the value and beauty of plants, and their key role in the ecosystems that surround us.
Through its programs, classes and, above all, its gardens and curated natural landscape, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill seeks to explain, illuminate, and demonstrate the centrality of plant life for all people. The quality of our air, water, and food all depend on the health and vitality of the existing plant life. Whether here at the Garden or out in the community through our Worcester Tree Initiative outreach programs, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill strives every day to make a difference in people’s lives.
The Ramble
At the heart of our near-term plans is the creation of the Ramble, a bold, horticulturally rich garden designed specifically to engage children and families. Influenced by universal design principles, this 1.5 acre woodland garden will be fully accessible. Designed by internationally renowned landscape architect W. Gary Smith, the Ramble will emphasize interactive, hands-on play, and nature exploration. Project-based programming, leveraging the garden’s unique features and diverse plantings, will emphasize STEAM principles to educate and inspire children on topics such as biodiversity and biomimicry (nature-inspired building and design).
Welcoming Larger Numbers of Visitors
Visitation to New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill has increased over 80 percent in the past five years. At the core of New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill’s master plan is the desire to offer an exceptional guest experience while also making it possible to accommodate this extraordinary growth. New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill will significantly expand its parking area from 240 to 470 spaces and create a model “parking garden” in the process. The parking area will feature attractive bio-swales, planted structures that will serve to capture and filter surface water run-off, highlighting for visitors the importance of the water cycle, essential to the health of plants and the ecosystem.
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill is also redesigning its current entrance to be more representative of the gardens beyond the gate and by improving the reception area in the Stoddard Visitors Center. Beyond aesthetics, these enhancements are designed to make the guest arrival an informative and educational part of the visit, alleviate congestion, improve public safety.
Join Us
There are numerous ways for you to become a part of New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill. Join hundreds of volunteers who assist us each year. Take a class or participate in one of New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill’s year-round programs and workshops. Become a New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill member or donate to our Annual Fund. Each of these ways helps New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill to advance its mission to connect more people with the world of plants.
For more information on how to contribute, including how to learn about naming opportunities, please contact Thaddeus Thompson, Director of Institutional Advancement at tthompson@nebg.org or 508 869-6111 x111.