The history of the Mount Desert Land & Garden Preserve began when David and Peggy Rockefeller formed the Island Foundation as a means to provide in perpetuity for the private gardens and lands they so deeply cared about. In 1970, at the request of the Town of Mount Desert, the Island Foundation incorporated in order to take on the additional management responsibilities of the Asticou Azalea Garden. In 1999, Thuya Garden and Lodge, Asticou Terraces and Asticou Landing also came under the management of the Foundation, and in 2007 its name was changed to the Mount Desert Land & Garden Preserve. Today, the Preserve manages and cares for approx. 1,683 acres of historic gardens, lands, and trails for the enjoyment of all visitors.
Both the Asticou Azalea Garden and Thuya Garden were designed and created by Charles K. Savage, a talented landscape designer and life-long resident of Northeast Harbor. In 1956, with financial support from John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Savage was able to purchase most of renowned American landscape designer Beatrix Farrand’s plant collection from her Reef Point Estate in Bar Harbor. Her collection became the backbone of both the Azalea Garden and Thuya Garden on which Savage used his vision and creativity to build the gardens we see today.
For more information visit Land & Garden Preserve.
Blithewold, an American Garden Treasure
Blithewold is a 33-acre summer estate with grand views of Narragansett Bay and is nationally significant in American history as one of the most fully developed and authentic examples of the Country Place Era. The property features a 45-room mansion filled with family heirlooms, and is framed by a series of lovely gardens that range in character from mysterious to exotic and from poetic to practical. An exceptional collection of rare and unusual plants, specimen trees, an accessible greenhouse, and whimsical stonework project a character that is romantic, fresh, and inspiring – and unique to Blithewold.
Our Mission is to preserve New England’s finest garden estate through excellence in horticulture and historic preservation, and by our example to teach and inspire others. Come and experience Blithewold today.
For more information visit Blithewold
The mission of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is to inspire meaningful connections among people, plants and nature through horticulture, education and research.
A Brief History of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
After 16 years of planning, planting, and building, the grand opening of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens was celebrated on June 13, 2007. This ambitious project began in 1991 when a group of mid-coast Maine residents founded the grassroots organization. They, and those who worked with them and came after them, shared the belief that northern New England in general, and Maine in particular, were in need of a botanical garden.
Today Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens comprises 295 acres of tidal shoreland and in 2014 welcomed more than 100,000 guests throughout the year. To ensure the organization’s infrastructure remains sound and capable of supporting future growth in visitation, a Master Planning committee comprised of staff and board members has begun working on a 20-Year Master Plan.
For more information visit Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.
The Garden’s mission is to fulfill the community’s need for information, education and inspiration concerning the art and science of gardening and the preservation of our local environment.
Established in 1934 as the “Berkshire Garden Center” and revered as one of the older public display gardens in the Northeast, Berkshire Botanical Garden is a not-for-profit, membership-supported educational organization encompassing more than 15 acres of land.
A showcase of horticulture and garden design and a “museum of living things,” Berkshire Botanical Garden features dozens of display areas that are educational, functional, and highly ornamental, with plant collections emphasizing plants that are native to the Northeast or that thrive in Zone 5b. Among the oldest in the region, the gardens have evolved and expanded over the years in breadth and variety.
Classes, workshops, lectures, exhibits and special events are offered year-round. The Garden also offers a broad variety of educational programs to school children both onsite and at local schools.Our involvement in the Roots Rising program gives disadvantaged youth real and paying work in local horticultural and agribusinesses, providing a trifecta of learning, income and career opportunity.
For more information visit Berkshire Botanical Garden.
So many of our members enjoyed being introduced to iFarm. Here's how to keep up to date with the goings-on at iFarm. Sign up for the iFarm newsletter to receive regular communications from them.
Welcome to Tower Hill Botanic Garden, the headquarters of the Worcester County Horticultural Society.
The Society was incorporated in 1842 as a non-profit educational organization for the purpose of advancing the science and encouraging and improving the practice of horticulture. As the third oldest active horticultural society in the United States, the Society offered flower shows and educational programs in downtown Worcester for more than 150 years.
In 1986, the Society purchased Tower Hill Farm in Boylston, MA, to develop as a botanic garden where the ideals of the organization could be put into practice for the community – thus Tower Hill Botanic Garden was born. With 17 distinct gardens on 171 acres, much of it preserved as woodland and open space, Tower Hill is dedicated to the cultivation and display of some of the most exquisite plants in the world.
GARDENS AND PLANTS
With 17 distinct gardens on more than 130 acres, much of it preserved as woodland and open space, Tower Hill Botanic Garden is dedicated to the cultivation and display of some of the most exquisite plants in the world.
To find out more click Tower Hill Botanic Garden
The HERB FARMacy is an organic farm located on 10 acres in Salisbury, Massachusetts near the New Hampshire border. We specialize in Certified Organic plants, with over 800 varieties of culinary, medicinal and ornamental herbs plus a unique selection of native flowering plants, old-fashioned flowers and hardy perennials to attract butterflies, birds and bees to your gardens.
In addition we offer over 80 varieties of heirloom tomato plants, exciting choices of spicy specialty peppers and an expanding assortment of organic vegetable plants and selected berry plants.
If you’re curious about our plant selections, please browse the current Plant Lists section of the site, or better yet, come visit our greenhouses to experience them for yourself! We think you’ll enjoy the scent-sations!
To find out more visit The Herb Farmacy.
Please Note:
The Andover Garden Club would like to give a very special "Thank You" to The Herb FARMacy for its very generous donation of high quality herbs and perennials for the Andover Garden Club Plant Sale held on June 2, 2018, which helped make the event such an outstanding success.
The Region's Expert on Native Plants—from the Wild to Your Backyard.
New England Wild Flower Society conserves native plants in the wild and encourages gardeners and landscape professionals to choose natives when they plant outdoor spaces, particularly plants grown from local seeds, harvested sustainably in the wild.
Our mission is to conserve and promote the region’s native plants to ensure healthy, biologically diverse landscapes.
To learn more visit Garden In The Woods.