In Framingham, outside of the Saxonville section of town, is Garden on the Woods, a botanical gardens place that has various landscapes among wooded portions of the property.
Getting there can be a challenge if you are not familiar with the area and miss ome or more of the small signs. From Route 9, take Route 126 north. Follow Route 126 north, passing under the Massachusetts Turnpike to a fork in the road with Concord St. Take the left, following Concord Street into Saxonville. Take a left at a traffic light onto Water Street, then a right soon afterward (don't cross the river). Follow Water Street to the junction with Potter Street. Take a left, still Water Street, and follow this road for about a quarter mile to Hemenway Road. Take Hemenway Road and follow the signs to the entrance on your left.
Once you park in the parking lot, go through the gate and to the gift shop on the right where you purchase your tickets. From there, start on the trails that will take you on a long loop through woods and open areas with planted and identified flora. Though there are often gently sloping paths to locations, some may be hard to get to if using a wheelchair or some other mobility impairment. Call ahead to find out details. One of the first stops along the way is a small demonstration area where you can see a grass roof, patio garden, and a labrinth. Next is a rhododendron garden in a small valley. Later, walk by a pond, complete with floating islands of vegetation. In another area, pass by a native meadow where there is an observation deck to look above it. In another area is a 'jail' where invasives are interned. At each place, there are plants identified by their species and other markers that described the habitat area.
Garden in the Woods is run by the non-profit organization, New England Wildflower Society. The web site has the following mission statement for the society:
"Our mission is to promote the conservation of temperate North American flora through education, research, horticulture, habitat preservation, and advocacy."
The society started in 1900 as the Society for the Protection of Native Plants. The society has developed techniques to grow wild plants, and experiments continue today. The society operates the Garden in the Woods in Framingham as a pure botanical garden, and their headquarters, and Nasami Farm in Whately, MA, as a nursery.
Hours:
April 15 - July 4: Tuesdays through Sundays and Holiday Mondays 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. with evening hours Thursday and Friday to 7 p.m.
July 5 - October 31: Tuesdays through Sundays and Holiday Mondays 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Web Site:
New England Wildflower Society:
(
visit link)