Tower Hill Botanic Garden features a four-season display of the finest plants for cultivation in New England in planned gardens and collections of ornamental, edible and native plants, plus trails that enhance the natural features of this beautiful 171-acre property. A variety of themed gardens provide interest for all. In addition, Tower Hill Botanic Garden hosts art exhbitions with horticultural themes.
The Worcester County Horticultural Society, the third oldest active horticultural society in the United States, is a non-profit educational organization formed for the purpose of advancing the science and encouraging and improving the practice of horticulture. Tower Hill’s history began in the fall of 1840. During the annual cattle show of the Worcester Agricultural Society, 24 professionals, merchants and public officials staged a fruit and flower display, which was received with rave reviews. The success of the fruit and flower show inspired the original 24 men to create the Worcester County Horticultural Society in 1842.
The continued success of the Society created a demand for a building to house offices, a library and exhibitions. In 1851, the Society’s first headquarters was built in downtown Worcester and weekly summer shows highlighted the produce and gardens of this thriving agricultural community. The crops were so robust and varied that in 1855 one exhibitor alone showed more than 200 varieties of pears! The Society continued to grow until, in 1983, the Society turned its sights toward cultivating gardens.
In 1986, the Society set its focus on creating a botanic garden at Tower Hill Farm in Boylston, setting to work with Environmental Planning and Design of Pittsburgh, PA, to produce a 50-year Master Plan for the garden, which would guide its development in the years to come.