Massachusetts Horticultural Society - Garden at Elm Bank

Category: Garden

Address: 900 Washington St, Wellesley, MA 02482, USA

Phone: +16179334900

Opening hours

Sunday: 10AM–3:15PM

Monday: 10AM–5:30PM

Tuesday: 10AM–5:30PM

Wednesday: 10AM–5:30PM

Thursday: 10AM–5:30PM

Friday: 10AM–3:15PM

Saturday: 10AM–3:15PM

Reviews

Joe

Jul 25, 2022

My wife and I are members at Tower Hill and have seen gardens up and down the East and West Coasts. Our first visit to Elm Bank was a huge disappointment. It was unkept and the buildings and grounds were mostly derelict. James Crockett must be rolling around in his grave. It looks like they have plenty of sponsors. To be home of the Horticultural Society of Massachusetts is embarrassing and a shame. My assumption is that this has been mismanaged for a long time. Please get your act together. Massachusetts deserves better.

Michael Walters

Jun 14, 2022

The road is in need of repair but, the whole place is very nice. Great hiking out walking spot.

Wayne Chinnock

Mar 1, 2022

The Gardens at Elm Bank for Boston Wedding Photography is amazing. It is nestled in an easy to get to space in Wellesley and the grounds are simply wonderful. The building they use for indoor receptions is historic and stunning along with having a wonderful tent attached for partying, dancing and a great wedding reception. This Boston Wedding venue simply really does have it all for your perfect great Boston wedding event. And it is so easy to create stunning wedding photography in the gardens and in so many spaces on the grounds.

Emily Paisner

Oct 29, 2020

Elm Bank had everything we could have dreamed of for our Aug. 2018 wedding -- beautiful outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour locations in various gardens, so many options for taking amazing photos, air conditioned indoor reception area, and friendly, helpful staff (thanks to Kayleigh and Mary Kate). There are liquor laws and noise requirements in various MA counties, and Elm Bank allowed us the most flexibility so we could have the ceremony at 5pm and dance till 11pm. They book up a year in advance, so we chose a Friday evening, which saved us money over a weekend. They were very informative and flexible to tour from the beginning, and responsiveness picked up as we got closer to the date (I'm a project manager by trade, so I like to do everything early and have lots of questions -- a year out sometimes communication could lag, but a month or two before the event they were super quick to respond and full focus was on us!). They were very flexible whenever we needed to check on things for staging tables/chairs, lighting, music, photos, etc. and recommended vendors as well as coordinated directly with them for several requests; they even put us in touch with the other couples having Saturday and Sunday events to coordinate with their vendors for discounts (so they didn't have to take down/set up different things) -- since they had a relationship with our caterer, Tastings, who also did decor, this was clutch! They were accommodating for special requests and were very visible the day of so we could easily find them if we needed anything. In particular, they helped keep our secret reveal during the reception that I was 10 weeks pregnant! They helped conceal with sparkling cider instead of champagne for me, etc. They didn't rush us out at the end of the evening and conveniently pre-packed up decorations, gifts, etc. so there was minimal work to be done when we finally cut the music. The only snafu we had was the chair arrangement for the ceremony wasn't exactly how we requested it, which the groom noticed and helped rearrange before many guests had arrived (such a small thing though in comparison to all of the amazing things this venue has going for it). I'd definitely recommend and would love to use them again for future events!

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Questions & Answers

Is there an entrance fee at Gardens at Elm Banks, Wellesley, Mass?

Sheryl Weinstein | Aug 26, 2021
Massachusetts Horticultural Society - Garden at Elm Bank | Aug 26, 2021

Admission is $10 for adults, free for children under 12 years old. Members get in free. Learn more here: https://masshort.org/the-gardens/visit/

Are there restroom facilities at Gardens at Elm Banks in Wellesley, Mass?

Sheryl Weinstein | Aug 26, 2021
Massachusetts Horticultural Society - Garden at Elm Bank | Aug 26, 2021

Yes, there are! There are men's, women's, and a gender-neutral bathroom. They are located in the education building.

is there any truth to a statement that marigolds or dwarf marigolds will keep some wildlife away

Charles Shea | Aug 26, 2020
Massachusetts Horticultural Society - Garden at Elm Bank | Aug 26, 2021

Many people have success by planting marigolds around their gardens. Some gardeners also use fragrant plants like herbs and salvia to keep animals away.

What will kill Asiatic Garden Beetle?

patricia gallo | Aug 26, 2020
Massachusetts Horticultural Society - Garden at Elm Bank | Aug 26, 2021

There are sprays and some beneficial insects that can be used to kill Asiatic Garden Beetles. We recommend going to your local garden center to get advice on what products you can use specifically.

Are columbines officially considered a biennial? If yes, should they be sold if they have been completely deadheaded after blooming?

Heidi Hatke | Aug 27, 2018
Zee Camp | Aug 27, 2019

Hi Heidi, Columbines are considered perennial, not biennial. Thanks, Mass Hort

We cut down our lilacs to a few inches from the ground in March. They are growing back nicely but many of the bushes have enormous leaves, some measuring 10 inches across. Is this normal?

Kathleen Cronin | Aug 27, 2018
Zee Camp | Aug 27, 2018

Interesting! Most gardeners do not cut back all of their lilacs at once and certainly not before they bloom. Lilacs should be pruned every year, but gingerly. Taking out the old wood and allowing new sprouts will keep the lilacs alive forever. That having been said, we have no idea why the leaves are so large. Just enjoy them! Hopefully, new flowers will appear in the spring and after they bloom it would be ideal to prune the bushes. They probably won't have old wood on them anyway!

I’m trying to Figure out what type of tree I have in front of my house. Is there anywhere I can send a picture so someone can identify it for me? Thank you! Kim

kim l | Aug 27, 2018
Massachusetts Horticultural Society - Garden at Elm Bank | Apr 28, 2022

Hi Dixie, we do have restrooms on site. Unfortunately, bikes and dogs (except service dogs) are not allowed in the Garden. Thanks for reaching out.

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Is the regular entrance to Mass Hort open?

Patricia Houston | Aug 27, 2018
Massachusetts Horticultural Society - Garden at Elm Bank | Aug 26, 2021

Yes, our entrance is open. You can check in at the gatehouse when you arrive.

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