Celebrate Native Plants

Garden in the Woods, Nasami Farm, and the Garden Shops are now closed for the winter. All are scheduled to re-open in April 2021. Please check back for details 

At this time, all Native Plant Trust sanctuaries are open only to local residents to avoid overcrowding. If you live near a sanctuary and arrive to find lots of cars or a busy entrance, please seek a different place for your walk or come back later. While walking, please observe physical-distancing guidelines. Thank you for your cooperation.

You can still access our great education programs, as we’ve moved most of them online. Go to our Classes & Field Studies page for more information and to register. 

Photo: Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), ©Uli Lorimer

On Thursday, October 29, 9 a.m.–1 p.m., join us for our first virtual symposium, which unveils a new, landmark analysis of plant diversity in New England and proposes goals and strategies for conserving plant diversity in the face of development and climate change. The analysis, goals, and strategies arise from collaborative research between Native Plant Trust and The Nature Conservancy that will be published in a forthcoming report. The report's three coauthors are the featured speakers at the symposium: Michael Piantedosi, Director of Conservation at Native Plant Trust, Bill Brumback, Director of Conservation Emeritus at Native Plant Trust, and Mark Anderson, Director of Conservation Science at The Nature Conservancy, Eastern Region (see bios here). To register, click here. 

Photo: Bristle fly (Pararchytas decisus) on virgin's bower (Clematis virginiana) ©Uli Lorimer

Garden in the Woods is seeking a full-time horticulturist to help manage and carry out daily operations with ecological principles and practices. The position will involve supervision of interns and volunteers, long-term planning, plant records work, and facilities maintenance. Additional work includes educational outreach via tours, field trips, teaching classes, lectures, and publications. For the full job description and directions on how to apply, click here.

Photo: Garden in the Woods path, Uli Lorimer ©Native Plant Trust

We invite members at the Individual with Garden Access level and higher to request Winter Walking visits to Garden in the Woods from now through Friday, March 19, 2021. You may request a visit Monday through Friday (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), excluding holidays. Since many staff members are still working remotely, please email your request at least one business day in advance. Please see our More for Members page for all the details.

Photo: Heart-leaved aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium), Uli Lorimer ©Native Plant Trust

Dozens of new Fall/Winter programs are now open for registration. Browse them on the Classes & Field Studies page, or download the print catalog (PDF) at the bottom of the Learn page. Some highlights: a plant diversity virtual symposium addressing new conservation analysis and strategies (October 29), and a new online series exploring some of New England’s top university herbaria, including Harvard, Brown, and the universities of Connecticut, Maine, and Vermont. And gardeners, check out new workshops on site analysis and design, plus familiar favorites like shade gardening and gardening for pollinators. 

Photo: Field study, ©Native Plant Trust

Our staff experts are talking up native plants: Most recently, The Native Plant Podcast featured Director of Horticulture Uli Lorimer. New York Times  garden writer Margaret Roach also recently chatted with Uli about "The Late-Summer Lure of Asters and Goldenrods." And in case you missed WCVB ABC TV 5's Chronicle feature on Garden in the Woods in June, you can view it here. We have a lot more for you to browse and listen to on our Resources & Press page (click on the Press dropdown box).

Photo: Seedlings at Nasami Farm, Cayte McDonough ©Native Plant Trust