Garden in the Woods Closed October 20–24
The Garden is closed from Monday, October 20, through Friday, October 24, so that our staff can work their magic in preparation for our members-only event, Night of Illumination. (If you are not a member, join now to enjoy this luminous fall spectacle.)
The Garden reopens for the weekend of Saturday, October 25, and Sunday, October 26. The new extended fall schedule resumes thereafter: Wednesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., through Sunday, November 23. Click here for more visitor info.
Our Garden Shops at both locations are closed until April 2026. Thanks for a great season, and look for the 2026 plant list here sometime in January.
Photo: Seed head, New York ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis)
Night of Illumination Tickets SOLD OUT
Our annual fall members-only event, Night of Illumination, is sold out. Join us next year for this magical celebration of autumn.
Become a member or renew your membership now to attend exclusive member events like this throughout the year!
Photo: Night of Illumination 2024
Cool Seasonal Events Coming Up
As we enter the skinny end of autumn, lift your spirits with one of these hands-on workshops. No experience is necessary for either—beginners welcome!
- Nature Journaling, Saturday, November 1 – Work with a variety of media while enjoying Garden in the Woods in autumn. No writing or drawing experience necessary
- Creating Colorful Arrangements with Native Evergreens, Saturday, December 6 – Explore how to create a visually pleasing arrangement with evergreens and flowers.
Photo: Autumn at Garden in the Woods
Our Herbarium Has Gone Digital
Kudos to the members of our Conservation staff and volunteers who recently finished digitizing Native Plant Trust's herbarium of nearly 6,000 specimens! This involved transcribing each specimen’s data, applying a unique barcode, cleaning and repairing specimens, and scanning these fragile preserved plants with a device developed for this purpose. Plant scientists can now view the specimens via the Consortium of Northeastern Herbaria. Thanks to our generous donors for making it possible! Next: Improving storage space and conditions for the physical specimens. To support the herbarium, click here.
Photo: Herbarium assistant Fitz Dettmer cleans a specimen for scanning
Browse Our New Classes
Probe the mysteries of predatory plants, learn why it's good to leave the leaves on the ground at this time of year, or choose from six self-paced courses and 30 classes available via Zoom.
New this season: A suite of lower-priced options starting at $10, plus an Introduction to Native Plants Package that bundles eight intro classes for only $60, total! And we're continuing our Personalized Pathways, five groupings of classes curated for particular personal interests.
Get ready for a fascinating fall—browse our full class lineup.
Photo: Purple pitcher-plant (Sarracenia purpurea) © William Cullina
Native Plant Trust in the News
A selection of recent stories—see more here:
- WBUR, "Sound designer Skooby Laposky amplifies the hidden lives of plants"
- WGBH, Uli Lorimer chats with Dave Epstein: "Native plants Q&A: New England experts share their advice"
- Boston Globe, "Ask the Gardener: Use native grasses to let the sun light up your yard"
- WGBH, The Culture Show Podcast with Uli Lorimer on fall planting
- New England Living: "Going Native"
Photo: Sound designer Skooby Laposky (R) and workshop participants explore hidden life at Garden in the Woods, Andrea Shea/WBUR photo