The Massachusetts Horticultural Society , sometimes abbreviated to Mass Hort or MHS , is an American horticultural society based in Massachusetts . [1] It describes itself as the oldest formally organized horticultural institution in the United States . As of 2014, it had some 5,000 members.
31-561: The Gardens at Elm Bank , home of Massachusetts Horticultural Society , occupies 36 acres (15 ha) of Elm Bank Reservation , a 175-acre (71 ha) recreational area of woodlands, fields, and former estate property on the Charles River managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation . The estate's entrance is located at 900 Washington Street ( Route 16 ), Wellesley, Massachusetts , United States , with
62-429: A former business he owned, the trustees began a detailed review of the books which revealed the organization to be "essentially broke and facing a stack of bills with no way to pay them." Feige resigned after the trustees presented the facts, but it was apparent that problems were building over a number of years due to overspending. In 2002 the society sold $ 5.25 million of rare books and prints to raise cash, at which time
93-657: A garden in 2004. Massachusetts Horticultural Society The society was established in 1829 in Boston as the Boston Horticultural Society , and promptly began weekly exhibits (in Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market ) of locally grown fruit and later vegetables, teaching the newest horticultural techniques and breeds, including the local Concord grape in 1853. It continued this tradition from 1871 through 2008 with its annual New England Spring Flower Show . In 1831
124-472: A higher persistence of soil seed banks . These differences in life history strategies profoundly affect ecosystem functioning and services. For instance, annuals, by allocating less resources belowground, play a more minor role in reducing erosion, storing organic carbon, and achieving lower nutrient- and water-use efficiencies than perennials. The distinctions between annual and perennial plants are notably evident in agricultural contexts. Despite constituting
155-676: A minor part of global biomass, annual species stand out as the primary food source for humankind, likely owing to their greater allocation of resources to seed production, thereby enhancing agricultural productivity. In the Anthropocene epoch, marked by human impact on the environment, there has been a substantial increase in the global cover of annuals. This shift is primarily attributed to the conversion of natural systems, often dominated by perennials, into annual cropland. Currently, annual plants cover approximately 70% of croplands and contribute to around 80% of worldwide food consumption. In 2008, it
186-545: A multi-year design and planning effort working with a world renown botanical and garden landscape architect from the Netherlands, Pieter van Loon, President of Eurolandscapes in Morekapella, The Netherlands. John Peterson and Pieter van Loon collaboratively develop a site Master Plan for The Elm Bank Horticulture Center gardens and facilities. This Master Plan and vision for the future facility components, established and solidified
217-575: A new vegetable garden was designed to support the Garden to Table program. By 2013, this vegetable garden was producing over 4000 pounds of produce that was donated to two food pantries. The Welcome Garden near the parking lot entrance was added in 2012, designed by Paul Miskovsky. Improvements to the Italianate Garden included the restoration of the fountain, a central element to the garden. Since 2011, over $ 250,000 in capital investments have been made to
248-569: A summer camp in the 1960s and 1970s. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts purchased the property in the mid 1970s. It then served as the home of the Quinobin Regional Technical School. In 1996, an effort was successfully undertaken by Dr. John C. Peterson, President of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society to secure a new educational and garden site for Mass Hort in the suburbs of Boston, a long time dream of
279-601: A unique scenario unfolds: when annuals establish dominance, perennials do not necessarily supplant them. This peculiarity is attributed to alternative stable states in the system—both annual dominance and perennial states prove stable, with the ultimate system state dependent on the initial conditions. Annual plants commonly exhibit a higher growth rate, allocate more resources to seeds, and allocate fewer resources to roots than perennials. In contrast to perennials, which feature long-lived plants and short-lived seeds, annual plants compensate for their lower longevity by maintaining
310-444: Is higher than seedling (or seed) mortality, i.e., annuals will dominate environments with disturbances or high temporal variability, reducing adult survival. This hypothesis finds support in observations of increased prevalence of annuals in regions with hot-dry summers, with elevated adult mortality and high seed persistence. Furthermore, the evolution of the annual life cycle under hot-dry summer in different families makes it one of
341-732: The 1926 Italianate Garden was based on the original plans from the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site , together with a numbered plant list - and even receipts - for the original trees and flowers planted in the garden. The Noanett Garden Club, the New England Chapter of the Herb Society of America , and the American Rhododendron Society maintain collaborative demonstration and display gardens at Elm Bank. The Day Lily Society installed
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#1732851441592372-643: The Boston Flower & Garden Show, produced by the Paragon Group, Inc., a privately-held events marketing group. That show took place in March 2010 at the Seaport World Trade Center. MassHort took responsibility for two floral design competitions, amateur horticulture competition, Ikebana displays, plant society displays and one day of lectures. In its May 2010 newsletter, 'The Leaflet', MassHort described
403-822: The MDC, Department of Environmental Management, the Secretary of the Environment and the Governors office to propose legislation that would shortly thereafter be enacted into law by the State Legislature to authorize a land lease of 36 acres of the Elm Bank Reservation / formally the Cheney Estate to The Massachusetts Horticultural Society for a term of 100 years. The Horticultural Society, under Peterson's direction, then undertook
434-841: The Mass Hort Society site as a garden and educational program site based facility for the first time in its 125+ year history. Next, significant fund raising efforts were launched and donations and grants were secured, under the direction of Peterson and Chief Fundraising Officer, Kathleen Sharkey, that enabled the Mass Hort organization to commence with significant site development and improvement projects. Historic gardens and building renovations were completed, educational gardens and plant growing facilities were constructed, and educational and operational building facilities were developed to accommodate Master Gardener training programs, as well as educational programs and events for Society members as well as
465-556: The Massachusetts Attorney General strongly advised the society to educate its trustees on sound financial practices. In order to conserve cash the society decided to not hold the New England Spring Flower Show in 2009 for the first time since 1871, opting instead for a truncated event in downtown Boston called 'Blooms". In September 2009, MassHort announced that it would incorporate "Blooms" as part of
496-603: The Massachusetts Horticulture Society as a key site and leading entity that provided educational and information and training programs to plant enthusiasts throughout Massachusetts and the New England Region. The new gardens, office, educational program, event and meeting space solidified the Massachusetts Horticulture Society as a year-round powerhouse in the public horticulture, display, demonstration and educational and horticultural information centers in
527-415: The New England Region. As the overall site and individual garden spaces matured and grew in significance, the society began to charge non-member visitors an entrance fee in 2010,. The gardens' maintenance is supported through entrance fees, special events, and private usages such as garden weddings. The distinct gardens featured at Elm Bank include: A series of small spiraling gardens, each giving visitors
558-540: The Weezie's Children's Garden, an Italianate Garden, a floral and vegetable trial garden run as part of the All-American Selections group, and specialty gardens built around rhododendron, daylilies, herbs and native plants. In 2008 the society found itself in financial difficulty. Following revelation that then-new executive director Bob Feige had spent three days in jail the year before for failing to pay employees at
589-469: The architectural firm of Carrère and Hastings to design a Neo-Georgian manor house. They also commissioned the Olmsted Brothers firm, the most prominent landscape designers of the era, for the estate's site planning and to design new gardens and improve existing ones. In the 1940s, the property became a seminary housing a group of Stigmatine Fathers , who constructed a school building and ran
620-483: The best examples of convergent evolution . Additionally, annual prevalence is also positively affected by year-to-year variability. Globally, the prevalence of annual plants shows an upward trend with an increasing human footprint. Moreover, domestic grazing has been identified as contributing to the heightened abundance of annuals in grasslands. Disturbances linked to activities like grazing and agriculture, particularly following European settlement, have facilitated
651-493: The entire angiosperm phylogeny. Traditionally, there has been a prevailing assumption that annuals have evolved from perennial ancestors. However, recent research challenges this notion, revealing instances where perennials have evolved from annual ancestors. Intriguingly, models propose that transition rates from an annual to a perennial life cycle are twice as fast as the reverse transition. The life-history theory posits that annual plants are favored when adult mortality
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#1732851441592682-471: The general public. The Society, under the direction of its President, Dr. John C. Peterson, cultivated and solidified collaborations with a wide range of Plant Societies, Garden Clubs and commercial horticulture firms to expand upon the scope and character of the Elm Bank Horticulture Center features, gardens, programs and facilities. These advancements and improvements strengthened the role of
713-513: The invasion of annual species from Europe and Asia into the New World. In various ecosystems, the dominance of annual plants is often a temporary phase during secondary succession , particularly in the aftermath of disturbances. For instance, after fields are abandoned, annuals may initially colonize them but are eventually replaced by long-lived species. However, in certain Mediterranean systems,
744-524: The major portion of the grounds located in the neighboring town of Dover . In 1987, the entire site was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Elm Bank . Property records date back to 1732 when Thomas Fuller owned the tract on land then known as the Natick Plain. The property earned the sobriquet Elm Bank after Colonel John Jones acquired the land in 1740 and planted elm trees along
775-803: The opportunity to plant, water or interact in some way with the garden's elements. Children's classes are held throughout the spring, summer and fall in this special garden. A cooperative effort between the University of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Flower Growers’ Association and Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Breeding companies from all over the world contribute Annuals for viewing by amateur and professional Gardeners . This garden also tests unreleased varieties competing for All-America Selections awards, displays previous winners, and grows hundreds of cultivars submitted for evaluation by commercial plant breeders. Restoration of
806-603: The organization. Peterson undertook intense studies and collaborative investigations with various agencies of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, including the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) to develop a project plan and business plan that would justify and enable Mass Hort to secure a long term lease for the Horticultural Society. Due to the efforts of Dr. John C. Peterson, support was gained from
837-675: The property, thanks to foundation grants. Mass Hort at the Flower Show provides the management of the amateur horticulture, floral design, Ikebana, and photography for Paragon Group, the owners of the Boston Flower & Garden Show. Annual plant An annual plant is a plant that completes its life cycle , from germination to the production of seeds , within one growing season , and then dies. Globally, 6% of all plant species and 15% of herbaceous plants (excluding trees and shrubs) are annuals. The annual life cycle has independently emerged in over 120 different plant families throughout
868-479: The riverside. After being occupied by families named Loring, Broad, and Otis, the property was sold for $ 10,000 in 1874 to Benjamin Pierce Cheney , a founder of a delivery company that became American Express . At the time of Cheney's death in 1895, the property contained over 200 acres (80 hectares), and passed to his eldest daughter Alice in 1905. In 1907, Alice and her husband, Dr. William Hewson Baltzell, engaged
899-529: The society bought a 72-acre (290,000 m ) estate called "Sweet Auburn" for an arboretum , garden, and cemetery. Although the horticultural garden never materialized, in 1835 the site was incorporated as Mount Auburn Cemetery . Until 1976, the society received one-fourth of the proceeds from the sale of Mount Auburn's cemetery lots. In its early years, the Society met in various locations in Boston. Starting in 1845,
930-607: The society has built for itself three successive exhibit halls, each named "Horticultural Hall." The first was located on School Street; the second on Tremont Street, and the third on Massachusetts Avenue. Since 2001 the society's headquarters have been at the Elm Bank Horticulture Center (36 acres) in Wellesley . The 36 acres (150,000 m ) encompass multiple gardens including an acre-sized one designed by prominent UK plantsman Adrian Bloom. Other gardens include
961-513: The venture as 'financially successful'. Also in its May 2010 newsletter, MassHort reported it had reached agreement with the bulk of its remaining creditors by selling off an additional group of books from its collection. In January 2011 the Board of Trustees hired Katherine K. Macdonald as Executive Director/President of the Society after the Board stabilized the organization's financials. The Garden at Elm Bank includse twelve display gardens. In 2011,