Photography by Tony King

BOYLSTON – The public is invited to New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill to see “Honoring Trees – The Photography of Tony King” from May 14 to July 7. Tony King (1934-2017) was a businessman, author, philanthropist, award-winning photographer, and conservationist based in Massachusetts and Maine.

Born in Toronto, as a young man he came to Worcester to work in his grandfather’s business, a successful plumbing supply distributor, eventually leading it from 1961 to 1986. Bruce Anthony (Tony) King married Judith Stoddard and raised a family in Southborough and Kennebunkport. King was a Trustee of the Worcester Art Museum, Worcester Hahnemann Hospital, and Cardigan Mountain School; an honorary member of the Garden Club of America; and served on the board of directors for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

Photograph by Tony King

King cast his thoughtful eye and photographic lens on a wide range of subjects and spent his life telling stories in words and photographs about nature and man’s place in it. The keeper of his work, The Judy and Tony King Foundation, works to inspire community responsibility and stewardship of our backyard spaces of New England.

King left more than 168,000 images in a digital archive, including photographs of the property in Boylston, Mass. that would become New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill. The exhibit at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill will feature a selection of King’s spectacular photographs of trees captured during his travels. Prints will be available for purchase with 50 percent of the proceeds going to New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, a nonprofit organization focused on connecting people to plants, while the other half will help the Judy and Tony King Foundation with ongoing exhibits.

Photography by Tony King

In addition, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill will be showcasing tree-themed works of art by Worcester area students, part of the state Department of Conservation and Recreation’s “Trees have Mass appeal” Arbor Day poster contest. New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill will host a casual reception for the exhibits on Thursday, June 13, 4-6pm.