As those of you who visited New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill in recent months are aware, our front entrance has been under construction. We’re very pleased to announce that as of Monday, Sept. 21, the main entrance will partially reopen. Although the Secret Garden will still serve as a secondary entrance to the formal gardens, guests will be able to enjoy our new entry path starting this week. The path reflects our commitment to universal design – providing the same experience for people of all abilities. It also provides a fantastic view across our west meadow to the Wachusett Reservoir and Wachusett Mountain in the distance.
Because construction is wrapping up late in the gardening season, much of the planting along the entry path will wait until spring. When planting is complete, guests will enjoy a diverse entry garden experience, with plants selected for their long season of interest. Broad sweeps of Itea virginica (Virginia sweetspire), for example, will burst with late spring flowers, stunning fall foliage, and colorful winter stems. Along the path, hybrid dogwoods like Cornus ‘Rutgan’ (Stellar Pink® flowering dogwood) and Cornus ‘Rutdan’ (Celestial® flowering dogwood) will frame the view with pink and white blossoms in late spring followed by incredible fall color.
In the coming weeks, we’ll finish up irrigation work, complete the installation of the vestibule and open the new front door to the Visitors Center. We’ll finish pathway lighting and other electrical work and erect a new corten steel panel to divide the entry experience from the Garden Within Reach. All this work is just the beginning of a bigger plan to enhance the entry experience, which we’ll share more about in the months to come. Thanks as always for your patience as we continue to make New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill an even greater place to visit.