What to do and see in Massachusetts, United States: The Best Gardens

December 14, 2021 Leida Jutras

Discover the best top things to do in Massachusetts, United States including St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Three Sisters Sanctuary, Boston Public Garden, Arnold Arboretum, Green Briar Nature Center and Jam Kitchen, Bridge of Flowers, Smith College Botanic Garden, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Oldest House (Jethro Coffin House) and Kitchen Garden, New England Wild Flower Society Garden in the Woods.
Restaurants in Massachusetts

1. St. Mary's Episcopal Church

Barnstable, MA +1 508-362-3977 http://www.stmarys-church.org/
Excellent
80%
Good
20%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 10 reviews

St. Mary's Episcopal Church

The church and its gardens offer quiet walks for visitors. The public is welcome.

2. Three Sisters Sanctuary

188 Cape St, Goshen, MA 01032 +1 413-268-3677 https://threesisterssanctuary.com/
Excellent
93%
Good
7%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 27 reviews

Three Sisters Sanctuary

Reviewed By Dghp1 - Holyoke, United States

This place is just magical the art work landscape and my favorite the fire breathing dragon a must see

3. Boston Public Garden

4 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114-4602 https://www.boston.gov/parks/public-garden
Excellent
72%
Good
25%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 9,829 reviews

Boston Public Garden

This Frederick Law Olmsted-designed park, famous for its Swan Boats, has over 600 varieties of trees and an ever-changing array of flowers. It is America's first public garden.

Reviewed By M3730ZNsarab

No trip to Boston is complete without walking through these gardens! Located downtown and right beside Boston Commons, this is a beautiful spot to stroll through on a sunny day and stop and sit. You can see squirrels, ducks, beautiful flowers in season, ride the swan boats, see the duck statues, see the fountains, and enjoy the day!

4. Arnold Arboretum

125 Arborway Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA 02130-3500 +1 617-524-1717 http://www.arboretum.harvard.edu/
Excellent
74%
Good
22%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 657 reviews

Arnold Arboretum

Part of Olmsted's famous Emerald Necklace, America's oldest public arboretum has 265 beautiful acres of trees, shrubs and vines.

Reviewed By patriciasS9225TJ

This is a lovely and picturesque part of Boston. If you enjoy nature and walking this a must. Enjoy the beautiful plants and trees while taking a leisurely walk. The aborreumn covers at least a two radius. It is beautiful any time of year.

5. Green Briar Nature Center and Jam Kitchen

6 Discovery Hill Rd, East Sandwich, Sandwich, MA 02537-1316 +1 508-888-6870 http://www.thorntonburgess.org/GreenBriarNatureCenter.htm
Excellent
57%
Good
30%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
2%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 124 reviews

Green Briar Nature Center and Jam Kitchen

This unique spot boasts beautiful gardens and nature trails, as well as a jam-making kitchen.

Reviewed By 152irenew

We have been to Green Briar a couple of times now since we have been visiting in Sandwich. It is a cozy little center with beautiful wild flower gardens and a great early 20th kitchen which was utilized for making home-made jams to sell to the public. Nowadays you can sign up for a class and make various jams depending on which fruits are in season. My husband and I took the class and enjoyed it very much. Emmalee was the teacher and she is very organized and patient. By the end of class we each had five 4 ounce jars of jam to take home with us. Check out Green Briar the next time you are in the area and see what it has to offer you.

6. Bridge of Flowers

Shelburne Falls, MA http://www.bridgeofflowersmass.org
Excellent
75%
Good
21%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 639 reviews

Bridge of Flowers

Bring your camera when you visit this former trolley bridge, which is a flower garden ablaze with color.

Reviewed By 877jacquif

What to do with an unused trolley bridge? Turn it into a garden of course, and plant it up with the most gorgeous flowers and plants. This bridge is beautiful and worth a visit if you are in the area. There are also some great art and gift shops nearby so you won’t be sorry if you stop off in Shelburne Falls for an hour or two.

7. Smith College Botanic Garden

15 College Ln, Northampton, MA 01060-2901 +1 413-585-2740 http://www.smith.edu/garden
Excellent
74%
Good
23%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 313 reviews

Smith College Botanic Garden

There are ten different garden types and a greenhouse in this Botanic Garden.

Reviewed By olivias33 - Southampton, United States

This place is a really cool place. The suggested donation is $2 per person. They have There is meter parking on the street.There are about 4 different greenhouse. The door tells you if it is hot or cold. The plants and trees are spectacular. There is also an outside area that you can walk around.

8. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

25 Evans Way, Boston, MA 02115-5538 +1 617-566-1401 [email protected] http://www.gardnermuseum.org/
Excellent
68%
Good
20%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
3%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 3,108 reviews

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

A Venetian palace in the middle of Boston, Gardner's home is now a museum displaying her impressive, eclectic collection of European, American and Asian art, including sculpture, paintings, furniture, ceramics and textiles. Visitors can stroll or rest in a spectacular skylit courtyard filled with plants and flowers.

Reviewed By JacksBack05101 - Westminster, United States

Too much to say to Fit here but... John Singer Sargent’s El Jaleo is amazing, you’ll see the empty frames from the nations most notorious art heist too. This place is frozen in time on purpose. Please visit to find out why!

9. Oldest House (Jethro Coffin House) and Kitchen Garden

16 Sunset Hill Ln, Nantucket, MA 02554-3626 +1 508-228-1894 [email protected] http://www.nha.org
Excellent
51%
Good
31%
Satisfactory
15%
Poor
1%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 74 reviews

Oldest House (Jethro Coffin House) and Kitchen Garden

The Oldest House on Sunset Hill, also known as the Jethro Coffin House, was built in 1686 and is believed to be the oldest residence on Nantucket still on its original site. The island’s English population at the time totaled several hundred, and the native Wampanoag outnumbered them by at least three to one. Built as a wedding gift for Jethro Coffin (1663–1727) and Mary Gardner (1670–1767), the house represents the unity of two of the island’s oldest families. Jethro was the grandson of one of the island’s original proprietors, Tristram Coffin, and Mary was the daughter of John Gardner, one of the leaders of the so-called Half-Share Revolt, in which the island’s tradesmen rallied against the wealthier full-share proprietors. Although the relationship between Gardner and Coffin was never amicable, the marriage of Mary and Jethro helped unite the families and soothe old wounds. Built on Gardner land using Coffin lumber, the house is a physical manifestation of this unity.

Reviewed By Chickadee0825 - Victoria, Canada

We had a nice walk up to the location of this house, and two tour guides met us outside (one was learning to be a guide) Amazing to see all the history that this house endured, and the story of the family that lived here.

10. New England Wild Flower Society Garden in the Woods

180 Hemenway Rd, Framingham, MA 01701-2636 +1 508-877-7630 http://massbotanicgardens.org/new-england-wild-flower-society-garden-in-the-woods/
Excellent
65%
Good
21%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
3%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 109 reviews

New England Wild Flower Society Garden in the Woods

A garden that is made up of 45 acres of wildflowers and native New England plants including some endangered species.

Reviewed By Diz8i8

Beautiful paths through curated plantings make this spot absolutely transporting. You are no longer in the suburbs, but in a wooded garden that goes on forever. My preteen and I spent a few hours and they flew by, taking pictures, reading about different plants, taking in the sculptures, we even monkeyed around in the family area for a bit. It felt like we had the whole place to ourselves! I plan to go back a few times to see how it changes with the seasons.

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