“Explore what’s in bloom now,” exclaims a banner on the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill’s website. And, indeed, there is much to see.
The dramatic property in Boylston, Mass., includes two conservatories and 18 distinct gardens, both formal and naturalistic. The grounds offer sweeping views across the vast Wachusett Reservoir, as well as hiking trails that tuck into wilder portions of the garden’s nearly 200 acres.
As director of horticulture, Mark Richardson is always attuned to the calendar of displays that his team provides to delight more than 225,000 visitors a year. But the garden has two additional compelling botanical projects — the planting of blight-resistant American chestnuts and the restoration of a historic apple collection lost to disease — that don’t show off in the same way. At least, not yet.
These projects go comparatively unnoticed next to the rainbow border in the Garden of Inspiration area, orchestrated to bloom all season in a progression of hues, or the living walls of colorful, textural plants in an area called the Court.
But the chestnuts and apples are like homecomings — if understated at present — with major celebratory moments anticipated down the road. Those who work with plants must often take the long view.
Sometimes it’s a very long view, Mr. Richardson knows — with the chestnuts, in particular.
