Master Plan 2013
As Nature Intended: A True New England Garden A memorial plaque greeting visitors to Garden in the Woods bears the founder’s hope that his lifetime of horticultural research would “be my contribution to conservation.” From the time he purchased the land in 1931 until he transferred the property to New England Wild Flower Society in 1965, Will Curtis focused on building a garden in which “wild plants will be grown, their likes and dislikes discovered and the knowledge so gained eventually passed on in an effort to curb the wholesale destruction of our most beautiful natives.” He displayed his cultivated treasures within a dramatic glacier-carved landscape [figure 1] and endeavored to paint “a peaceful picture of our land as nature intended it.” With the new master plan for Garden in the Woods, the Society both honors and rejuvenates the innovative alignment of horticulture and conservation that is the Curtis legacy. A yearlong collaborative process led by Andropogon Associates has created an inspiring, unified vision of the 45-acre site that will guide our stewardship for the next 40 years. At its core, the plan focuses on a key question: What does this site want to be? What is its character, what can it sustain, how can it best be experienced by the visitor? The plan is rooted in a thorough analysis of the site—its history, topography, soils, hydrology, plant communities, light, seasons, views—and tells a story about the beauty and richness of the New England landscape. Where Curtis had designed small garden displays that refer to natural habitats, this plan envisions large “landscape character zones” [figure 2] that build on the diverse site conditions, focus on the function of plant communities, and embed resilience into a landscape facing a host of ecological challenges— from the structure of the tree canopy to significant changes in hydrology to the arrival of pests and diseases that are marching across the region aided by a changing climate. Technical details in the plan offer strategies for long-term management to achieve or maintain the functioning communities in each character zone.
Those zones also provide the ecological foundation for the horticultural and aesthetic decisions in later design stages—for diversifying the plant collection, dramatizing beauty, creating four-season interest [figure 3], and juxtaposing forms and textures and colors. Just as Curtis propagated nearly 2,000 species for his garden, Society staff will sustainably collect seeds from throughout the ecoregions of New England, conduct trials, and propagate all the plants that will be added in the coming years. This will enhance the genetic diversity, resiliency, and food-chain value of this landscape, and will also enable us to make true New England native plants available in a nursery trade dominated by monocultures of unknown origin. It’s a fitting ecological goal for a conservation organization that in its early years successfully campaigned to stop florists from selling wild plants dug up from the forest floor. The Garden envisioned in this plan tells a coherent story of the site and the New England landscape and offers a stunning expression of the beauty of native plants. It becomes a richer, more inspiring place for learning and an even more magical place to spend the day immersed in the flora and exploring the woods, water, and wildlife. To support those experiences, the plan also proposes a redesign of the plateau [figure 4], with a new visitor center that is a gateway to the Garden, expanded educational and event facilities, and sustainable energy and water systems. As we implement the plan, we will offer visitors the amenities of a modern public garden while renewing the dream for this “naturally beautiful place with interesting contours” that is “just the spot for a wild flower garden.” debbi edelstein, executive director Development of the master plan was funded by the Hope Goddard Iselin Foundation and the Institute for Museum and Library Services.
Past Disturbances
Knobs
Kettle Holes
Eskers
Topography Figure 1. The master plan is grounded in the character of the site, which has distinct features shaped by both ancient glaciers and human activity. For example, long “fingers� visible in the lower left corner of the Garden may be an artifact of gravel mining by the railroad from which Curtis purchased the property.
Landscape Character Zones Figure 2. The plan for the Garden, showing the landscape character zones and the new path system, with accessible trails and boardwalks that enable visitors to explore the entire property. The zones build on the range of natural conditions on the site and frame a story about the important habitats of New England. New features like the Successional Swamp and Atlantic White Cedar Bog have critical roles in how the Garden functions: In addition to representing key plant communities, they will filter runoff from the parking lot and road and thus improve water quality in the Lily Pond.
WINTER SPRING SUMMER FALL
Seasonal Interest Figure 3. One goal is increasing the four-season interest in the Garden, which enriches both the plant collection and the visitors’ experience. The plan details the color and seasonal interest of every plant in the palette; this image summarizes the peak season for different areas of the Garden. Other images in the plan show the diurnal changes in the Garden, how the circulation creates new views, and the experience of walking through the envisioned landscape.
Horticulture Building
Compost Area Constructed Wetland
Outdoor Classroom Rain Garden Education Complex
Visitor Center Successional Swamp
Plant Sales Outdoor Cafe Seating
Limestone Terrace
Conservation Laboratory
The Plateau Figure 4. The vision for the plateau addresses several key goals. It provides an appealing and clearly defined gateway to the Garden, improves the arrival experience with better traffic flow and parking, enhances visitor services, and expands the education facilities. The plan locates, but does not design, the buildings, and thoughtfully addresses the carrying capacity of the site. Looking ahead to long-term staffing needs, for instance, led to an early decision to move offsite all staff except those whose work is directly related to tending to the Garden, serving visitors, or conducting educational programs.