City: Boylston, MA

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (508) 869-6111

Address: 11 French Dr.

Insider Pick:

Description: All of New England’s seasons are on full display at this living plant museum located just 10 miles north of Worcester. This 132-acre property is a mix of towering trees and open green space that contains 8 distinct gardens of exotic and native plantings—there’s a wildlife garden, a cottage and vegetable garden, and a grand lawn garden that leads to a secret garden. In the winter, the 18th-century-style Orangerie and Limonaia (very fancy greenhouses these) feature flowering forced bulbs, camellias, ferns, citrus, and several water features. With 3 miles of paved, intricate pathways, it’s easy to enjoy the scenic beauty. No visitor should leave without taking the 1-mile loop trail to the Tower Hill Summit for a sweeping view of the Wachusett Lake Reservoir with Wachusett Mountain in the near distance. Tower Hill is open year-round Tues through Sun and on holiday Mondays.