A path about one-mile long winds through the various wildflower species. The second photo shows a display with Southwestern plant life. All Photos/C. Danko © 2001-2011
Hidden in the Boston suburbs, a small patch of woods is a garden where rare and endangered wildflowers and plant life grow.
About 15 miles west of Boston, along Route 20 in Framingham, a small sign off the side of the road points to "A Garden In The Woods."
Follow the markings, and you end up at what looks like it could be a clearing for camping. The spot is actually a section of land developed by the New England Wildflower Society to grow more than 1500 varieties of plants - some native to other areas of the country, and many rare and endangered species.
The admission charge includes material for a self-guided tour. Visitors can also join in on one of the group tours for no extra cost.
A main trail about one mile long takes you through the clusters of various species of wildflowers and vegetation, marked with signs showing their names and origin. Sometimes you will get a lesson on how to look at the nature around you. For example, at one point, a sign describes the evidence of logging over a century before, still apparent on nearby trees. The same sign also points out that the artificially steep slope of a hill was caused by builders of a nearby railroad track.
Getting There
The Garden is open April through October. To get there from Route 128, travel Route 20 west into Framingham. Take a left onto Raymond Road (at the "Garden In The Woods" sign). Take a right on Hemenway Road. See the Garden in the Woods website for more details and for hours.