Celebrating 125 Years: Native Plant Trust

Celebrate Native Plants

From the Wild to Your Backyard

November Hours at Garden in the Woods

Don't miss the opportunity to take in late autumn color at the Garden before it closes for the season! Fall fruits and berries, foliage, and colorful leaf litter have taken over the garden trails and naturally decorated habitats like the Lily Pond, Meadow Garden, and Family Activity Area. Come for a picturesque fall stroll as we transition into the quiet season.

Garden in the Woods is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Wednesday-Sunday through November 23

Our plant sales at both locations are closed until April 2026, but our Garden Shop is open for holiday shopping (see hours below). Thanks for a great season, and look for the 2026 plant list here sometime in January.

Photo: Fall foliage of a flowering big-bracted dogwood (Benthamidia florida) at Garden in the Woods, Melissa Blackall © Native Plant Trust⁠

Will You Help Us Keep Hope Free for All?

Hope should be free. So should the resources that inspire it—like our educational videos, online tools, and plant guides. But we need your help to keep them that way.

As we close out 2025, your donation now ensures our programs continue to inspire hope in 2026. Our free tools like PlantFinder and GoBotany, our eNewsletters, and educational social media content depend on your support.

Can we count on you to keep hope—and these tools—free for all? Donate now.

Photo: Spicebush swallowtail larvae (Papilio troilus) on host plant spicebush (Lindera benzoin), Alexis Doshas © Native Plant Trust

Cool Season Events Coming Up

As we enter the skinny end of autumn, lift your spirits with one of these activities.

  • Native Plant Trust Herbarium Tour, Saturday, November 15 - An exclusive look at a selection of the nearly 6,000 fascinating, beautiful, and scientifically important plant specimens contained within our herbarium at Garden in the Woods.
  • Creating Colorful Arrangements with Native Evergreens, Saturday, December 6 – Explore how to create a visually pleasing arrangement with evergreens and flowers. No experience is necessary. Beginners are welcome!

Photo: Herbarium specimen, large-flowered bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora) collected by Emma Chamberlain, 1903

Shop with Us in December

Our Garden Shop at Garden in the Woods will be open for holiday shopping in December! Browse our curated selection of garden-themed gifts and books during these special holiday hours:

Thursday through Saturday, December 4-20

10 a.m.-4 p.m.

You can also order a gift card on the phone, good for plant shopping next season or for use in the gift shop. We'll even mail it for you!

Just call our direct line: 774-301-8465.

Photo: American holly (Ilex opaca), Dan Jaffe Wilder © Native Plant Trust

Browse Our New Classes

Probe the mysteries of predatory plants, investigate what plants do in the winter, or choose from six self-paced courses and 30 classes available via Zoom.

New this season: A suite of lower-priced options starting at $10, plus an Introduction to Native Plants Package that bundles eight intro classes for only $60, total! And we are now making Zoom classes available for sign-up or reviewing for 30 days after the class date. We're also continuing our Personalized Pathways, five groupings of classes curated for particular personal interests.

Get ready for a fascinating fall—browse our full class lineup.

Photo: Purple pitcher-plant (Sarracenia purpurea) © William Cullina

Native Plant Trust in the News

A selection of recent stories—see more here:

Photo: Sound designer Skooby Laposky (R) and workshop participants explore hidden life at Garden in the Woods, Andrea Shea/WBUR photo