Massachusetts Horticultural Society
A Massachusetts-based horticultural society that promotes gardening, plant science, education, exhibitions, and public gardens.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
The Massachusetts Horticultural Society, commonly known as Mass Hort, is an American horticultural society founded in Boston in 1829. It presents itself as the oldest formally organized horticultural institution in the United States. The organization was established to encourage improved horticultural practice, share knowledge among growers, and provide public exhibitions of plants, fruit, vegetables, flowers, and garden design. In its early years, it held weekly displays at locations including Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. These exhibitions combined public education with the promotion of new varieties and cultivation methods, helping connect professional growers, amateur gardeners, scientists, and the wider public. One of the society's early major undertakings was the acquisition in 1831 of a 72-acre estate known as Sweet Auburn. The property was intended to support an arboretum and horticultural garden, although the planned garden was not developed as originally envisioned. In 1835, the site was incorporated as Mount Auburn Cemetery. For many years, the society received a share of proceeds from cemetery-lot sales, creating an important historical financial connection between the two institutions. The society also established a long tradition of horticultural exhibition spaces in Boston. Beginning in 1845, it built or occupied three successive halls known as Horticultural Hall, located successively on School Street, Tremont Street, and Massachusetts Avenue. Mass Hort's exhibition activities became particularly associated with the New England Spring Flower Show. The event was held annually from 1871 through 2008 and became one of the region's best-known public horticultural showcases. The society's broader educational work has included lectures, competitions, publications, plant trials, garden demonstrations, and support for horticultural societies and plant-interest groups. Its historical publications include Transactions of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, while its later newsletter, The Leaflet, documented organizational activities and programs. The society experienced a severe financial crisis during the 2000s. In 2002, it sold rare books and prints from its collection to raise approximately $5.25 million. By 2008, trustees concluded that the organization was effectively unable to meet its obligations, with overspending and accumulated bills contributing to the crisis. The 2008 disclosure that executive director Bob Feige had previously been jailed for failing to pay employees at a former business intensified scrutiny of management and governance. Feige resigned after trustees reviewed the matter. To conserve cash, Mass Hort cancelled the traditional 2009 New England Spring Flower Show and instead organized a smaller Boston event called Blooms. It later partnered with the Paragon Group, producer of the Boston Flower & Garden Show, and resumed a role in exhibition programming through that event. Since 2001, the society has been headquartered at the 36-acre Elm Bank Horticulture Center in Wellesley. Elm Bank contains a collection of display and educational gardens, including the Weezie's Children's Garden, an Italianate Garden, a vegetable and floral trial garden associated with All-America Selections, and specialist plantings devoted to rhododendrons, daylilies, herbs, and native plants. A garden designed by British plantsman Adrian Bloom is also part of the site. The Garden to Table program uses produce grown at Elm Bank for donation to food pantries; by 2013, the vegetable garden was reported to be producing more than 4,000 pounds of produce. Capital improvements supported by foundation grants included restoration and enhancement of the gardens, including the Italianate Garden fountain and the Welcome Garden. After the financial restructuring, the board appointed Katherine K. Macdonald as executive director and president in January 2011. The society's contemporary role combines stewardship of Elm Bank, horticultural education, public programming, plant competitions, garden demonstrations, community food initiatives, and participation in regional flower shows. Although its historic exhibition model has changed, Mass Hort continues to operate as a membership-based cultural and educational institution serving gardeners, horticultural professionals, plant societies, and the public.
History
The Massachusetts Horticultural Society was founded in Boston in 1829 as the Boston Horticultural Society. Its original purpose was to improve horticultural knowledge and practice through exhibitions, instruction, and the exchange of information about plants and cultivation. The society quickly began holding weekly displays at prominent public venues, including Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. These events featured locally grown fruit and, later, vegetables, while also presenting new horticultural techniques and varieties. The society helped publicize the Concord grape in the 1850s, reflecting its role as both an educational body and a forum for regional growers. In 1831, the society purchased a 72-acre estate called Sweet Auburn for a planned arboretum and horticultural garden. The horticultural garden was never completed as initially intended. Instead, the property was incorporated in 1835 as Mount Auburn Cemetery. The society nevertheless retained a longstanding financial interest in the cemetery, receiving one-quarter of proceeds from cemetery-lot sales until 1976. This arrangement became one of the most distinctive elements of the society's institutional history. The organization met in several Boston locations before developing a succession of dedicated exhibition halls. Starting in 1845, it constructed three buildings known as Horticultural Hall: the first on School Street, the second on Tremont Street, and the third on Massachusetts Avenue. These halls provided space for flower shows, plant exhibitions, lectures, social events, and the display of horticultural art and literature. The society's public exhibition tradition continued on a larger scale through the New England Spring Flower Show, held annually from 1871 until 2008. Mass Hort also developed a substantial publishing and collecting tradition. Its Transactions recorded horticultural knowledge and institutional activities, and the organization accumulated rare books, prints, and other materials connected with gardening and plant culture. In 2002, it sold rare books and prints for approximately $5.25 million to raise funds. The sale was followed by advice from the Massachusetts Attorney General's office that the trustees should receive stronger instruction in nonprofit financial oversight. The organization's financial condition deteriorated further during the 2000s. In 2008, trustees determined that Mass Hort was effectively unable to meet its bills. Overspending and financial problems that had accumulated over several years were compounded by controversy involving executive director Bob Feige, who resigned after trustees learned that he had previously served jail time for failing to pay employees at a former business. The crisis forced the society to reconsider its exhibition model. It cancelled the 2009 New England Spring Flower Show and organized a shorter Boston event called Blooms instead. In September 2009, the society announced that Blooms would become part of the Boston Flower & Garden Show, produced by the Paragon Group. The 2010 event included floral design and amateur horticulture competitions, Ikebana and plant-society displays, photography activities, and lectures. Mass Hort later reported that the arrangement had been financially successful and that it had reached an agreement with most remaining creditors through further sales from its book collection. Since 2001, the society has been based at Elm Bank Horticulture Center in Wellesley. The 36-acre property includes a group of display, educational, and trial gardens. Among them are the Weezie's Children's Garden, an Italianate Garden, a Welcome Garden, a vegetable garden associated with the Garden to Table program, an All-America Selections trial garden, and specialist gardens devoted to rhododendrons, daylilies, herbs, and native plants. The site also includes a large garden designed by Adrian Bloom. Foundation grants supported more than $250,000 in capital improvements after 2011, including restoration of the Italianate Garden fountain. In January 2011, the board appointed Katherine K. Macdonald as executive director and president after stabilizing the society's finances. Under its contemporary model, Mass Hort combines stewardship of Elm Bank with educational programming, public exhibitions, plant competitions, gardening instruction, children's activities, community food initiatives, and participation in regional flower shows. Its Garden to Table vegetable production has supplied food pantries, while its broader programs continue the society's historic aim of making horticultural knowledge accessible to both specialists and the public.
- 2013
Garden to Table production expands
[1]The Elm Bank vegetable garden was reported to be producing more than 4,000 pounds of produce for donation to two food pantries.
- 2011
Katherine K. Macdonald appointed leader
[1]Katherine K. Macdonald became executive director and president after the board stabilized the society's finances.
- 2010
Participation in Boston Flower & Garden Show
[1]Mass Hort participated in the Boston Flower & Garden Show and managed horticultural competitions, displays, and lectures.
- 2009
Blooms created as a smaller replacement event
[1]Mass Hort organized a shorter Boston event after suspending the traditional New England Spring Flower Show.
- 2008
Financial crisis becomes public
[1]Trustees found that the organization faced severe financial problems, leading to executive leadership changes and the eventual cancellation of the 2009 flower show.
- 2002
Rare books and prints sold to raise funds
[1]The society sold rare books and prints for approximately $5.25 million during an earlier phase of its financial difficulties.
- 2001
Elm Bank becomes headquarters
[1]Mass Hort moved its headquarters to the Elm Bank Horticulture Center in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
- 1871
New England Spring Flower Show tradition begins
[1]The annual New England Spring Flower Show began and continued through 2008, becoming a defining public program of the society.
- 1845
First Horticultural Hall established
[1]The society began its series of dedicated Boston exhibition halls with a building on School Street.
- 1835
Sweet Auburn incorporated as Mount Auburn Cemetery
[1]The planned horticultural property was incorporated as Mount Auburn Cemetery, beginning a long institutional relationship between the cemetery and the society.
Products and positioning
A historic nonprofit horticultural institution combining public gardens, plant exhibitions, gardening education, community programs, and preservation of regional horticultural traditions.
Public garden and educational facility · 2001
Elm Bank Horticulture Center
Mass Hort's 36-acre headquarters in Wellesley serves as the society's principal public-facing site. It contains display gardens, trial plantings, children's programming, specialist collections, educational spaces, and community horticulture initiatives. The property includes the Weezie's Children's Garden, an Italianate Garden, a Welcome Garden, gardens devoted to rhododendrons, daylilies, herbs, and native plants, and a vegetable garden used for the Garden to Table program.
Flower show and public exhibition · 1871
New England Spring Flower Show
The New England Spring Flower Show was the society's signature annual exhibition for more than a century. Beginning in 1871, it presented flowers, garden designs, horticultural competitions, educational exhibits, and lectures to a broad public audience. The traditional show continued through 2008 before financial constraints led to its suspension and replacement by a smaller event and later partnership programming.
Community food and gardening program · 2011
Garden to Table
Garden to Table connects horticultural production at Elm Bank with community food support. The program uses the society's vegetable garden to grow produce for donation to food pantries while also providing a practical setting for teaching cultivation, food gardening, and the relationship between garden production and community well-being.
Exhibition programming · 2010
Mass Hort at the Boston Flower & Garden Show
Through its arrangement with the Paragon Group, Mass Hort provided horticultural content for the Boston Flower & Garden Show. Its responsibilities included amateur horticulture, floral design, Ikebana, photography, plant-society displays, competitions, and lectures, allowing the society to maintain a public exhibition role after discontinuing its own traditional show.
Controversies
2008
Executive-director and financial-governance controversy
Trustees undertook a detailed review after learning that executive director Bob Feige had previously spent time in jail for failing to pay employees at a former business. The review found that the society was in severe financial distress, with overspending and unpaid bills. Feige resigned, and the organization pursued restructuring measures.
Marketing campaigns
- 2011Garden to Table
Massachusetts
Mass Hort developed a vegetable garden at Elm Bank to demonstrate food gardening and provide fresh produce to local food pantries.
Outcome. By 2013, the garden was reported to be producing more than 4,000 pounds of produce donated to two food pantries.
- 2009Blooms
Boston · Massachusetts
A shortened Boston horticultural event created as a lower-cost alternative after the society suspended its traditional New England Spring Flower Show.
Outcome. The event was subsequently incorporated into the Boston Flower & Garden Show through a partnership with the Paragon Group.
Brand decisions
2011
Invest in Elm Bank gardens and community programmingStrategyBackground
Following financial stabilization, the society shifted attention toward its Wellesley headquarters, garden infrastructure, education, and community service.
Action taken
Mass Hort developed a vegetable garden for Garden to Table, added or improved display gardens, restored the Italianate Garden fountain, and pursued foundation support for capital improvements.
Aftermath
The Elm Bank site expanded its role as the society's primary educational, horticultural, and public-programming platform. More than $250,000 in capital investments were reported after 2011.
Reported capital investments in Elm Bank property. More than $250,000 (Since 2011)
2009
Suspend the New England Spring Flower ShowStrategyBackground
The society's financial crisis made it necessary to conserve cash, making it impractical to stage the traditional annual exhibition in its established form.
Action taken
Mass Hort cancelled the 2009 show and organized the smaller Blooms event in downtown Boston.
Aftermath
Blooms was later incorporated into the Boston Flower & Garden Show, enabling Mass Hort to continue managing competitions and educational displays without producing the entire event independently.
2009
Partner with the Paragon Group on the Boston Flower & Garden ShowStrategyBackground
After the traditional society-produced show was suspended, Mass Hort sought a way to preserve its exhibition and educational role while reducing production and financial risk.
Action taken
The society agreed to incorporate Blooms into the Boston Flower & Garden Show produced by the Paragon Group.
Aftermath
At the 2010 show, Mass Hort managed amateur horticulture and floral-design competitions, Ikebana and plant-society displays, photography activities, and lectures. The society later described the venture as financially successful.
2002
Sell rare books and prints to raise cashStrategyBackground
The society needed additional funds during a period of financial pressure and chose to monetize part of its rare-book and print collection.
Action taken
Mass Hort sold rare books and prints for approximately $5.25 million.
Aftermath
The Massachusetts Attorney General advised the society to improve trustee education and financial oversight. Further collection sales were later used in creditor negotiations.
Proceeds from sale of rare books and prints. $5.25 million (2002)
Recent events
- 2013
Mass Hort expands Elm Bank garden and community programs[1]
Campaign · Other
The society continued improvements at Elm Bank, including development of a productive vegetable garden that supplied more than 4,000 pounds of produce to two food pantries.
- 2011
Katherine K. Macdonald appointed executive director and president[1]
Leadership change
Following efforts to stabilize the society's finances, the board appointed Katherine K. Macdonald to lead the organization.
- 2010
Boston Flower & Garden Show partnership reported as financially successful[1]
Other
Mass Hort reported that its participation in the Boston Flower & Garden Show had been financially successful and that it had reached an agreement with most remaining creditors through the sale of additional books from its collection.
- 2009
New England Spring Flower Show suspended[1]
Other
As part of its cash-conservation measures, Mass Hort did not hold its traditional New England Spring Flower Show for the first time since 1871 and substituted a smaller Boston event called Blooms.
- 2009
Mass Hort partners with Boston Flower & Garden Show[1]
M&A · Campaign
The society announced that Blooms would be incorporated into the Boston Flower & Garden Show, produced by the Paragon Group. Mass Hort retained responsibility for several competitions, displays, and educational programming.
- 2008
Massachusetts Horticultural Society enters financial crisis[1]
Other · Leadership change
Trustees disclosed that the society faced serious financial problems, including accumulated bills and overspending. Executive director Bob Feige resigned after scrutiny of his prior business record and the organization's finances.
Sources3 sources
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