Massachusetts Horticultural Society - Garden at Elm Bank - Wellesley, Massachusetts

Erika BostonBeerGirl

The grounds here are absolutely beautiful, and we had such a wonderful time at the Festival of Trees and Winter Lights event this past holiday season. We can't stop talking about the charming Christmas village and the stunning train display -- it was so perfectly curated! This was my first visit, and I'm already looking forward to returning in the warmer weather this spring!

Amie Arvind

Our wedding at the Garden at Elm Bank was absolutely wonderful! We got married in October 2024 with the goal of capturing the beauty of New England in the fall, and Elm Bank checked all of our boxes with beautiful grounds, fall foliage, and the ability to set up an outdoor reception. We held our ceremony on the Italiannate Garden and were able to be outdoor among the lush flora around the fountain - the space was incredibly decorated but also intimate. Our cocktail hour was in the Bressingham Garden, which allowed people to explore the grounds a bit more and enjoy some live music. Finally, our reception was in a beautiful tent set up in the Maple Grove. Chelsey and the team at Elm Bank were fantastic to work with, helping us answer any questions and coordinating any onsite needs in the weeks leading up to our wedding. While there were a lot of components to facilitate a fully outdoor wedding (tent, generator, mandap, etc.), Elm Bank was great to work with and excited to help us design our wedding exactly how we wanted it. We couldn't be happier with how awesome our wedding at Elm Bank was!

Lisa Cunic

This place is absolutely amazing and I love all the events they put together to make it an enjoyable experience for everyone and the weddings they help people put together and make their special dreams come true! The employees here truly care about the people that pass through. I love the festival of trees and the trains! Definitely a place worth spending time at if you can!

Paul Nakazawa

Beautiful gardens with accessible paths and ample seating —- appropriate for all ages and families. The gardens are part of the much larger Elm Bank Reservation complex that also includes a hiking trail, sports fields and other recreational areas. Indoor bathrooms on site in one of the buildings. Convenient parking and overflow lot.

Leigha Charboneau

Our wedding at Elm Bank was a dream! Absolutely perfect venue. It helped that we had perfect weather, but Chelsey and our caterer William walked us through the rain plan, and they were prepared to make it as beautiful as possible. We had our ceremony at the Italianate Garden, cocktail hour through the Bressingham Garden, and our reception in the Hunnewell building and attached tent. Everything was breathtakingly gorgeous. Although Elm Bank doesn’t have a day of coordinator, Chelsey was so helpful during the planning process. She coordinated with our vendors during the weeks leading up to the wedding and answered questions when they came up. I do recommend hiring a day of coordinator to help with the flow of the event day. Elm Bank is a truly unique and perfect venue! We highly recommend it!

Lauren and AJ Grignaffini-Morris

I have several connections to this organization. I can honestly say that the land itself is amazing but the wrong people have their hands on it. Generations of children have been sledding at the big hill at Elm Bank all for them to shut it down and put an absolute eye sore of a fence up. Without going into too much detail, I have seen the way the administration and board members have treated children and women, specifically, black women. It's not good. The community is not going to pay to pay to bring their families somewhere where they are not wanted.

Bryan Cunic

A Truly Enchanting Experience at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society

Visiting the Massachusetts Horticultural Society’s Garden at Elm Bank in Wellesley was nothing short of magical. From the moment I stepped onto the 36-acre property, I was transported into a world of breathtaking beauty and horticultural excellence.

Every corner of this garden is meticulously curated, offering a stunning display of seasonal blooms, unique plant collections, and thoughtfully designed spaces. The Bressingham Garden is a masterpiece of color and texture, while the Italianate Garden feels like stepping into a European estate with its elegant symmetry and classic charm.

Weezie’s Garden for Children is an absolute gem! Watching children explore the interactive features, splash in the water elements, and learn about plants in such an engaging way was heartwarming. It’s clear that this space was designed with families in mind, and it brings a joyful energy to the entire experience.

What truly sets Elm Bank apart is the sense of peace and connection to nature it fosters. Whether strolling along the shaded paths, admiring the whimsical Fairy Garden, or sitting by the serene Charles River, I felt a deep sense of calm and inspiration.

The staff and volunteers deserve special mention for their dedication and knowledge. Every interaction was warm and welcoming, and I left with a newfound appreciation for the role horticulture plays in our lives.

For anyone looking for a place to relax, learn, and immerse themselves in the beauty of nature, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society is a must-visit. It’s not just a garden—it’s an experience that stays with you long after you leave. I can’t wait to return!

Emily Paisner

Elm Bank had everything we could have dreamed of for our Aug. 2018 wedding -- beautiful outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour locations in various gardens, so many options for taking amazing photos, air conditioned indoor reception area, and friendly, helpful staff (thanks to Kayleigh and Mary Kate). There are liquor laws and noise requirements in various MA counties, and Elm Bank allowed us the most flexibility so we could have the ceremony at 5pm and dance till 11pm. They book up a year in advance, so we chose a Friday evening, which saved us money over a weekend. They were very informative and flexible to tour from the beginning, and responsiveness picked up as we got closer to the date (I'm a project manager by trade, so I like to do everything early and have lots of questions -- a year out sometimes communication could lag, but a month or two before the event they were super quick to respond and full focus was on us!). They were very flexible whenever we needed to check on things for staging tables/chairs, lighting, music, photos, etc. and recommended vendors as well as coordinated directly with them for several requests; they even put us in touch with the other couples having Saturday and Sunday events to coordinate with their vendors for discounts (so they didn't have to take down/set up different things) -- since they had a relationship with our caterer, Tastings, who also did decor, this was clutch! They were accommodating for special requests and were very visible the day of so we could easily find them if we needed anything. In particular, they helped keep our secret reveal during the reception that I was 10 weeks pregnant! They helped conceal with sparkling cider instead of champagne for me, etc. They didn't rush us out at the end of the evening and conveniently pre-packed up decorations, gifts, etc. so there was minimal work to be done when we finally cut the music. The only snafu we had was the chair arrangement for the ceremony wasn't exactly how we requested it, which the groom noticed and helped rearrange before many guests had arrived (such a small thing though in comparison to all of the amazing things this venue has going for it). I'd definitely recommend and would love to use them again for future events!