Worcester Business Journal

Tower Hill timeline 1842 – Worcester County Horticultural Society is incorporated. 1983 – Trustees vote to establish a botanic garden. 1986 – Tower Hill Botanic Garden opens. 1990 – Lawn garden and Harrington Orchard dedicated at Tower Hill. 1994 – Stoddard Education and Visitors Center opens. 1999 – Orangerie, one of two conservatories, opens. 2000 – Public opening of the systematic garden. 2002 – Hope H. Spear Wildlife Refuge Pond, Temple of Peace and Moss Steps completed. 2010 – Opening of The Winter Garden and Limonaia, the second conservatory. 2015 – The Court: Garden Within Reach, a handicapped accessible feature, opens. Source: Tower Hill Botanic Garden The grounds at Tower Hill (above and left) will be joined by a $5-million planned children's garden and a larger orchard and conservatory, along with a bigger parking lot. way to learn." Christina Andreoli, the president of the tourism agency Discover Central Massachusetts, credited Tower Hill with making itself a unique destination as one of few botanical gardens or arboretums in the state. It has attracted visitors to its function space and through other programming including holiday lights in winter. "It becomes unique and something people are drawn to," Andreoli said. "That's a sign that they're doing it cor- rectly. They're doing it right." Among the Tower Hill members are Kate and Henry Blais of Charlton. The couple said they've been members for a few years, finding it a great place to get exercise with their 9-year-old son or look at some greenery even in winter inside the greenhouse-like conservato- ries. That Tower Hill also has a dense number of Pokemon Go characters for the mobile video game is a plus, Kate Blais said with a laugh. "It's a beautiful place to come," she said. "It becomes unique and something people are drawn to. That's a sign that they're doing it correctly. They're doing it right." Christina Andreoli president, Discover Central Massachusetts Grace Elton, the new CEO of Tower Hill Botanic Garden, was born into the role, so to speak, as her parents met while working together at Everglades National Park. wbjournal.com | June 12, 2017 | Worcester Business Journal 11 P H O T O S / E D D C O T E W

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