The Wellesley College Botanic Gardens houses an amazingly diverse collection of plants representing over 1,500 different taxa from more than 150 different plant families. The Garden masterplan incorporates instinctive learning by visitors while integrating science based learning as it interfaces with the College’s ecological and environmental education. The Botanic Garden masterplan focuses this twenty-first century plan on resiliency and research in the impacts of increased storm surges with global warming on the plant collection.

The priority is on both the horticultural relationship between nature and culture as well as a collection of plants that highlight plant’s food value for native birds, insects and humans. The proposed gardens expand and introduce new garden typologies within the botanic collection. A series of existing and new greenhouses include the Margaret C. Ferguson Greenhouses focus on plant adaptation and ecological interactions amongst native species. Through an intensive community engagement process with Wellesley College, a new ecological approach emerged; one that redirects and celebrates stormwater runoff through passive capture methods that address current and future drainage and flooding issues.

This sustainable hydrological approach also significantly decreases the amount of potable water previously pumped into the Silver Thread and Paramecium Pond, reducing expenditures, energy use, and the College’s carbon footprint while also creating biodiverse habitats and an inclusive place for learning, discovery, and health and wellness.