Form 990 for tax year 2022

Totals

Total revenue

$3,262,347

Total expenses

$2,726,728

Contributions and grants received

$1,341,785

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$1,286,903

Investment income

$29,321

Other revenue

$604,338

Total assets, end of year

$7,022,258

Total liabilities, end of year

$810,973

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$6,211,285

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$2,037,472

Management and general expenses

$469,594

Fundraising expenses

$219,662

Program service expenses (Part III)

$2,037,472

Program services were 74.7% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2022

• THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK:MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY (MHS) IS LOCATED ON 36 ACRES IN THE HISTORIC ELM BANK RESERVATION. ELM BANK IS ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES FOR ITS MANOR HOUSE, DESIGNED BY CARRERE AND HASTINGS, THE ARCHITECTS WHO DESIGNED THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY; ITS ORIGINAL OWNER, BENJAMIN CHENEY, ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF AMERICAN EXPRESS; AND THE LANDSCAPES CREATED BY THE OLMSTED BROTHERS FIRM IN THE EARLY 1900S.WITH 17 ACRES UNDER CULTIVATION, THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK OFFERS ADULTS AND CHILDREN FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE, ENJOY AND LEARN ABOUT PLANTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THERE ARE A WIDE VARIETY OF DISTINCT GARDEN AREAS INCLUDING THE HISTORIC ITALIANATE GARDEN DESIGNED BY THE OLMSTED BROTHERS, THE NEW ENGLAND TRIAL GARDEN THAT TESTS PLANT VARIETIES FOR HARDINESS IN OUR ZONE, THE WHIMSICAL WEEZIE'S GARDEN FOR CHILDREN, AND BRESSINGHAM GARDEN, WHICH DEMONSTRATES PERENNIAL PLANTS FOR THE NEW ENGLAND GARDEN, DESIGNED BY ADRIAN BLOOM.MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY IS OPEN YEAR-ROUND FOR CLASSES, WORKSHOPS AND SYMPOSIA HELD IN THE EDUCATION BUILDING, THE HUNNEWELL CARRIAGE HOUSE, AND THE PUTNAM BUILDING WITH WET LAB. THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK IS OPEN FOR GARDEN VISITORS, APRIL THROUGH DECEMBER, 5-7 DAYS A WEEK, FROM 10 A.M. TO 7 P. M. MEMBERS ENTER WITHOUT CHARGE AND OTHER GUESTS PAY ADMISSION.THE GARDEN FUNCTIONS AS THE PROGRAMMATIC FOUNDATION FOR ALL OTHER PROGRAMS OF MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. IN SEEKING TO HELP PEOPLE LIVE BETTER, HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER LIVES IN COMMUNITY, WE BOTH MODEL THIS IN THE GARDEN OURSELVES AND PROVIDE THE PRACTICAL CLASSROOM FOR THESE ACTIVITIES. OUR PROGRAMS ARE ACTIVATED BOTH THROUGH THE BEAUTIFUL 'COMPLETED' GARDEN AREAS, AND THROUGH THE ONGOING AND OFTEN LESS BEAUTIFUL PROCESS OF GARDEN DEVELOPMENT. NOTABLY, MHS IS CURRENTLY UNDERTAKING A LONG-TERM RESTORATION OF THE HISTORIC OLMSTED BROS DESIGNED TEMPLE GARDEN AREA.GARDEN EVENTS:THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK PROVIDES AN EVENT VENUE THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE BEAUTIFUL GARDENS AND HORTICULTURAL WONDERS OF THE UNIQUE SETTING. WITH A FOCUS ON THE OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE OF THE GARDEN, MHS SEEKS TO PROMOTE THE ROLE OF HORTICULTURE IN CREATING AND ENHANCING LIFE'S MOST IMPORTANT MEMORIES. OVER 24,000 GUESTS ARE INTRODUCED TO THE GARDENS IN THIS WAY AND RENTALS OF FACILITIES AND GROUNDS ALSO DIRECTLY FUND THE MAINTENANCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE GARDEN AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.HORTICULTURAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL EDUCATION:ADULT EDUCATION: ADULT EDUCATION INCLUDES A COMPREHENSIVE CATALOG OF HORTICULTURAL, GARDENING AND ENVIRONMENTAL LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS TO EDUCATE ADULTS, SUCH AS YEAR-ROUND CLASSES IN HORTICULTURE, LANDSCAPE DESIGN, AND BOTANY TO NAME A FEW, FOR THE NOVICE TO EXPERT PRACTITIONER. A PROGRAM OF GARDEN TOURS BOTH IN MHS GARDENS AND OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE GARDENS IS HOSTED AND EXTENSIVE VOLUNTEER GARDENING TRAINING IS DELIVERED. IN SPRING 2023, MHS TOOK OVER LEADERSHIP OF THE FORMER WELLESLEY COLLEGE BOTANIC GARDEN CERTIFICATE IN BOTANICAL ILLUSTRATION AND THIS FORMS A LARGE AND GROWING COMPONENT OF ACCREDITED EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS RECOGNIZED AT A NATIONAL LEVEL.YOUTH EDUCATION: MHS'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH FOCUS ON THE SCIENCE OF GROWING PLANTS, HEALTHY NUTRITION, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THE PLANTMOBILE IS A TRAVELING PLANT SCIENCE WORKSHOP THAT PROVIDES EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN IN GRADES K-8. A MEMBER OF MHS EDUCATIONAL STAFF WILL COME TO YOUR CLASSROOM TO PRESENT EACH PROGRAM. OUR EMPHASIS IS ON HANDS-ON INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP ACTIVITIES. OUR PROGRAM IS BASED ON THE MASSACHUSETTS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FRAMEWORKS, STEM. EACH WORKSHOP IS DESIGNED TO DELIVER A POSITIVE AND UNIQUE LEARNING EXPERIENCE TO STUDENTS. ADDITIONALLY, PROGRAMMING FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AT MHS TAKES PLACE DURING THE SEASON IN WEEZIE'S GARDEN FOR CHILDREN.LIBRARY:MHS'S HORTICULTURAL LIBRARY IS THE OLDEST HORTICULTURAL LIBRARY IN THE COUNTRY AND IS RENOWNED FOR ITS COLLECTION OF BOOKS RELATED TO EARLY AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN. THE CIRCULATING LIBRARY IS COMPRISED OF OVER 20,000 BOOKS AND 5,000 RARE BOOKS AND A MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION STORED OFFSITE WITH THE WILLIAM B. MEYER COMPANY.MHS HAS AN ONGOING PROGRAM OF DIGITIZATION, INCLUDING ITS COLLECTION OF EDWIN HALE LINCOLN PLANT PHOTOGRAPHY PLATES, MAKING THEM AVAILABLE ONLINE TO STUDENTS, SCHOLARS, WRITERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. VISITING THE DIGITAL COMMONWEALTH SITE, ONE CAN FIND THE LINCOLN COLLECTION, AS WELL AS OUR COLLECTION OF BOTANICAL PRINTS DATING FROM 1620 TO 1969. UPDATING CATALOGS AND SEARCH TOOLS ARE A PRIMARY FOCUS OF OUR WORK AS WE SEEK TO MAKE THE COLLECTION ACCESSIBLE TO SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS GLOBALLY.MEMBERSHIP:MEMBERSHIP IN MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY PROVIDES ACCESS TO INFORMATION, LEARNING AND HORTICULTURAL EXPERIENCES, WHILE SUPPORTING AMERICA'S OLDEST HORTICULTURAL INSTITUTION. MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS INCLUDE FREE ADMISSION TO THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK, AS WELL AS A MONTHLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER, THE LEAFLET, BORROWING PRIVILEGES AT OUR CIRCULATING LIBRARY, DISCOUNTS TO OUR HORTICULTURAL LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS, NURSERY CERTIFICATES, FREE/DISCOUNTED ADMISSION TO GARDENS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY RECIPROCAL PROGRAM, AND DISCOUNTS AT OVER SEVENTY OF OUR GREEN PARTNER NURSERIES.HONORARY MEDALS HORTICULTURAL AWARDS:AT THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY, MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY BEGAN THE PRACTICE OF CONFERRING HONORARY MEDALS ON THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONS IT REGARDED AS IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTORS TO THE ART AND SCIENCE OF HORTICULTURE. THIS 120-YEAR-OLD TRADITION HONORS EXCELLENCE IN HORTICULTURE. OVER TEN AWARDEES RECEIVED VARIOUS MEDALS: GEORGE ROBERT WHITE MEDAL OF HONOR, JACKSON DAWSON MEMORIAL AWARD, THOMAS ROLAND MEDAL, AND GOLD AND SILVER MEDALS. THE KEYNOTE LECTURE IN 2023 WAS BY THE THOMAS ROLAND MEDAL HONOREE TONY KIRKHAM, MBE, VMH, FORMERLY OF KEW GARDENS, LONDON, UK.FESTIVAL OF TREES:MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S FESTIVAL OF TREES IS NOT ONLY AN IMPORTANT FUNDRAISER, IT IS THE MOST FESTIVE OCCASION AT THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK. STARTING THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING, WE DISPLAY OVER 60 BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED TREES, WHICH ARE RAFFLED OFF AT THE END OF THE FESTIVAL. DURING THE FESTIVAL, VISITORS PURCHASE TICKETS FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THE TREE(S) OF THEIR CHOICE. IT'S FUN, AND FOR MANY IT HAS BECOME A FAMILY TRADITION. WHILE THE BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED TREES ARE THE CENTERPIECE OF THE EVENT, THE FESTIVAL OF TREES ALSO INCLUDES GARDEN LIGHTS, THE SNOW VILLAGE MODEL RAILROAD DISPLAY, AND A FIRE PIT WITH S'MORES. OVER 14,500 GUESTS VISIT THE FESTIVAL ANNUALLY.

  Expenses $2,037,472 · Revenue $1,348,064

As filed on the 2022 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2022

Filed

13 August 2024

IRS schema version

2022v5.0

Source object

202402269349301410

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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