Form 990 for tax year 2024

Totals

Total revenue

$3,199,868

Total expenses

$3,468,613

Contributions and grants received

$733,326

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$1,773,149

Investment income

$75,164

Other revenue

$618,229

Total assets, end of year

$6,797,971

Total liabilities, end of year

$817,383

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$5,980,588

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$2,463,114

Management and general expenses

$683,998

Fundraising expenses

$321,501

Program service expenses (Part III)

$2,463,114

Program services were 71.0% 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 · 2024

• 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 20 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, VISITATION AND EVENTS FROM APRIL THROUGH DECEMBER. ADMISSION FOR THE GARDEN AND EVENTS IS FREE OR DISCOUNTED FOR MEMBERS OF MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY AND AHS GARDEN NETWORK ORGANIZATIONS, AND IS FULL-PRICE FOR OTHER GUESTS. 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 BROTHERS 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. 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 ART AND 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. MHS GARDEN EDUCATORS VISIT CLASSROOMS WITH IMMERSIVE AND CURRICULUM-ALIGNED LESSONS FROM DIGGING DEEPER WITH DECOMPOSITION TO POLLINATION AND PLANT PARTS & FUNCTIONS. 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 SUCH AS LITTLE SPROUTS TAKES PLACE MONTHLY FROM APRIL - NOVEMBER 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.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 BI-MONTHLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER, THE LEAFLET, BORROWING PRIVILEGES AT OUR CIRCULATING LIBRARY, DISCOUNTS TO OUR HORTICULTURAL LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS, AND FREE/DISCOUNTED ADMISSION TO GARDENS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY GARDEN NETWORK RECIPROCAL PROGRAM.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 REGARDED AS IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTORS TO THE ART AND SCIENCE OF HORTICULTURE. THIS 121-YEAR-OLD TRADITION HONORS EXCELLENCE IN HORTICULTURE THROUGH AWARDING MEDALS: GEORGE ROBERT WHITE MEDAL OF HONOR, JACKSON DAWSON MEMORIAL REWARD, THOMAS ROLAND MEDAL, AND GOLD AND SILVER MEDALS. THE MOST RECENT KEYNOTE LECTURE IN 2024 WAS BY THE GEORGE ROBERT WHITE MEDAL OF HONOR AWARDEE DOUGLAS W. TALLAMY - T.A. BAKER PROFESSOR OF AGRICULTURE AT UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE AND AUTHOR OF NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING BOOKS. 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 70 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. THE FUNDRAISER WELCOMES AROUND 17,000 GUESTS TO THE FESTIVAL ANNUALLY.NEW ENGLAND FALL FLOWER SHOW (TM):THE NEW ENGLAND FLOWER SHOW HAS BEEN PART OF MHS'S NEARLY 200-YEAR-OLD HISTORY OF PRACTICING HORTICULTURE FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD. AFTER A 16-YEAR HIATUS, THE LONGTIME SPRING TRADITION WAS REVITALIZED AS A WEEKEND-LONG EVENT IN THE FALL, PRESENTED BY MHS AT THE GARDEN AT ELM BANK IN SEPTEMBER, WITH SUPPORT AND PARTICIPATION FROM A VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE, HUNDREDS OF AMATEUR GARDENERS AND DESIGNERS, VOLUNTEER JUDGES, DOZENS OF VENDORS, AND EDUCATIONAL SPEAKERS. A PREVIEW PARTY TAKES PLACE ON THE EVENING BEFORE THE EVENT TO UNVEIL THE JUDGES' AWARDED EXHIBITIONS AND CELEBRATE THE SEASON OF GROWTH.PICK-YOUR-OWN FLOWER FESTIVALS:AFTER LAUNCHING TULIP MANIA IN APRIL 2023 AND SUNFLOWER SPECTACULAR IN AUGUST 2024, THESE FLOWER FESTIVALS WELCOME OVER 10,000 GUESTS TO EXPERIENCE HANDS-ON HORTICULTURE IN OUR GROWING LOWER FIELD PROGRAMMING AREA. FEATURING OVER 75,000 TULIPS ACROSS THE TRIAL GARDEN DISPLAY AREA AND THE U-PICK FIELD, TULIP MANIA IS ONE OF THE CLOSEST TULIPFIELDS TO BOSTON AND HAS BECOME A BELOVED SPRINGTIME TRADITION FOR LOCAL FAMILIES AND CITY RESIDENTS ALIKE. SUNFLOWER SPECTACULAR TRANSFORMS THE LOWER FIELD INTO ENDLESS ROWS OF BLOOMING SUNFLOWERS AND DRAWS THOUSANDS OF VISITORS TO ENJOY ONE OF SUMMER'S MOST EYE-CATCHING BLOOMS BOTH ON A GRAND SCALE AND IN ONE'S HOME.

  Expenses $2,463,114 · Revenue $1,732,367

As filed on the 2024 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. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2024

Filed

11 August 2026

IRS schema version

2024v5.5

Source object

202642239349301424

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