THE COURT: A GARDEN WITHIN REACH

Boylston, MA

Ryan Associates worked closely with the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill in Boylston, MA, to create a space where people of all abilities can engage directly with the botanical experience.

Thirteen plasma-cut corten steel screens form the ceremonial entrance to the garden. These screens, designed in collaboration with artist Laura Baring-Gould and illustrator Natalya Zahn, depict an abstraction of plant forms common to the Apiaceae (Umbellifer) family.

The primary organizational element in the garden is a serpentine sequence of raised planting beds. These beds contain plants that offer distinctive sensory experiences such as smell and texture. A continuous seat wall allows visitors to access the garden beds from a seated position while providing ample seating for other garden events. This planter also creates the backbone for a fully accessible walkway which allows for a graceful negotiation of the difference in elevation between the entrance to the Stoddard Center and the entrance to the 18th-century farmhouse which is 2’ higher.

Water plays an important role in the Garden by providing visual, auditory, and tactile experiences. Centrally located in the main planting bed, a stepped fountain creates movement and sound. Closer to the entrance, a 7’ diameter circular fountain invites visitors to interact directly with the water. Bronze sculptural pieces by artist Laura Baring-Gould evoke a New England pond ecosystem with lily pads, frogs, and turtles.

Additional garden features include a standing planting table, height adjustable hanging planters, a tactile planter designed for guests who are visually impaired, and a lush vertical garden wall filled with ornamental and edible plants.

The early conceptual design for the garden was created by wHY Architects in New York. Ryan Associates further developed and enhanced the design and carried the project from schematic design through construction.

Photos by: Ryan Associates & NEBG

2019 BSA Award of Excellence in Accessible Design