Welcome to a little bit of paradise in the heart of Acton Center
While we develop our site, here's a short introduction to the Acton Arboretum and Friends. The Acton Arboretum is situated on 64 acres of town conservation land amidst gardens, former apple orchards, meadows, woods, and wetlands in the heart of Town Center, Acton, Massachusetts. The beauty of the butterfly garden, shown here at the height of summer, draws butterflies and visitors alike and is only one of several gardens near the Arboretum's main Taylor Road entrance that both inform and delight. Our daylily, hosta, herb, wildflower, and rhododendron gardens are equally spectacular and dot the more developed landscape of the Upper Grounds among a fine collection of specimen trees and shrubs. From the main entrance of the Arboretum and parking area off Taylor Road at Main Street (Route 27), a well-groomed universal access trail through the more developed Upper Grounds of the Arboretum leads visitors first along a swale that borders the lawn area. The swale's banks are lushly planted with roses, irises, and fragrant shrubs. A picturesque footbridge spanning the swale leads to our daylily and hosta gardens. The universal trail continues along the butterfly garden pictured above and to the herb garden planted with herbs that were commonly used in colonial times. In the spring, visitors can also enjoy the delicate beauty of the wildflower and rhododendron gardens. To inform our visitors, specimen trees and shrubs and many plant varieties suitable for the home garden are clearly labeled with common and botanical names through a gift from the Friends of the Acton Arboretum. The Friends have also given generously to the Town for the construction of the universal access trail. A fragrance and sensory garden is a special destination still being developed along a new section of the universal access trail constructed in summer of 2007. New trail construction was funded by a grant from the Community Preservation Commission. Other donations to this project include benches from the Friends of the Acton Arboretum and a fragrant summer-blooming azalea collection and other fragrant trees and shrubs from Weston Nurseries. 
