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Enjoy spring with Historic New England

Apr 1, 2023

From open spaces to special events, celebrate the season with us.

Take a stroll

Say hello to spring with a walk in one (or more) of our wonderful landscapes. We have formal gardens farmlands, wide open green spaces, shorelines and riverside retreats, and abutting forest trails. Get outside and enjoy some fresh air!

Looking for advice on spring chores at your house?

Early spring is a great time to assess your home and see how it fared during winter. Historic New England has resources to share for the care of your old or historic home.

Take a green-filled indoor tour

Lyman Estate Greenhouses

The greenhouses at the Lyman Estate in Waltham, Mass., are the perfect spot for that still-slightly-chilly spring day. Flowers and greenery, both historic and things you can buy for your own home or office, fill the space. The structures are among the oldest greenhouses in the county, dating from 1804 to 1930.

Stop by during our spring sales. Expert horticultural staff are on hand to provide advice on plant selection and care.

The greenhouses are open and selling plants Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Members get an extra bonus of 10% off all purchases.

Property spotlight

Visitors strolling through the grounds at Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm in Newbury, Mass., will notice a few relatively new features on the landscape.

The Bay Circuit Trail that runs through the property has a newly restructured section on the grounds that is just under one mile long – perfect for a family walk, dog walking (on a leash, please), and bird watching. From High Road, down along Little’s Lane, the trail passes the paddock section of the farm, goes though the agriculture fields, into the woods, and ends at the Parker River Wildlife Refuge.

The land at Spencer-Pierce-Little Farm

While you are on the property, please note the twenty beehives courtesy of The Best Bees Company. The hives house Italian honeybees and are vital pollinators on the farm. The company helped identify the best location to establish the beehives and works with us to care for them. We are letting some of our grassy areas grow long to support the honeybees and native pollinators. A nice extra benefit is that the honey harvested from the hives goes to the volunteers who work on the farm.

Our staff also support the work to safeguard the bees by growing a pollinator garden on the grounds. They are currently working with area schoolchildren to prep the garden by tilling the soil and planting the seeds.

Check our calendar for special programs and events throughout the season

Visit our Events page for continuously updated listings of special programs like the orchid sale, kite flying, and family food fun.

Happy Spring!