COPLEY PLACE, MALL AT CHESTNUT HILL AND ATRIUM MALL TEAM UP WITH MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY TO PROVIDE EXTENDED VENUES FOR SPRING FLOWER EXHIBIT “BLOOMS!”

Three malls provide added space for large-scale landscapes and garden exhibits from March 12 – 22, 2009; Mall at Chestnut Hill hosts an afternoon of “Florals & Tea” on Sunday, March 15th from 2-4 p.m.

BOSTON, MA (February 17, 2009) — Three of Boston’s favorite upscale shopping centers, Copley Place, Mall at Chestnut Hill and Atrium Mall, announced today a partnership with the Massachusetts Horticultural Society’s spring flower exhibit, “BLOOMS!”

As a departure from the traditional, large scale landscaping vignettes of other flower shows, BLOOMS! will more offer intimate displays, enhanced by the magnificent architecture of the lobbies of three financial district properties. The event will take place a t two office complexes and a hotel, all abutting the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. One International Place, 125 High Street, and the InterContinental Boston have all made their exceptional public spaces available for the show. For three days, March 13-15, 2009, they'll be filled with color and the scents of impending spring.

Simon Property Group malls, Copley Place, Mall at Chestnut Hill and Atrium Mall, have agreed to provide additional venues as an extension of “BLOOMS!” where the public is welcome to experience a variety of landscape and garden exhibits in common areas throughout the malls. These special satellite venues provide additional space for large-scale landscape and exceptional garden vignettes. Most of the large-scale exhibits will be displayed throughout the Mall at Chestnut Hill, with smaller flower displays at Copley Place and Atrium Mall.  The three malls will also allow “BLOOMS!” to extend its run to a total of eleven days, from March 12th through March 22nd.

On Sunday, March 15th, the Mall at Chestnut Hill will host a special event, “Florals & Tea,” from 2-4 p.m., where shoppers will be able to enjoy florals with a Sunday afternoon tea. Special tea stations will be set up throughout the exhibits, and the mall invites the public to peruse the flower and landscape displays while sipping a cup of tea.

“We are excited to partner with MassHort to promote their new exhibit and pleased to offer additional space for landscapers and gardeners looking to showcase large-scale designs,” said Debora Konig, Area Director of Mall Marketing for Copley Place, Mall at Chestnut Hill and Atrium Mall. “We all need a little reminder that Spring is on the way, and we encourage the public to visit “BLOOMS!” in the buildings adjacent to The Greenway as well as in our centers.” 

Flower and landscape exhibits will be on display at Simon properties beginning Thursday, March 12th through Sunday, March 22nd.  For more information, visit www.simon.com or www.masshort.org.

About “BLOOMS!”
“BLOOMS!” will be held in Boston March 12th-15th in the marble lobbies of International Place, 125 High Street and The InterContinental Boston, in the buildings abutting The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, “BLOOMS!” will introduce the public to this new Boston neighborhood. There will be no charge to visit these exhibits.

About the Massachusetts Horticultural Society
Founded in 1829, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society is dedicated to encouraging the science and practice of horticulture and developing the public's enjoyment, appreciation, and understanding of plants and the environment. In addition to its 8,000 members and headquarters at the 36-acre Elm Bank Horticulture Center, Mass Hort, known for its annual New England Spring Flower Show--the largest indoor event in New England and, after 136 years, the longest-running of its kind in the United States, will be presenting a new event “BLOOMS!”

About Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group, Inc. is an S&P 500 company and the largest public U.S. real estate company. Simon is a fully integrated real estate company which operates from five retail real estate platforms: regional malls, Premium Outlet Centers®, The Mills®, community/lifestyle centers and international properties. It currently owns or has an interest in 386 properties comprising 263 million square feet of gross leasable area in North America, Europe and Asia. The Company is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana and employs more than 5,000 people worldwide. Simon Property Group, Inc. is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol SPG. For further information, visit the Company's website at www.simon.com.

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Boston…January 30, 2009 – In the Boston tradition of celebrating the arrival of Spring the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, has created a new event, “BLOOMS!” From Friday, March 13 through Sunday March 15, 2009, accomplished flower designers and plant societies will present a spectacle of springtime collections of gorgeous arrangements in the impressive marble lobbies of Mass Hort’s Greenway Garden’s three abutting neighbors; One International Place, 125 High Street, and InterContinental Boston.

As a departure from the traditional, large scale landscaping vignette presentations of former flower shows, “BLOOMS!” will offer intimate displays for horticultural enthusiasts, enhanced by the magnificent architecture of these lobbies. According to Diane Valle, Chair of the event, “This visual abundance of flora, to be offered free to the public, celebrates the location, beauty and natural energy of Mass Hort Greenway Gardens, from The Moakley Bridge to South Station’s Dewey Square, part of The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway.

“We believe this complimentary, uplifting and entertaining event will allow city visitors and local Bostonians, who have not yet explored the area, an opportunity to discover the accessibility and vibrancy of the new Greenway Gardens and the evolving waterfront neighborhood,” says Tim Kirwan, General Manager, InterContinental Boston.

“BLOOMS!” plans also offer an educational lecture series including a talk by Roger Swain, former host of the Victory Garden and editor of Horticulture magazine; an extraordinary display of roses from around the world in tribute to the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway; children’s gardening activities; window boxes designed with unusual plants; a Master Gardener Information Booth, orchid and bonsai exhibits; as well as a “BLOOMS!” party.

The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, celebrates its 80th year of exhibiting at Mass Hort events, will showcase fifty “Boston Landmarks Standard Flower Show” designs. Mass Hort Amateur Designers will create floral interpretations of “Boston Neighborhoods.”

Everyone is invited to come enjoy, explore, and even plant a hellebore

When the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway is formally dedicated this coming Saturday, three parcels representing nearly five contiguous acres of gardens will stand out from the rest. They’re the ones created under the auspices of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society (MassHort) and what makes them unique is that, well, they’re a garden.

The Massachusetts Horticultural Society Greenway Gardens have been five months in the making, preceded by years of planning, design, and negotiation. More that three hundred volunteers, together with some of the premier names in New England landscaping and landscape design, teamed to create a world-class garden on the site. The Greenway Gardens incorporate twenty-one specimen trees and over 3,000 shrubs and plants.

On Saturday, October 4, everyone is welcome to come see the results of those volunteers and professionals in a day-long celebration. The three parcels developed by MassHort lie between South Station and the Evelyn Moakley Bridge (Seaport Blvd.). A visitor’s reception tent will be set up at South Station Plaza at Dewey Square, adjacent to South Station.  The Greenway Conservancy also has many other events scheduled and you can read about them on their website.

The master plan for the Greenway Gardens was developed by Craig Halvorson of the Halvorson Design Partnership in Boston. In commissioning the design for the Greenway Gardens, MassHort sought to create an oasis of color and relaxation in a sustainable setting. The result is a garden with four seasons of color interest; a welcoming environment with an organic lawn that is child- and pet-friendly. The paths are covered in stone dust and hardy perennials form the backbone of the plantings, augmented by containers and seasonal plantings.

“It is like no other part of the Greenway,” says Betsy Madsen, President of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. “It has trees, shrubs perennials and annuals, all arranged in eye-pleasing sweeps. The curves are designed to lead the eye into the site and invite visitors to explore and linger. MassHort’s Greenway Gardens overflow with color and life, and are a wonderful asset to both the city and the region.”

Implementing the Halvorson plan for the MassHort site required the donated services of multiple professional landscaping services, including Bartlett Tree Experts, Miskovsky Landscaping, New England Nurseries, and CMC Design. These firms’ work allowed the construction rubble left from the building of the I-93 tunnel to give way to the graceful curves and elevation changes that distinguish the MassHort Greenway Gardens.

“The site is deceptive,” says Joe Kunkel, past president of the Perennial Plant Association and Greenway Project Manager for MassHort, who has overseen the implementation of the Greenway Gardens for the Society. “We were presented with drainage problems arising from the simple fact that there’s a massive concrete structure under the garden with shallow, compacted subsoil. Without the expertise of the firms that volunteered their services, we could never have met our deadlines.”

The thousands of plants that form the garden were donated by fourteen wholesale and retail nurseries. Trees and larger shrubs were planted by professionals, but several hundred volunteers were responsible for the sweeps of plants that distinguish the Greenway Gardens.

“We had volunteers out in driving rainstorms and 40-degree weather, as well as in searing, mid-summer heat,” Mr. Kunkel says. “But, without their efforts, there would be no garden.”

One aspect – among many – of MassHort’s Greenway Garden that makes it unique is the incorporation of an organic lawn. MassHort teamed with the SafeLawns Foundation to install an all-organic lawn on the three parcels that encompass the Greenway Gardens. In addition to the installation, SafeLawns has generously volunteered to maintain the lawn on the Greenway Gardens for the next two years.

The SafeLawns Foundation’s participation is part of its ‘Million Acre Challenge’ which has a goal of removing pesticides and synthetic fertilizers from American lawns. This demonstration lawn is meant to show residents of Boston and surrounding communities how simple it is to go organic.

“More than half of the Greenway Gardens site is lawn, and is expected to be used for urban markets, performance spaces, horticultural and art installations, and other seasonal amenities,” Mr. Kunkel says. “We also already see hundreds of people enjoying the lawns during their lunch hours, many of them spreading blankets or just sitting on the grass. It’s nice to know that we’ve provided a pesticide-free oasis in the middle of the city.”

MassHort volunteers, including two dozen Master Gardeners, will be on hand to provide tours of the Greenway Gardens beginning at 11 a.m. Tours will last through the afternoon.

Visitors are also invited, in return for a donation to MassHort, to plant hellebores throughout the day. Gloves, trowels and watering cans will be provided, along with planting directions. Those hellebores will provide spring color in early 2009 and then every spring thereafter.

Children’s activities are also part of the day. These will be centered at a MassHort van which will be parked on site. Volunteers will offer both fun and educational programs on a continuing basis throughout the day.

MassHort, together with its volunteers and professional groups, has created the Greenway Gardens at no cost to the city or state. MassHort has also committed to maintaining and improving the site.

“The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway is a once-in-a-century opportunity to support the creation of new, green space in Boston,” says Diane Valle, MassHort Greenway Gardens Chair. “Ensuring our stewardship of our portion of the Greenway, the MassHort Greenway Gardens, will take volunteers. It will also take money. We actively seek the financial support of the surrounding businesses that have the visual enjoyment and daily use of these gardens. We also hope that individuals and families who enjoy what we have created will express their appreciation by joining MassHort and volunteering to be part of the continuing care and growth of the gardens.”

Directions

The MHS Gardens on the Greenway are on three parcels that begin at Dewey Square (just outside the South Station entrance). Please use the map below for reference.

The Board of Trustees of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society would like to announce a change in leadership and an S.O.S. – Save our Society appeal.

You may have read that we have had to make draconian cuts in our staff, and it seemed prudent to make changes at the Board level, as well. At the June 19, 2008 meeting of the Board of Trustees, Bill McDonough, President, and Elaine Fiske, Vice President, and Walter Pile, Treasurer, stepped down from their posts after many long and tireless years of service. Betsy Ridge Madsen was elected President, Bob Bartlett will continue as Vice President, Pat Tynan will continue as Secretary.

During Bill’s long tenure, our Gardens on the Greenway went from dream to reality. With Elaine’s careful shepherding, Weezie’s Garden was designed and built to become a Mecca for children of all ages. Last year Walter stepped in to fill a vacancy, returning to the Board on which he had previously served for many years. We are all grateful for their time, resources, and devotion to the Society. Bill, Elaine, and Walter will all remain on the Board under the new leadership.

We are launching an S.O.S. campaign: Save our Society. We seek to save the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, which was founded almost 180 years ago. We are reaching out to foundations, businesses, and individuals with the goal of putting the Massachusetts Horticultural Society back in the black and continuing our most fundamental programs including horticultural education, Master Gardeners and the Flower Show. We continue to hold our same mission:

Founded in 1829, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society is dedicated to encouraging the science and practice of horticulture and developing the public's enjoyment, appreciation, and understanding of plants and the environment.

We are building a new business plan, reviewing each and every department to make sure that we can stay solvent. For example, we are exploring ways to restructure the Flower Show so that it generates significant revenue for the Society. We have nearly completed our garden on the Greenway, five acres of beautiful horticulture in downtown Boston. We have met all the requirements for a 99-year lease at Elm Bank, adding value in the refurbishment of The Hunnewell Building which is available for events, the restoration of The Cottage for on-site residence, and the restoration of The Flora/Welcome Center, for welcome and sales. We have completed many garden installations, including the All America Selection Trial Gardens, Weezie's Garden, The Bressingham Garden, The Italianate Garden, The Goddess Garden, The James Crockett Memorial Garden, and the Society gardens. All these are done, so we do not anticipate many capital expenses going forward.

Many of you have already expressed your support through letters, gifts, and services. For these tangible signs, we are most grateful. If every one of us gives what he or she can in time, talent, and resources, we can Save our Society. Please become part of our effort.

Sincerely,

Betsy Ridge Madsen
President of the Board
Massachusetts Horticultural Society