Long before she was a patron of the arts, Isabella loved to garden. She was fascinated with the co-mingling of art and horticulture, and extended her unique curatorial approach to plants and flowers. This passion influenced her decision to build her Museum along Boston’s Emerald Necklace, and would later inspire architect Renzo Piano to design the New Wing to be in conversation with the Museum's gardens.
Isabella’s Museum would not be what it is without the Courtyard. The most iconic view of the Gardner since it opened, the Courtyard has long been a source of wonder and fascination for visitors. In it, seasonal displays—some of which have roots back to Isabella’s time—of diverse plants, from tropicals to perennials native to the Boston area that couldn't live together in the same outdoor climate, complement stunning architecture. However, the plants on view represent only a fraction of the Museum’s Living Collection. Few of the species on display can live forever in the Courtyard; most are grown at our offsite greenhouses and nursery and are trucked to the Palace in weekly and seasonal rotations. The Museum’s Horticulture team works tirelessly to nurture the plants both on and off display to create their own work of art at the very heart of the Gardner.
Offsite Nursery
Learn about our offsite nursery where our Horticultural team care for and grow the plants that are part of the Museum's Living Collection.
External Gardens
When Renzo Piano designed the New Wing, he created views of the external gardens through the glass walls of the building. The result is a visual connection between the Museum and the Monk’s Garden, the Jordan Garden, and the Lynch Garden, extending to the green spaces that link the Museum to the adjacent Evans Way Park. Click below to learn more about our External Gardens.