Our Vision
Imagine a Spring a few years from now when our beautiful garden has been restored. The Fountain fills the air with the gentle sound of water as it courses down from the upper to the lower pool, over the ripple and into the reflecting pool. The many planting beds have been restored – the trees and shrubs are healthy and trimmed to allow light to filter to the ground and nourish the lush ground covers. The air holds the scent of Cherry blossoms, and lilacs, as their delicate blooms shape the spaces between the trees. New trees have been planted in the center of the park – trees that will some day, once again, offer a wide and generous shade to visitors in the park. The walkways have been restored. Birches and evergreens frame the Menotomy Hunter who, in full possession of his bow, presides over the fountain and surrounding grounds. The garden looks as it once did, in the 30s, several years after the Olmsted brothers’ firm finished transforming the garden’s more Formal Sturgis design to the more intimate, natural feeling and curvilinear design the Robbins sisters desired. Mothers and kids are picnicking on the grass. There’s a Tai Chi class practicing in the shade. A library patron is lounging with a good book and a local artist is trying to capture the light and shade as they dance over the petals of a blossom filled branch. Later there might be a chamber music concert on the lawn, an afternoon wedding, a game of hide and seek.
That is our vision of the garden’s future and we need your help to create it. The Robbins sisters gave our community this beautiful garden. We want to restore it and continue their legacy for future generations. There are several ways that you can help.
Join the Friends
Your annual contributions will enable us to hire the needed historic landscapers, purchase and install the appropriate plants. Once all the repairs and restorations are complete, membership dues and other donations will help fund an endowment that will ensure ongoing maintenance of the garden.
All contributions are tax-deductible and eligible for most company matching grants. Our MA Tax exempt # is 47-4506704. Just email or send us your company form and thank you
Membership
Membership is $60 annually and runs from April 1 through March 31.
Additional Gift
Gift in memory or in honor of
Find Your Passion – Become a Volunteer
Do you love gardening? Historic landscape restoration? Development? Event coordination? Membership, database or website management? Graphic or educational program design? Photography? Research? Writing? Come share what you love to do and make a difference with the Friends of the Robbins Town Gardens.
As a volunteer you can:
- Connect with other garden enthusiasts and grow your gardening expertise.
- Share in the excitement of helping revitalize Arlington’s beautiful historic garden.
- Learn about the history of the Garden, about historic landscape preservation, and about the Robbins family.
If you would like to be added to our email list, please send us your email address.
And be sure to add us to your contacts so our emails won’t go to spam.