• • VISIT

    The grounds are open year-round, sunrise to sunset. The Visitor Center and plant sales are open Memorial Day Weekend through Indigenous Peoples Day from 9:30am-4pm. The $5 admission may be paid in the Visitor Center or at the entrance kiosk after hours. Admission is free for members & children 12 and under. No dogs please.

  • SUPPORT THE ARBORETUM

    Help support our mission of plant research, education & conservation by becoming a member  or donating today.

  • PROGRAMS

    See our programs calendar for upcoming tours, talks, and classes.

  • Sign up for our email newsletter.

 

 

Welcome to the Polly Hill Arboretum

 

The Polly Hill Arboretum, a Martha’s Vineyard horticultural and botanical landmark, was developed by the legendary horticulturist, Polly Hill (1907-2007). Here in 1958, Polly began an arboretum by sowing a seed, eventually bringing 20 acres under cultivation while preserving 40 additional acres as native woodland. Established in 1998 as a nonprofit institution, the Arboretum is devoted to the cultivation and study of plants and the preservation of the character and magic of this tranquil landscape.

 

Rare trees and shrubs from around the world are set among stone walls, meadows, and fields, including Polly’s famous North Tisbury azaleas, the national stewartia collection, camellias, hollies, rhododendrons, crabapples, conifers, magnolias, and many more. The kousa dogwood allée, perennial border, monkey puzzle tree, and the Julian Hill magnolia are favorites with visitors.

 

Curatorial and Horticultural Internship Application period is open

 

 

 

The 9-month curatorial internship application deadline is January 15 and the 3-month summer horticultural internship deadline is January 31. Find the application instructions and information Get Involved: Internships.

 

 

 

Sale of Plants and Native Plugs will Resume in Spring 2025

The online native plant plug sale: stay tuned for spring and fall 2025 dates.

Landscape plugs, grown in narrow sleeves with a long 5″ root depth, are an economical way to add native plant diversity! With their small size, they will quickly establish in your garden. Dozens of native species will be available, sold as a set of 3 plugs for $15.99. PHA staff will pack your plugs and you may pick them up at the Visitor Center.  PHA members receive a 10% discount on plants and plugs.

The season-long plant sale will resume when the Visitor Center reopens for the season on Saturday, May 24 2025. We offer a specialty selection of perennials, shrubs and trees, many of which are Polly Hill introductions or Island native plants.

 

Art in the Arboretum Returns in 2025

Have you taken photographs, sketched a plant, or painted a vista at the Arboretum? We would like to share your unique artwork with visitors during the 2025 season. Seeing the landscape through someone else’s perspective is a fun way to experience this year-round destination. Find more information here. 

 

Email a photograph of the artwork for consideration to [email protected] by Jan. 31, 2025. Staff will help obtain high resolution photographs to be reprinted and displayed. Only replicas will be used. If your art is selected, you will be recognized in PHA member publication Meristems. An opening reception will take place for artists and visitors this spring, date TBD.

Virtually Engage with the PHA Plant Collection using Online Tools

Arboretum Explorer: Search for plants in the Arboretum’s collection, view plant locations on an interactive map, and see plant photographs in flower or fruit! This program is both desktop and mobile-friendly, allowing you to access information from your home or with a mobile device while touring the grounds. Plants can be found using the common or scientific name, plant family, country of origin, or location on the Arboretum grounds. Arboretum Explorer has the added benefit of drawing data directly from our collections database, so the information will always remain current. We are eager to hear visitor feedback on this new offering! Click here to open Arboretum Explorer

 

Stewartia StoryMap: We’ve created an interactive ArcGIS StoryMap on our Plant Collections Network nationally accredited stewartia collection! View the StoryMap here.

Staff Housing Initiative – Campaign Fundraising Complete!

 

 

After several years of thoughtful consideration and strategic planning toward solving our housing challenges, PHA completed two staff houses on campus, and  your support helped us meet this challenge! We are grateful for our members, supporters, and the Island community who are helping secure the future of the Polly Hill Arboretum.View the staff housing case statement   

Beech Leaf Disease (BLD)

 

This past May, arboretum staff discovered (BLD) Beech Leaf Disease in our collections and natural areas.

To read more about the disease click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proud Member of the APGA: