Our History

The Garden is a small and lovely garden, taking up .35 of an acre along of the banks of the Charles. The garden is public space, owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, under the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

The Herter Garden is next to the Herter Center which was established in 1959 and named after the former governor of Massachusetts. Herter’s daughter, Adele Seronde, President of the Christian Herter Center from 1973 – 1984, founded the garden as one of the community programs offered through the Herter Center. The Herter Garden was established in 1976 during the Revival Program when dozens of other community gardens popped up in order to “… take back the land”. It was started by people committed to community gardening.

1976, when the windmill was functional

The founder of the garden, Adele

The garden was saved!

In the fall of 2021 the members of Herter Garden, with assistance of Marty Dagoberto from NOFA/Mass (Northeast Organic Farming Association/MA), fought the DCR who threatened to “move” the garden. Herter Gardeners put up signs, informed the community, informed the media, met with officials and successfully convinced the DCR to leave the garden where it is.