Tower Hill Director to Receive National Recognition

BOYLSTON, Mass. - The National Garden Club (NGC) has announced the prestigious 2009 Award of Excellence will be presented to Tower Hill Botanic Garden Executive Director, John W. Trexler on Saturday, May 16 at their Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas.

The Award of Excellence is NGC's highest award, presented to a non-member of NGC and sponsored by a State Federation. A medallion may be awarded for a significant contribution toward the advancement of goals and purposes of NGC. Mr. Trexler was nominated by the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts.

The application for the award noted that "Mr. Trexler has the gift to imagine and then to make it happen. He has worked well with a community that had the same goals. As the Master Plan continues to come to life, the existing buildings and gardens are excellently maintained. They are the venue for a rich educational community. The plant societies, the garden clubs and other horticultural groups find a place to hold meetings and exhibitions, classes and parties."

National Garden Clubs (NGC) is a not-for-profit educational organization with its headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. It is composed of 50 State Garden Clubs and the National Capital Area, 6,218 member garden clubs and 198,595 members. In addition, NGC proudly recognizes 447 International Affiliates from Canada to Mexico and South America, from Bermuda to South Africa, Australia and Japan, as well as 149 National Affiliates within the United States.

Founded in 1929, the mission of National Garden Clubs, Inc. is "to provide education, resources and national networking opportunities for its members to promote the love of gardening, floral design, and civic and environmental responsibility."

The Worcester County Horticultural Society was incorporated in 1842 "for the purpose of advancing the science and encouraging and improving the practice of horticulture."

John W. Trexler has served as Executive Director of the Worcester County Horticultural Society, which owns and operates Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, Massachusetts, for more than 25 years. Trexler was instrumental in the original development of the Garden's Master Plan, which was created after the Society purchased more than 130 acres of land in Boylston on April 1, 1986. Under Trexler's leadership, the Society has seen substantial growth in all metrics: membership, gifts, earned income, attendance, educational outreach, and of course the ongoing development of the Garden which now includes several distinctive garden spaces, an Education and Visitors Center, an Orangerie, a Wildlife Refuge Pond, and more. The Garden has become a regional horticultural mecca for plant societies and all persons interested in gardening.

Tower Hill Botanic Garden is located at 11 French Drive in Boylston, exit 24 off route I-290. For more information, call (508) 869-6111 or sign on to www.towerhillbg.org.