View the 8-acre garden of native and imported plants, created by Virginia and Bill Thurston out of a wooded hillside over 40 years. Virginia was a past president of the Garden Federation of Massachusetts and a master of scale, textures, and color. While much of the garden is mature plantings of trees and shrubs, there should also be a good display in the iris and peony garden. When Virginia died of breast cancer, her husband donated two acres with a small cottage to start the Virginia Thurston Healing Garden in 2000, to promote the counseling and other integrated care that made a positive impact in Virginia’s experience of cancer. After the tour, the center’s horticultural therapist speaks about horticultural therapy. Bring a brown bag lunch to enjoy in the garden or at the center.