Nothing beats Spring in Massachusetts. 60-70 degrees, pretty blooms, and gorgeous sunsets…yes, please! The Acton Arboretum located in Acton, Massachusetts is a great place to enjoy the sunshine and take in nature’s beauty. It also happens to be one of my favorite spots to take maternity photos.

Acton Arboretum: The Perfect Spring Setting for Photos

The Acton Arboretum is situated on 65 acres of conservation land and is open to the public, free of charge, from sunrise to sunset. Located at 2 Taylor Road, Acton, Massachusetts. Parking is available at the Arboretum’s main entrance and much of the area adjacent to the parking lot is handicapped-accessible. The Acton Arboretum boasts a trail system through open meadows, beside woodland ponds and highlighting a variety of beautifully maintained gardens.

Upper Grounds

This vast area is often thought of as just the main lawn, but it also features many popular features from the Butterfly Garden to the Rhododendron Garden. Wooden benches are staggered every 200 feet along the stone dust trail and picnic tables dot the sprawling lawn. The Upper Grounds have the largest collection of specimen trees in the Arboretum and are beautiful 365 days a year.

Rock Garden

This garden, located across the main lawn, was designed around a large, naturally occurring granite ledge. Patio stones and boulders provide surfaces for visitors to walk and rest as they admire the unique plantings in this area.

Fragrance Garden

The Fragrance Garden is a perennial favorite. In the Spring and Summer, visitors are encouraged to relax on the benches or sprawl out on the small lawn and treat themselves to a little aromatherapy. A bed of white, magenta, and yellow peonies leads into a spectrum of lilacs and a row of hyacinths sprouts along the stonewall.

Guidelines For Professional Photography at the Acton Arboretum

There is no official photography policy as of Spring 2024, but the following guidelines have been suggested: To allow access for all, it is requested that a photographer not overtake an area to the exclusion of others for an extended period of time. To minimize impact it is requested that photographers abide by the following: Schedule only one client per day, take no more than one hour in any one location, do not allow clients to change clothes on the premises, avoid standing in gardens, do not allow tree climbing, and do not use obtrusive lighting equipment or props. Most importantly, be mindful of other visitors’ rights to enjoy the natural landscape.

Looking For A Massachusetts Maternity Photographer?

Are you on the hunt for a photographer to help you document this season of life? I believe in taking care of every detail of the portrait experience so YOU don’t have to. Review My Portfolio and if you can see yourselves in images like these, I’d love to connect: Send Me A Message.

more reads from the blog

• Casual Maternity Clothes for Every Occasion
• Where to Shop for Boston Maternity Clothes
• Don’t Skip Maternity Photos…Here’s Why
• Minneapolis Photography Studio

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed my “Spring Maternity Photos at the Acton Arboretum” feature.

Molly Katherine is a newborn photographer serving families in Boston and MetroWest MA. Molly provides a full-service experience ideal for busy Boston moms and their modern families. With a curated wardrobe, light-filled studio space and custom heirloom artwork design, Molly serves her clients well every step of the way. If you are drawn to simplistic, connection-filled images and are searching for a Boston maternity or newborn photographer, we may be a great fit.

I’d love to connect and share more about my process with you! To reserve your 2024 maternity, newborn or family portraits, visit Molly Katherine Photography or send an email to mollykatherinephotography@gmail.com.

Follow along on Instagram and let’s be friends!