Located in Topsfield, Massachusetts, Rest-Stop-Ranch is a private sanctuary garden and arboretum dedicated to accessibility and respite for individuals and families experiencing the effects of long-term-care.  Situated on 4 acres remaining from a 1909 family summer camp built on originally 100 acres of woodland, the organization was founded in 2010 to support long-term caregivers and individuals with disabilities.  Access to the grounds by appointment allows guests privacy and a sense that the space is “reserved just for us.” Many have called the gardens “a unique oasis.” The heart of the property is a 0.5-mile fully wheelchair-accessible trail system that allows visitors of all mobility levels to intimately experience 3 manicured garden loops and 1 Forest Flowers Trail & Patio which overlooks a Lily Pond/fresh-water marsh eco-system.

The MargFMac Front Garden Loop offers seven distinct horticultural areas found in many estate gardens, including a Koi Pond, Cut Flower Garden, Kitchen Garden, Orchard Avenue, Ornamental Trees & Shrubs, Raspberry Patch, and Cedar Grove & Tunnel.  Highlights in the The Secret Garden Loop are a wheelchair-accessible treehouse and fairy garden.  The Cottage Garden brings guests to an indoor Caretaker’s Cottage, formerly an early 20th century carriage house.  Planted throughout the three loops and woodland trail is a significant collection of over 70 lilac varieties maintained in coordination with the International Lilac Society.  Over 100 rose varieties are also enjoyed within a foot of the trail, so “every nose may smell a rose!”

The arboretum stewardship focuses on both native preservation and cultivated collections. The grounds feature over 50 varieties of trees and shrubs, including a “Orchard Avenue” planted with apple (Malus domestica), pear, and peach trees, and Native species such as Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus), Eastern Hemlock, and Oak form the canopy of the surrounding forest. In addition to serving as a refuge for local wildlife, Rest-Stop-Ranch hosts the nation’s first outdoor “Memory Café,” providing a safe, restorative connection to nature for those living with memory loss.