I feel like it’s been a long time since I’ve added to the field trip category of this blog. Being busy on the farm most of the year doesn’t allow much travel time. However, this past week, we took a much-needed family vacation, and I was able to sneak in a long-awaited trip to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. I’ve wanted to visit these gardens for nearly sixteen years and finally got the chance last week. So, in this week’s blog post, I’d love to share my experience at these beautiful gardens with all of you.
The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens opened officially in 2007 in Boothbay, Maine, after 16 years of planning. The largest botanical garden in New England, it includes just over 300 acres, 17 of which are gardens that feature native plants of Maine and other plants suited to the area and nearly a mile of tidal saltwater frontage. They aim to “inspire meaningful connections among people, plants, and nature through horticulture, education, and research.” And their commitment to inspiring learning about habitats, botany, horticulture, ecological connections, and natural history is apparent from the moment you step onto the property. More than 200,000 guests visit the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens each year, and finally, I got to be one of them!
There are many key features of the property, including a Native Butterfly and Moth House, Dahlia Garden, Learning Apiary and Native Bee Exhibit, Lerner Garden of the Five Senses, Slater Forest Pond, Burpee Kitchen Garden, Children’s Garden, Fairy House Village, and wooded trails leading to the Vayo Meditation Garden and Haney Hillside Garden and more. There was so much to see!
We started at the Native Butterfly and Moth House, where we were treated to sightings of several native butterflies. Knowledgeable volunteers explained which species we were seeing and which behaviors they were displaying. I had been in butterfly houses before, but what set this one apart was that it wasn’t a typical greenhouse structure but rather a 2,160 square-foot Gothic-style hoop house covered in shade screening. Because they were only raising native species, they could keep an open-air feel to the house without concern for needing warmer temperatures for non-native species. The plantings within support the entire life cycle of the moths and butterflies. Species included mourning cloaks, American ladies, red admirals, black swallowtails, painted ladies, and monarch butterflies. Moths included Polyphemus, Luna, and Cecropia.
The next stop was the Children’s Garden encompassing two acres of ponds, woods, and themed gardens inspired by Maine author’s children’s books. I embraced my inner child as I rounded each corner. My favorite highlights were the Peter Rabbit Garden and greenhouse, the green-roof playhouses, the pond with steppingstones, and a darling little bridge.
On our way to the wooded trail gardens, we passed the Native Bee Exhibit and Learning Apiary, Lerner Garden of the Five Senses, which encourages guests to immerse all their senses into the garden, and the Burpee Kitchen Garden which provides fresh produce and herbs for their Kitchen Garden Café.
Believe it or not, after seeing these fantastic gardens, my favorite aspects of the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens were yet to come. They were discovered within the woods surrounding the property. Shady trails offered relief from the afternoon heat as we meandered down paths through woodland gardens filled with ponds and waterfalls. A fairy village offers children natural materials from the forest floor to build whimsical fairy houses. I loved seeing the creativity in all the houses children had constructed next to trees and rocks. You could almost imagine the fairies coming out at night to play among the buildings.
But perhaps fairies aren’t the only inhabitants of these woods! For around another corner, we discovered trolls! To be exact, artist Thomas Dambo, a resident of Denmark, created five trolls. Part of an exhibit entitled ‘Guardians of the Seeds’, these trolls educate guests about the importance of saving seeds and planting more trees, reducing and reusing, and being a steward for our environment. Each troll was created from recycled wood pallets and natural garden materials (such as pruned branches). They were built on-site in 2021 and took around two months to complete. When they deteriorate, the screws will be removed, and the natural materials will be recycled back to the earth, an important stipulation by the artist, a self-labeled “recycle art activist.”
To find all the trolls, you had to go on a bit of a treasure hunt quest through the woods, making the adventure even more enjoyable. They fit into the environment seamlessly as if they were meant to be there and, indeed, were inhabitants of the forest. The sheer scale of the sculptures was awe-inspiring. They were life-size, or at least what you’d imagine the size of a troll to be. The Guardians of the Seeds exhibit is one experience I will not soon forget.
Of course, a trip to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens wouldn’t be complete without a trip to their wonderful gift shop before heading home. You can find books, t-shirts, jewelry, toys, garden tools, supplies, plenty of educational materials, and so much more. I spent much time in the shop and left happily with a large bag of gifts, feeling good about supporting the vital work that the Gardens do.
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. I was impressed with every aspect of the Gardens. Of course, I was in awe of the beautiful gardens, filled with native plants and planted with such attention to detail. But, I was even more impressed with their mission to promote education, be environmentally conscious, and create a place that is inviting to all people and wildlife. Every inch of the property upheld those missions, making my heart happy. And, everywhere I looked, I saw pollinators happily whistling while they worked. So, is the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens worth taking a field trip to if you’re in the area? One hundred percent yes!
THISTLE BE THE DAY 