Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Cordie Southall
Mon, 07/28/2014 - 4:15pm
From the Mountains to the Sea: A Juried Exhibit of Native New England Plants, Friday, Aug. 1 – Tuesday, Sept. 30 in the Bosarge Family Education Center. Come enjoy the intricate beauty of original botanical artworks depicting New England native plants, a juried exhibit of plant portraits from the New England Society of Botanical Artists. Courtesy of NESBA
Landscape designer, photographer and author Rick Darke will give an illustrated talk on August 12, 2 p.m. followed by an iced tea reception, book sale and signing for a new book he co-authored with Doug Tallamy, "The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden." Reservations required.

    Plan an outing to Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in August to experience the pinnacle of summer along coastal Maine. There are many ways to enjoy your visit, whether you prefer to walk, take a guided tour, or explore by water as part of a boat or sea kayak tour. There’s something for everyone and every age. Group tours are welcome too. Join a class, bring your child for garden activities, invite friends and family for lunch at the Kitchen Garden Cafe, and make sure you stop by the Gardens Gift Shop for unique Maine crafts and gift ideas. Visit www.mainegardens.org for more events and classes.

    Gardens Gift Shop Trunk Show

    Bring your sweet tooth to the Maine Artisan Chocolates Trunk Show August 1-8 at the Gardens Gift Shop featuring world-class gourmet confections from Black Dinah Chocolatiers of Isle au Haut and elegant, extraordinary, hand-dipped truffles by Dean’s Sweets of Portland.

    Art and nature

    Revel in the intricate relationship between flower and pollinator with a spectacular photographic display and engaging presentation “Pollinators in the Garden” by Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens Photo Club members August 5-September 30 in the Resource Room in the Visitor Center. Opening reception August 14, 5:30-7 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public. 

    Come enjoy art in the garden in “Pollinators,” a sculpture show curated by June LaCombe, now through September 30 with original works of 40 different New England artists. Her show demonstrates how sculpture can animate the land and celebrate place.

    Programs for adults

    Learn about Maine’s Seaside Wildflowers August 7, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. with CMBG’s Director of Education and Staff Botanist, Melissa Cullina, who will share her knowledge of natural history and folklore of familiar flowers. Botanizing along the shore is one of the coast’s great pleasures! On Friday August 8 Cornell horticulture professor and avid home gardener Dr. Mark Bridgen will be at the Gardens to talk about Deer Resistant Plants for the Home Garden. If you’re interested in improving your outdoor DSLR photography skills join Maine photography guru Rob Smith on August 5 or August 19, 8:30-9:30 a.m. to learn how to take your best shot. Your own equipment is required. Reservations required.

    By mid-August gardens come alive with butterflies! Would you like to learn how to attract these beautiful pollinators? Swallowtails, coppers, azures, mourning cloaks, painted ladies, admirals, fritillaries and monarchs are drawn to certain plantings you can add to your home or community gardens. learn how with Director of Horticulture Rodney Eason and Andy Brand of Connecticut Butterfly Association on August 15 in two classes: Growing a Butterfly Garden with Rodney Eason and Butterfly Garden Walk with Andy Brand. Reservations required and please bring a hat and water.

    Programs for children

    Buzz on over with your child to Pollinator Palooza on August 9 and Buzzy Buzzy Bees on August 12 for a morning of outdoor exploration, crafts and hands-on science activities at the Gardens. Recommended for ages 4-8, 10:00 a.m.–12 p.m. $10 members/ $12 nonmembers. Drop off and pick up in the Bosarge Family Education Center. Ever-popular parent-and-child Little Diggers Gardening and Nature Serieswith Erika Huber have two more sessions this summer, August 14 and August 28, 9:30-11:30 a.m. for ages 3-5. Reservations required.

    There’s fun every day of the week in the Children’s Garden with Gardens admission through August 31 and weekends (only) September 6-October 26. The daily schedule includes: 10 a.m. Storytime, 11 a.m. Garden Puppet Theater, 12:30 p.m. Chicken Feeding, and 1 p.m. Nature Investigations. Stay for lunch at the Kitchen Garden Café where we have kids’ menu options and outdoor seating.

    Join the fun on a Fairy Friday in August with special guests of the Gardens Gift Shop, Liza Gardner Walsh, author of Fairy House Handbook and Fairy Garden Handbook and creator of the Fairy House Kit, August 8, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Jennifer Winnes, creator of the Fairy Glow House, will be here on August 15, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. with imaginative creations made from real, hollowed out tree branches and decorated by hand with natural materials. 

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